British children are Not the most heavily tested in Europe

[Ouluckyduck]

Where does this myth come from? I have read it so many times on here and other forums. I come from Germany and there children are tested far more often than here, and given grades. They are, however, teacher-assessed. Anybody have any info from other countries to compare?

Ouluckyduck

In the UK teacher set assignments / tests / school end of year exams do not count as 'tested'.

How often in Germany do school children sit national exams? I thought the Arbitur was just the final two years.

In the UK children take external exams at ages 7, 11, 14, 16, 17 and 18.

When I was at school, in the dark ages before GCSE, we only did external exams at 16 and 18, but we did have regular tests and end of term exams and a possition in class.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7232897.stm

great link mrz
I am currently writing a comparision of 5 countries for my degree in early years and that report contains some excellent quotes

I grew up in the US, with constant testing, plus quarterly and yearly report cards with a specific grade. We always knew exactly where we were on an academic scale, because everyone knew each other's grades. Now my three are in the UK system (primary), and I admit I'm not sure what's better. Mostly I'm glad no one is slapping a public label on them, but part of me, when at teacher meetings I'm told they're doing 'fine', wants to say, "Could you just put a numerical value on that, backed up by weekly testing??"

"A knowledge of Latin plus all the children's under her belt aged 11 meant my good friend from India could whip my arse in English comprehension! She's now a top journalist. I thought it was wonderful that her school assumed all could absorb the children's classics by the time they were 11 years old - it would be unthinkable in the UK now. It gave her such a head start and a lifelong love of literature."

Could also have meant that she never opened a book again!!

personally i found the slow pace of one of the primary schools i went to more of a barrier to enthusiasm for learning than the daily testing (spelling and maths) of the best primary ...

only problem was it didn't continue at secondary!

and an amazing number of top journos/ presenter types are classically educated. Gives you quite a love for mucking about with language.

SATs equivalent in Italy at 7,11 and 13 too, plus external exams at 14 and 18
written and oral teacher marked tests at least 8 times a year per subject plus the dreaded "interrogations" when kids will be well, interrogated on the work they are currently doing.

I went through the Dutch system and yes, we had spelling (dictation) and maths tests pretty often in primary, several tests a week in secondary and termly tests as well.

We did not however have a shedload of national externally-marked tests, and in the Dutch system if you are streamed into an academic (A-level equivalent) school then you will not sit the Dutch equivalent of a GCSE or AS - only the actual A-level equivalent exams.

There are national tests at age 11 to stream children into their secondary schools (teacher assessment also has a role in this) but they are mostly IQ and aptitude tests, not the SATs we have here.

I think the UK needs a shift of emphasis - I would personally trust my DDs' teachers' assessment of their abilities over the result of a snapshot test taken on one day - however much that test had been crammed for. That doesn't mean I am against in-house tests - DD1 has these very regularly, she revises for them conscientiously and takes them very seriously. I think it teaches her useful revision skills and I'm all in favour. All that externally-marked stuff, especially with it being used as a stick to beat schools with for league tables, I can do without.