Erica Stanford: Education Minister on the response from schools to the Government's new standardised tests

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

The Education Minister says many schools across the country welcome the idea of standardised testing in primary schools.

Erica Stanford's announced next year, all children in their first year of schooling will do a phonics check to help teachers understand how well they read, by sounding out letters.

Stanford says it's far from being controversial, despite criticism from Labour.

"Look, I absolutely think there's a level of acceptance. Most schools are doing assessments, using tools - and they're doing it in a really good way."

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