Standardised Assessment in Irish Primary Schools: Teachers' Views on Purpose, Pressure and Practice

Abstract

This paper explores the perspectives of principals, teachers and key actors within the Irish primary school context regarding standardised assessment following a cultural flashpoint in the Irish education system, marked by the embedding of governmental policy regarding literacy and numeracy. A survey methodology was employed which incorporated the use of 103 qualitative questionnaires and 12 semi-structured interviews. A thematic data analysis framework was then applied to interrogate the data. This paper examines key themes identified relating to perceived pressure, test preparation practices and participants' reflections on the educational purpose and perceived value of standardised assessment. Participants’ perspectives are situated within the expansive discourse regarding standardised assessment internationally, as well as the limited corpus of Irish research in this area. The findings emphasise the need for system-level attention regarding the influences of standardised assessment and consideration of the paradoxical motivations that may now exist within Irish primary schools due to recent governmental policies linking test results and special education support allocation. In addition, the findings have informed the development of a self-reflective scale for teachers which could be used to support professional learning regarding standardised assessment practices.