The Impact of Statutory Assessments on Writing Instruction in English Primary Schools: An Exploration of Teacher Perceptions and Practices

This article outlines the curriculum and assessment regime related to writing in England that affects children in their final year of primary school (Year 6: ages 10–11). The assessment in England is colloquially known as SATs and, for writing, consists of a grammar, punctuation, and spelling test, alongside a separate teacher assessment of writing using a set of criteria. Both these assessments are statutory and are integral components of the accountability system for primary schools in England. From an interpretive perspective, this article explores how teachers perceive the assessment and how it influences their instructional practices through data collected from interviews with 10 Year 6 teachers. A broad discussion centres around the potential negative consequences of the assessment regime on the teaching of writing and includes the teachers’ perceived impact of these assessments on writing instruction and the effects this has on the teachers’ teaching practices. There is a particular focus on issues around “teaching-to-the-test” with some implications for policy.