The protest on Thursday 25 April, called 'march of the four-year-olds', will see a group of children hand in a petition against the baseline assessment signed by over 65,000 people.
The More than a Score coalition of education experts, parents, heads and teachers has planned the march as part of its ongoing campaign against standardised assessment in primary schools.
- Schools call for overhaul of primary testing
- Baseline pilot go-ahead sparks outcry
- Schools invited to pilot Reception baseline as opposition against it grows
More than a Score is asking as many pre-school children and parents as possible to join on the day, and bring signs, placards and musical instruments to pressure schools’ minister Nick Gibb to reverse the decision to introduce tests of language and maths skills when children join Reception.
The group plans to gather in Parliament Square at 12pm and arrive at 10 Downing Street to hand in the petition at 1pm.
Baseline assessment tests are due to become mandatory in September 2020.
According to More than a Score, parents have also been voicing their concerns about the introduction of Reception baseline assessment, and chalk protests demanding ‘Play Not Tests at 4’ have begun appearing on pavements and in playgrounds across the country.
- Find out more about the march here