Some people who are good at reciting tables are no good at maths.
Some people who don’t know their tables are good at maths.
Some people are good at both.
Testing recitation of tables tells us nothing about all this.
It will hand more money to the corporations who devise the tests.
They impose a time factor on answering, which will increase stress.
No proper discussion was had about assessment as help to children and teachers, or what’s appropriate.
It will demand of teachers, children and parents more hours in order to get every multiple exactly right rather than time spent on concepts and problem solving.
It is yet another way for the govt to impose their single view of education on schools and teaching.
