Monday morning, school assembly. The head teacher stands up at the front of the room. "I have a very important announcement," she tells the school. "No more exams!"

That is the idea behind a new book by Sammy Wright, who has been an English teacher for 20 years. According to, Exam Nation, schools should teach pupils how to be happy - not just how to pass tests.

Sammy Wright is not the only teacher to question the value of testing. Two respected academics reviewed all the research on "high-stakes" final exams, where the result of a single test has a big impact on a student's overall grade.

They found that this kind of testing does not help students retainTo keep hold of something. information or reliably measure their ability, that it encourages superficialOn the surface only. ways of learning, causes high levels of stress, is open to cheating, has little relevance for the workplace, and may increase inequality.¹

One person in favour of tests is the former education secretary Michael Gove. He argues that exams "build character, strengthen mental and emotional resilience and help to overcome society's inequalities".²

The alternatives to exams have their own problems. Coursework is thought to make cheating easier, continuous assessment to prevent deep learning, and teacher-only assessment said to disadvantage poorer and ethnic-minority children.

Different countries test pupils in different ways. For example, in parts of Australia 75% of the final grade is based on coursework, while in New Zealand 50% of the final grade is based on teacher assessment. In Norway, only 20% of pupils sit each subject's exam, chosen by a lottery called trekkfag.³ So there is no one correct way of testing school children.

Over the past few years, English schools have risen up the international rankings for maths, reading and science.⁴ At the same time, many schools are short of money, meaning they have had to cut back on teachers' pay, building repairs and extra-curricular activities.⁵

For now, students will keep having to sit exams. But they are not the things that matter. As Sammy Wright explains: "School should teach you skills for living and loving and caring and being a member of society and understanding the world that you're in."⁶

Should we abolish exams?

Yes: Exams are not a reliable measure of abilities. They cause stress, do not help students retain information, and may increase inequality. They need to be replaced.

No: Exams may not be perfect, but other methods of assessment are just as flawed. Testing is the best method we have for giving all pupils an equal chance to do well.

Or... Exams can be a useful academic measure, but they are not the main purpose of education. Schools should teach students how to enjoy being alive.

FOR YOUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CLUE GO TO STEP SIX IN THE SIX STEPS TO DISCOVERY BELOW.