Flanders’ Toeter Test causes failure anxiety, say experts

The so-called Toeter Test to examine whether young children are ready for primary school is still used by half of all Flemish schools, but the time has come to end it, say educational experts

Never meant to hold children back, says psychologist

VRT’s news magazine Koppen reported this week that half of all Flemish schools still use the so-called Toeter Test to ascertain whether children in the third year of pre-school are ready to go on to primary school. Some experts, however, feel the test is completely outdated, and several teams from the pupil support agency CLB advise against its use.

The Toeter Test dates from the 1980s and tests children’s language, math, writing skills and attitude towards schoolwork. Koppen found that the test causes a great deal of failure anxiety among small children and unnecessary stress for parents.

The test was defended by Patrick Lancksweerdt of the Belgian Federation of Psychologists, which developed the test. “The problem is that the Toeter Test is often used as a kind of entrance exam for the first year of primary school, but that was never its purpose,” he said. “The test is a screening instrument, meant to detect problems with the development and skills of toddlers at an early stage so that they can be addressed in time.”