Teachers to vote on action over SATs

TEACHERS are a step closer to boycotting this year’s SATs.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) announced yesterday that they are to ballot members on industrial action.

But they stress that a poll in favour would not lead to a strike in SATs week which starts on May 10.

Children would attend school as normal, but teachers would “frustrate the administration” of the English and maths tests sat by 11-year-olds in their final year at primary school.

The unions are pressing ahead with plans for a full ballot after indicative ballots at the end of last year showed widespread support for a boycott.

Bryan Beckingham, Oldham NUT secretary, said: “In consultation before Christmas, 95 per cent of those voting opposed SATs and 76 per cent agreed they would take action to boycott SATs .

“Since the Government has not listened to the overwhelming opinions of our members and the NAHT members, we have no alternative but to now proceed to a formal ballot.

“I am confident that in Oldham our members in primary schools will respond with a huge yes vote for action to boycott SATs ”

Any action would be highly embarrassing for the Government as it is likely to fall around the time of the general election.

Both unions say they have put forward “clear and positive alternatives” to the current testing system.

NAHT general secretary Mick Brookes said: “We have put forward a viable and professional alternative which would have improved the assessment process and ensured that no child leaves the primary phase with incorrect grades.

“The current system has resulted in thousands of children moving to the next phase of their education with misleading information about their ability. It has also led, quite unjustifiably, to schools and their communities being labelled as failing with the consequence of damaging recruitment of head teachers and worsening their working environment.”

Ministers have said any move towards a boycott is irresponsible and insisted that any industrial action would be unlawful.

The NUT’s indicative ballot had a turnout of just under 25 per cent, 76 per cent of respondents saying said they would support a boycott.

And the NAHT’s first survey of 22,000 members showed “strong support” for a boycott.

The two unions originally passed resolutions at their annual conferences last year, proposing the action if the tests are not scrapped

They want to see SATs replaced by teacher assessment and argue that the tests are bad for children, teachers and education, and cause unnecessary stress.

They also want school league tables abolished.