Half of English primary schools may boycott SATs

SATS

Up to half the primary schools in England plan to boycott SATS

Up to half of the primary schools in England plan to boycott SATs next week in an early challenge to the new Government.

In some local authorities, including Hartlepool, every primary head teacher is expected to take part in the boycott, a survey by the Daily Mail has shown.

As many as half of schools in Kent, Birmingham and Manchester will snub the compulsory tests and threequarters 'may be affected' in Kirklees.

However in Kingston, Slough, Bracknell Forest and Bournemouth no schools are expected to take part in the boycott.

Around 1,000 schools have already made it known they will not carry out the tests, which are due to be taken by 600,000 11-year-olds.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said Ofsted inspectors may be forced to mark down schools because of a lack of externally-validated results.

Heads are said to be planning a range of alternative activities, including nature walks and picnics.

But some parents are furious that pupils will be denied the chance to take tests they have spent months preparing for and that there will be no objective assessment of how their children are performing.

Some heads are planning to run last year's tests and mark papers internally, but they risk infuriating teachers forced to take on extra work.

Mr Balls has encouraged school governors to ask other 'competent people' to set the tests instead, sending heads home if necessary.

But Governors' leaders are concerned the voluntary groups have no specific powers and that acting on Mr Balls's advice could leave them open to legal challenges.

Members of the National Association of Head Teachers and staff in leadership roles in the National Union of Teachers voted last month to refuse to administer the tests.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: 'We have reports that the numbers boycotting SATs in many areas is close to 50 per cent.

'At that level of participation, it would be impossible to draw up league tables.'