Ballot threat of school tests boycott

PRIMARY school teachers could boycott this year's standard assessment tests (SATs) for 11-year-olds, after trade union leaders announced a ballot over industrial action.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Feb 2010, 09:38 BST
Updated 26th Feb 2010, 09:39 BST

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the school league tables based on the tests damaged the pay and career prospects of their members.

The unions said last night the decision to launch a ballot had been taken because of the lack of a positive response from Government to alternatives to the current testing regime which the NUT and NAHT had put forward.

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NUT's general secretary Christine Blower said: "Following a successful ballot return, action would be taken to frustrate the administration of SATs – it would absolutely not be strike action. Children would be taught in school as normal without taking the tests in the week commencing May 10, 2010."

The general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, Mick Brookes,said: "We are saddened that...Ministers have not been prepared to make the necessary changes required to protect our colleagues from the current uses and abuses of statistical data drawn from unreliable and inaccurate tests."

The ballot opens on March 15.

Related topics:Government