Discipline threat to heads over Sats boycott

A confidential letter has been sent out by Education Leeds to governors of all the city's primary schools asking them to contact the authority before taking any action against teaching staff.

A director at Education Leeds, Pat Toner, told the Yorkshire Post it was sent out in response to several inquiries from governors who wanted to know if they could discipline staff for taking part in the industrial action.

Both the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) have voted to boycott the key stage two standard assessment tests (SATs) which start on May 10.

Unions says the tests are damaging to pupils as they force schools to "teach to the test" at the expense of a broader education.

Teachers also claim it leads to schools being unfairly judged on the ability and test scores of their pupils rather than on the quality of the education they are delivering.

In ballots of the two unions, 64 per cent of those voting backed the action. However in the NUT ballot just over a third of members actually voted.

Education Leeds chief executive Chris Edwards has written to governing bodies of Leeds primary schools reminding them that they have a "statutory duty to secure the arrangements for SATs" and that head teachers have a legal duty to ensure they are carried out.

The letter says: "If the head teacher indicates that no steps are in place to administer or manage the tests that the governing body should attempt to make alternative arrangements to ensure that the tests are administered."

It adds: "At this stage you may wish to consider whether disciplinary action should be instigated against the head teacher for failing to fulfil this statutory responsibility. It is essential that you discuss this with us prior to taking any action."

Leeds NUT branch secretary Patrick Murphy said this letter has caused anger among head teachers and warned that it could lead to unnecessary conflict between heads and governing bodies.

He said: "There was nothing in the advice which Schools Secretary Ed Balls has sent out to head teachers suggesting that our action was illegal or that staff should be subject to disciplinary action."

However Mr Toner said it had only been sent out because governors at Leeds primary schools had already asked about whether they could take disciplinary action.

He said: "Anyone who takes part in any industrial action could potentially be found be in breach of contract and subject to disciplinary action.

"What we are saying to the governing bodies is that their time and focus should be spent on making arrangements to ensure the tests which young people have been working towards for a long time can go ahead and not on disciplining staff." There could be more than 180 schools in Leeds affected by the boycott.

Wakefield Council has also issued guidance reminding head teachers at the district's 122 primary schools of their "statutory duties".

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The letter advises head teachers of their professional duties under the Education Act," but declined to reveal what it actually said.