Nearly 400 of region's schools boycott Sats

Thousands of pupils across the region were affected by the industrial action as members of both the National Association of Headteachers and the National Union of Teachers refused to administer the English and maths tests sat by 11-year-olds.

The unions say enough primary schools have taken part in the boycott to make publishing league tables impossible later this year.

Tables measure schools on how many pupils get to the standard expected of the age group in the core subjects of English and maths

The overall number of schools involved in Yorkshire is not yet known but figures from nine education authorities show that at least 382 primaries did not administer the tests.

This includes about half the schools in Barnsley, Hull, Kirklees and Wakefield and another 80 primaries in Leeds, 49 in the East Riding, 23 in Calderdale and 20 in Doncaster.

Steve Iredale, headteacher of Athersley South Primary in Barnsley, first proposed the Sats boycott at the NAHT's annual conference last year. He said: "I met with the pupils in the morning to confirm to them that they would not be sitting the Sats. We then had breakfast together, myself, the year six pupils and their teachers which is something we always do during Sats week.

"After this the children worked on creating a woodland trail in our grounds and I have to say it is the first time in a while that they have been able to have that creativity because we had been doing Sats preparation."

Mr Iredale said his school was happy for parents to know how children were performing and had a detailed tracking system to ensure pupils made progress.

He said: "Having one test for all pupils at a set age is like expecting all 17-year-olds to take their driving test at the same time. Children learn at different rates and need to be challenged and encouraged. Having one narrow test is the exact opposite of what we do at primary schools.

"Teacher assessments are a much fairer way of judging children's progress."

Stephen Watkins, headteacher of Mill Field Primary in Leeds, vowed never to allow Sats to be taken in his school again.

He said: "We have had a normal day and the children have a had a more valuable education than if they had sat these wretched tests.

"The Sats tests arrived a few weeks ago and I had to check we had received everything we should have. I then resealed the boxes and they are now in a storage cupboard waiting for someone to collect them."

He urged the next Government to abolish the tests but vowed to take part in another boycott every year if the system stays in place.

The NUT's general secretary, Christine Blower, said: "Thousands of schools across England have decided that enough is enough and have taken the decisive step of boycotting this year's Sats.

"There are reports from many areas that a significant majority of primary school pupils will not be sitting key stage two tests this week. This will make the annual ritual of naming and shaming schools through league tables impossible.

"It is essential that Government listens to and engages with the profession in constructive talks about reforming assessment at primary level.

"I am hearing from a lot of headteachers about just how delighted they are that finally children in their schools are being taught without the threat of Sats results hanging over them."

In the run up to the industrial action Schools Secretary Ed Balls and local education authorities wrote to governing bodies reminding them they had a statutory duty to ensure the tests were administered.

It also emerged that several governing bodies of Leeds primary schools were considering taking disciplinary action against headteachers who took part in the boycott.