10,000 back petition to demand end of Sats

Ten thousand people have signed a petition calling for the end of Sats it was announced today, as industrial action over the tests moved a step closer.

The petition urges the Government to abolish national curriculum standard assessment tests, known as Sats, for seven and 11-year-olds in England.

It comes as the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said it is to hold an indicative ballot of members later this term over proposals to boycott next year's tests.

The NUT and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) passed resolutions at their annual conferences earlier this year proposing to take joint action to boycott the tests if they are not scrapped.

Between them, the two unions represent a large proportion of teaching staff in primary schools.

Under the indicative ballot, members will be asked if they would show support for a boycott if a solution is not found. A full ballot would still be taken at a later date.

The joint NUT/NAHT petition has won the support of former children's laureate Michael Rosen.

In an interview with the NUT's Teacher magazine Rosen, the author of children's books such as We're Going On A Bear Hunt, said: "Abolish Sats - they're utterly useless and they drive children, teachers and parents nuts.

"They're bad for kids, bad for education, bad for parents and bad for families."

The petition states: "We, the undersigned, believe that the Westminster Government should follow the example of the Welsh Assembly Government by removing statutory end of Key Stage tests at age seven and 11 in England.

"Further, it should recognise that unlike the tests, teacher assessment supports, not damages, children's learning."

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "Getting so many people signing our petition is a clear indication that we are not alone in our concern about the detrimental effects that Sats have on our education system.

"I urge Ed Balls (the Children, Schools and Families Secretary) to listen to the many voices that agree with us that we must see an end to Sats."

NAHT general secretary Mick Brookes said: "We are determined that this year top primary pupils will receive a broad and balanced curriculum, unhindered by the mind-numbing rehearsal of past Sats papers, and that league tables are either abolished or at the very least become an irrelevance."

Of the ballot, Ms Blower added: "An indicative ballot means we will be asking members if they will support a boycott if, once all avenues to achieve a change to the assessment arrangements have been exhausted, Sats remain.

"Our view is that teachers should be able to teach the curriculum this term, not teach to the test."

Mr Brookes said later that the NAHT would be carrying out its own survey this term to "gauge members' opinion about what we are doing".

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said a boycott would be "irresponsible and disruptive" to pupils.

He said: "It's absolute nonsense that children spend their days chained to their desks being tested - from next year, the only externally marked tests children will do in their first nine years of education will be Key Stage 2 English and maths."

The Government trusts teachers' experience and professionalism, he said.

The unions should "take a deep breath" and consider Government reforms before "ploughing on regardless", the spokesman added.