SATs All Folks!!!

Delegates at the NUT Conference in Cardiff over Easter

unanimously agreed to ballot for a boycott of primary SATs
if the government doesn’t scrap them for next September.
As they used to say at the end of Bugs Bunny cartoons,
“SATs All, Folks!” Many wearing ‘No Useless Tests!’ T-shirts
spoke about the waste of young people’s lives that SATs
represent.

One delegate in particular spoke about her magic

summers with Year 6 students who, in the months after
May tests, suddenly blossom into true learners when freed
from the SATs strait-jacket. She reckoned they learn more
in that time than any other period before SATs.

Speakers also stressed that we do not want to see SATs go,

only to be replaced by some other burdensome testing
system.
The NUT will oppose any system like APP (Assessment of
Pupil Progress) if it ends up creating more work for
members.

In addition we agree with the NASUWT conference that the

real enemy is the League Tables. SATs currently provide
the data for them. We don’t want any other data system
used to compile them in future. Let’s end wasteful
competition between and within schools. Let’s take away
the bullies’ stick that so often beats us around the head.

The heads union NAHT is due to pass a similar motion at

its conference over the May Bank Holiday. Between us we
represent 90% of the primary school profession. If they
won’t listen to us now, they’ll have to when we boycott
them!

Taken from: -

Hand in Hand
 Moving Forward Together
The Newsletter of the Harrow Teachers’ Association
Conference Special (With thanks to Ealing NUT) Summer Term 2009