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| Sats boycott ballot for teachers | Sats boycott ballot for teachers |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Teachers' unions in England are to ballot members on a boycott of this year's Sats tests for 11 year olds. | |
| The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Head Teachers have called on the government to scrap the tests, saying they narrow learning. | The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Head Teachers have called on the government to scrap the tests, saying they narrow learning. |
| Ministers said they had ended some tests and strengthened assessments. | Ministers said they had ended some tests and strengthened assessments. |
| The head teachers' union leader, Mick Brookes, said the primary school tests unfairly labelled some schools as "failing". | The head teachers' union leader, Mick Brookes, said the primary school tests unfairly labelled some schools as "failing". |
| This ballot to stop the Sats could set these teachers' union on a collision course with the government in the run up to the general election. | This ballot to stop the Sats could set these teachers' union on a collision course with the government in the run up to the general election. |
| However the other large classroom teachers' union - the NASUWT - says it wants to keep the tests. | However the other large classroom teachers' union - the NASUWT - says it wants to keep the tests. |
| But the NUT and NAHT are now pressing ahead with plans for a full ballot of members after indicative ballots at the end of last year showed widespread support for a boycott. | But the NUT and NAHT are now pressing ahead with plans for a full ballot of members after indicative ballots at the end of last year showed widespread support for a boycott. |
| 'Misleading' | 'Misleading' |
| In a joint statement, the NUT and NAHT said the action, short of a strike, would be intended to "frustrate the administration of Sats". | In a joint statement, the NUT and NAHT said the action, short of a strike, would be intended to "frustrate the administration of Sats". |
| NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "The lack of a positive response from government is disappointing. We want to avoid industrial action and call upon the government, even at this late stage, to enter into meaningful talks." | NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "The lack of a positive response from government is disappointing. We want to avoid industrial action and call upon the government, even at this late stage, to enter into meaningful talks." |
| Mick Brookes, NAHT general secretary, said: "The current system has resulted in thousands of children moving to the next phase with misleading information about their ability. | Mick Brookes, NAHT general secretary, said: "The current system has resulted in thousands of children moving to the next phase with misleading information about their ability. |
| "It has also led quite unjustifiably, to schools and their communities being labelled as 'failing' with the consequence of damaging recruitment of head teachers and worsening their working environment." | "It has also led quite unjustifiably, to schools and their communities being labelled as 'failing' with the consequence of damaging recruitment of head teachers and worsening their working environment." |
| If a boycott goes ahead, children would attend school during Sats week in early May, but instead of taking tests they would have a normal school week. | If a boycott goes ahead, children would attend school during Sats week in early May, but instead of taking tests they would have a normal school week. |
| Both unions said they give parents an "absolute guarantee" that their child's progress will still be accurately reported by schools taking part in a boycott, and the information passed on to secondary schools. | Both unions said they give parents an "absolute guarantee" that their child's progress will still be accurately reported by schools taking part in a boycott, and the information passed on to secondary schools. |
| The Sats tests are taken each year by about 600,000 pupils in England and the results are used for the annual primary school league tables. | |
| In previous years, pupils have taken tests in English, maths and science - but the test for science has been removed. | In previous years, pupils have taken tests in English, maths and science - but the test for science has been removed. |
| A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said it was piloting an alternative system of testing and that it was investing £150m in expanding and strengthening teacher assessment in schools. | A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said it was piloting an alternative system of testing and that it was investing £150m in expanding and strengthening teacher assessment in schools. |