Saturday 9 October 2010

NAHT abandons SATs boycott

To the anger of some of its own members who had bravely taken part in the 2010 boycott of Key Stage 2 SATs, the NAHT's National Council have announced that they WON'T be balloting for any SATs boycott in 2011.

The NAHT argue that the boycott should be halted now that it has been offered a review of primary assessment by the new Government. It's certainly true that the joint NUT/NAHT boycott helped forced the Government to announce this review - but, without any guarantee that Gove will recommend an end to SATs, the boycott should have continued.

The NAHT decision puts the NUT in a difficult position. The overwhelming arguments against SATS remain, but the small proportion of schools covered by NUT Heads mean that a continuing boycott would only cover a few schools and Heads, along with Year 6 teachers, could fear isolation if they were to act alone.

However, there may be areas of the country where NUT Heads - perhaps in conjunction with disgruntled NAHT Heads switching to the NUT - could be balloted for a contining boycott. Certainly, the campaign against SATS must continue amongst parents too.

Let me know what teachers in your school think that the NUT should do now.

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