HEADTEACHERS have today called for Government tests for Dorset 11-year-olds to be scrapped following the release of primary school league tables.

Education experts say the league tables – created from Standardised Assessment Tests (SATs) – provide too narrow a measure of children’s success and put too much pressure on teachers and pupils.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has released statistics today showing how year six children performed last May in Standard Assessment Tests (SATs).

A row erupted over the tests last year when they were sent back late by markers, causing the Chesil Education Partnership– which represents Weymouth schools – to send a letter of complaint to the government.

Local education authority results were released in August last year as some schools were still waiting for individual results.

Today’s league table shows how many year six Dorset pupils have hit benchmark targets and beyond in English, maths and science.

They also show truancy rates among 11-year-olds.

Overall, Dorset pupils earned an average point score of 28.3, compared to the England and Wales average point score of 27.9.

Top performers in the area were Salway Ash Primary School in Bridport with an average points score of 31.3, followed by St Augustine’s Primary School in Weymouth with 30.5 points and Bridport Primary School with 30.2 points.

Bottom of the class were Bovington Middle School with a points score of 25.8, St John’s Primary School in Weymouth with 26.1 points and Shillingstone Primary School with 26.3 points.

Truancy rates showed the percentage of sessions missed through authorised and unauthorised absences in the school.

Schools with the highest truancy rates were Bincombe Valley Primary School in Weymouth (8.2 per cent), St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary School in Weymouth (7 per cent) and St George’s Primary School on Portland (7 per cent).

The school in the area with the lowest truancy rate was Pimperne (3.8 per cent).

Many other schools also got a hat-trick of 100 per cent success in the number of pupils reaching Level 4 benchmark standards in English, maths and science.

These schools were Charmouth Primary School, Pimperne Primary School, Portesham Primary School and Salway Ash Primary School.

Sue Stockham, headteacher of Radipole Primary School, said: “I think a lot of headteachers want to see the tests scrapped.

“SATs are a very narrow measure of pupils’ success. Teachers know what their children can do throughout the year.”

Leslie Strong, headteacher of Bincombe Valley School in Weymouth, said staff are working with Dorset County Council to address attendance rates.

He said he was concerned about using SATs as a means of measuring a child’s performance at school.

“SATs need to recognise that not all pupils start at the same point or progress at the same rate and that children do not all receive the same life opportunities in their formative years,” he added.

Ruth Clench, headteacher of high-performing Bridport Primary School, said she was delighted with pupils’ performances over the past few years.

But she added: “I feel really quite strongly that we know where our children are.

“There doesn’t seem to be a need for a competitive system where we are in competition with other schools.”