SEVERAL schools across Dorset are set to boycott the controversial Sats tests for 10 and 11 year-olds.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), in a ballot earlier this month, decided to challenge the governments Scholastic Assessment Tests (Sats) for 10 and 11-year-olds in Maths and English.

Headteachers and teachers have described the Sats as ‘detrimental’ to the broader National Curriculum and want to see the system scrapped in favour of a system called Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP).

However, many schools will still be holding the tests this month.

The APP approach would see teachers able to monitor pupils’ progress in the classroom across the entire curriculum and not just in the three core areas.

Secretary for the Dorset Division of the NUT, Geoff Cook, said: “The NUT is boycotting the Sats on the grounds that they have a detrimental effect on the curriculum.

“Because teachers have to teach to Sats they are not giving children as broad an education as they would like. The Sats put an undue amount of stress on the child and we want to avoid the feeling of failure and avoid the emotional knock on effect.”

The NUT and NAHT say that the Sats tests can cause skewing of national league tables, as other areas of the curriculum are not taken into account. Eleven schools across the area so far are taking part in the boycott of the Sats, that start on May 10.

The unions are in favour of a new approach to assessing young children and say that the other for Key stage 2 Science and Sats tests for 14-year-olds have already been scrapped.

Dorset County Council said that if head teachers refused to administer the Sats they would be in breach of their contracts.

Director of children’s services, John Nash, said: “The Department for Schools, Children and Families has issued guidance to chairs of governors that if head teachers refuse to run Sats they will technically be in breach of statute.

“Therefore, governors could withhold pay. We have circulated this guidance with a covering note saying that, above all else, head teachers and governors should agree how to handle the situation and inform parents.”

An alliance of Bridport head teachers has decided not to boycott the Sats.

Chesil Education Partnership, that represents several schools across Weymouth and Portland, will be boycotting the tests.

How schools are affected

Schools that will be boycotting the Sats from May 10:

Chesil Cove Federation (Underhill Primary School)

Chickerell Primary School

Conifers Primary School

Portesham C of E Primary School

Radipole Primary School

Southill Primary School

St Georges Primaery School, Portland

St Andrews C of E Primary School, Preston

St Augustine’s Primary School

St Nicholas & St Lawrence School, Broadwey

Wyke Regis Junior School

Schools that will be sitting the Sats:

Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School, Weymouth

Bincombe Valley Primary School, Weymouth

Bridport Primary School, Bridport

Burton Bradstock C of E Primary School, Bridport

Charmouth Primary School, Bridport

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, Weymouth

Loders Primary School, Bridport

Marshwood C of E Primary School, Bridport

Mountjoy School, Bridport

Powerstock C of E Primary School, Bridport

Prince of Wales Primary School, Dorchester

Sir John Colfox School, Bridport

St Catherine’s RC Prmary School, Bridport

St John’s C of E Primary School, Weymouth

St Mary’s Primary School, Bridport

Southwell Primary School, Weymouth

Symondsbury C of E Primary School, Bridport

Thorner’s CE VA Primary School, Dorchester

In discussions about the boycott:

Cheselbourne Village School, Dorchester

No Reply

Broadwindsor Primary School, Beaminster

Buckland Newton C of E Primary School, Dorchester

Greenford C of E VC Primary School, Dorchester

Parrett and Axe Church of England Primary School, Beaminster

Salway Ash C of E Primary School, Bridport

Sticklands Primary School, Evershot

St Michael’s Primary School, Lyme Regis

William Barnes Primary School, Sturminster Newton