The Executive of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Council of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) have now decided that members of both unions will be balloted for industrial action with a view to boycotting this year’s Key Stage 2 tests in English and Mathematics. It has been necessary to take this decision to ballot because of the lack of a positive response from Government to the clear options to SATs outlined by the NUT and NAHT.

The outcome of SATs adversely affects our members’ terms and conditions. The use of publicly available league tables, based on the result of these tests, have negative consequences for the pay, tenure and career progression prospects of our members.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said;
“Following a successful ballot return, action would be taken to frustrate the administration of SATs – it would absolutely not be strike action. Children would be taught in school as normal without taking the tests in the week commencing 10 May 2010”.

Mick Brookes, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said;
“We are saddened that, despite us putting forward a number of alternatives to the current assessment regime, Ministers have not been prepared to make the necessary changes required to protect our colleagues from the current uses and abuses of statistical data drawn from unreliable and inaccurate tests.”