Press Release

Statement on Sats report

7 May 2009

Commenting on the report on assessment published today (7 May 2009), Philip Parkin, General Secretary of Voice: the union for education professionals, said: "I welcome the ending of the science SATs, but I am disappointed that the report does not recommend the immediate scrapping of all of the remaining Sats.

"However, we look forward to reading the full details of the report and to discussing the way ahead with the Government.

"Now that tests at 14 have gone, there seems little point in continuing with those left at 11. The current system of 'accountability' is for the benefit of the Government rather than for providing information for parents and taxpayers.

"The Government's obsession with testing everything that moves has distorted the curriculum, caused stress and anxiety for students, teachers and parents.

"We would like to see a move away from teaching to tests to a smaller scale, school-based system that makes much greater use of teacher assessment.

"We will continue to press for that in our ongoing talks with the Government.

"We hope that the proposed 'school report cards' will give a broad assessment of the various aspects of a school's activities rather than an overall 'grade'. Like any institution or organisation, a school has strengths and weaknesses across the many aspects of its work. Schools are already the most over-inspected, over-accountable, minutely examined institutions in the country so a 'B plus, could do better' style of mark would be shallow, pointless and meaningless."