EMBARGO: 1200 hours

Wednesday 16 October 2002

Teachers reject tests as damaging tochildrens education says NUT survey

Commenting on the findings of an NUT surveyon teachers attitudes to end of key stage tests, Doug McAvoy, NUT GeneralSecretary, said:

With more than a decade of experience withthese tests, teachers continue to see them as narrowing childrens education,time wasting and providing little information of value.

The survey shows overwhelming oppositionto tests and league tables. There is a clear desire to move to a moresupportive and helpful system which would benefit pupils and provide morevaluable information to their teachers and parents.

Their desire to be rid of these tests andthe resultant league tables is based on straightforward educational grounds.The tests narrow the curriculum, limiting childrens opportunities and thedownward pressure from league tables forces teachers to teach to the test.

The vast majority of our members have madeit clear that they would willingly vote to boycott these tests in conjunctionwith members of other teacher organizations.

EN D PR79/02(3)