‘Loss of nerve’ sees Sats go ahead in Islington primary schools despite boycott

PUBLISHED: 14 May 2010
by ROISIN GADELRAB

PRIMARY school headteachers in Islington have suffered a “collec­tive loss of nerve” by defying a national union boycott of controversial Sats exams this week – disappointed teachers have told the Tribune.

Every primary school in the borough went ahead with controversial exams for Year 6 pupils on Monday – even though thousands of headteachers nationally are boycotting the tests.

But union rep­resen­tatives and some Islington teachers say they are disappointed that the schools have ignored a national ballot which voted by majority to abandon the exams.

David Rosenberg, a teacher at Hanover Primary School, said: “It’s a collective loss of nerve amongst the heads in Islington.

“Most but not all of  the teaching group at Hanover are NUT members. Our opinion as a group was that we continue to hold an anti-Sats position. 

“But we also recognise the position of the management of the school – where word is that other schools are going ahead with the boycott – they wouldn’t want to go out on a limb  and make themselves vulnerable.”

Ken Muller, assistant secretary of Islington NUT, said he knew there were “all sorts of pressures on schools” and that some teachers had told him they would have preferred to boycott preparations for the exams from the start of the year.

He said: “It’s disappointing that Islington heads have not taken part in the boycott that both the NAHT and NUT voted for. 

“However, we’re aware that this is not the pattern across the country generally – in neighbouring boroughs huge numbers of schools will be boycotting Sats because they know that they are no use educationally and cause children enormous amounts of stress.”

He added: “We hope this is the end of Sats and the next government takes the opportunity to reform the system. If they don’t, we’ll ballot for a boycott next year and hopefully put the final nail in the coffin.” 

He said league tables have been rendered “useless” by the boycott.

An Islington Council spokeswoman said: “No Islington schools have boycotted the Sats. 

“In the lead up to the exams, we were in regular contact with local union representatives and headteachers, ensuring they were aware of advice and guidance issued by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.”