The Assessment Reform Campaign

1. The Assessment ReformCampaign

2. The aims of our campaign • No more publication of performance tables which cause the humiliation of school leaders, their schools and communities; • No more use of flawed data and inaccurately marked tests to destroy members’ careers; • SATs to be available for use alongside TA to enable an accurate judgement of progress to be made for every child; • Schools to be accountable for the totality of their achievements, not just attainment as portrayed by the proxy of SAT scores; • No more over-rehearsal for high-stakes testing. • The NAHT / NUT is NOT against testing but IS against • high-stakes testing and the misuse of test results.

3. 2009 Conference Motions • Conference instructs the National Council / Executive to: • Step up the joint campaign to halt statutory testing at Key Stages • 1 and 2; • 2. Seek the support of all the unions, including those in the TUC, • for the campaign; • 3. Seek support from the widest possible range of organisations • including parents, governors and parliamentary parties; • 4. Once all other reasonable avenues have been exhausted,ballot all relevant members for joint action to boycott the Key Stage 1 and 2 statutory tests, for the academic year 2009-2010, if the Government refuses to remove them.

4. Nature of the joint campaign with the NUT ‘Exploring all reasonable avenues’, has included; • Negotiations with ministers; • Discussions with civil servants; • Discussions with other unions; • Discussions with other bodies e.g. governors, parents etc; • Evidence to Select Committee, Expert Group, Primary Reviews etc; • Development of an alternative accountability system – NAHT / NUT Charter;

5. Campaign milestones • November 2009 • NAHT consultation: • 94% of respondents want change to system • 64% indicated that they would support taking action • December 2009 • Charter for Assessment published by NAHT / NUT • January 2010 • NAHT Council & NUT Executive voted overwhelmingly to prepare for ballot although we continue to stress we do not want this outcome. A bottom line compromise was offered …

6. Legal Position • For the NAHT / NUT to act legally in calling for members to boycott SATs must be in pursuance of ‘trade dispute’; • Our dispute is mainly about the impact of SATs on the working lives of school leaders (HT, DHT and AHT). This can be constituted as a ‘trade dispute’ – advice taken by the Association; • Potential for stopping of salary; • If industrial action is taken in response to successful ballot and, as a result, member dismissed, dismissal automatically unfair; • Potential for court challenge and injunction – cannot act against injunction or NAHT / NUT faces sequestration of funds.

7. National Governors Association • The duty to arrange the tests falls directly on the headteacher and is clearly an operational matter. If the boycott goes ahead the governing body should not get involved in operational matters and should not get involved in the administration of the tests. The governing body can reasonably enquire of the headteacher (assuming your headteacher is a member of the NAHT/NUT) what action they will be taking and what steps are in place to administer/manage the tests. The governing body cannot force the tests to be carried out, and should not try to do so, but it may remind the headteacher of the government’s view of the boycott’s legalities. NGA Website

8. The Ballot Timetable – if we reach this stage It is important to note that this time line takes into account the legal requirement that action should take place within 4 weeks of a successful result declared.

9. Action to be taken in the event of a successful ballot • Headteachers with Y6 children will be called upon to: • Refuse to follow the test opening, checking and administrative procedures; • Refuse to carry out the tests; • Refuse to ensure that all eligible and able pupils take the test;

10. What next ? • Share the campaign message locally at every opportunity; • Keep your Governors fully informed and if appropriate gain support; • Ensure parents understand that any boycott of SATs will not affect the information they receive about their child’s progress and attainment; Vote YES in the ballot if we ‘exhaust all avenues’ of negotiation; • Prepare for action!

11. Perverse incentive? – whilst the whole outcome of all school improvement measures rests on these narrow outcomes, of course we will practise, revise, boost and coach, train and group to get the bullies of our backs! • National Targets • LA targets • School Targets • Floor Targets • SIP visits and reports • High deprivation/ High blood pressure • Bullying culture which makes us feel inadequate which makes us make the teachers feel inadequate which make them put pressure on their pupils in turn • Can this be right? • The outcome of SATs has ruined careers • Given a choice would you get rid of them? • This is as close as we will come to getting rid of them – don’t back out now or what replaces them will be so much worse!

12. Finally – if you needed any more incentive to vote YES then try these likely lads for inspiration! White Rose Publishing, Barnsley, South Yorks.