Bristol teachers protest over Sats for 11-year-olds

Hundreds of teachers in the Bristol area are being asked to back a boycott of Sats tests for 11-year-olds.

The National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Head Teachers hopes to force the Government to drop the tests, which are due in May.

They are asking their members this month if they would be prepared to refuse to administer the tests. If a large majority say yes in the indicative ballots, the unions will conduct full ballots using industrial legislation next year.

More than 25,000 people across the country have signed the unions' petition to scrap the Key Stage 2 Sats.

Tests for 14-year-olds have already been dropped.

The unions want teachers to assess pupils in the classroom and argue that there is no need for a national test or league tables.

But Vernon Coaker, the schools minister, has said a boycott would be "disruptive to pupils and risk doing damage to the standing of the profession".

The NUT in Bristol has been handing out leaflets outside some primary schools explaining to parents why the testing should end and it says it has received strong support.

Members will be continuing their campaign in Broadmead today.