Shrewsbury headteacher campaigns for removal of SATs
A headteacher from Shrewsbury is campaigning for the removal of primary assessment in schools.
Sabrina Hobbs, headteacher at Severndale Specialist Academy in Shrewsbury, visited Westminster on Tuesday to discuss standardised assessment in primary schools, which she believes have a negative effect on pupils.
SATs and other standardised assessments have come under scrutiny in recent years as parents, educators and experts have spoken out against the current system.
In February, the Government announced that it will go ahead with tests in English and maths for four- and five-year-olds when they start school in September.
The briefing for MPs, organised by campaign group More Than A Score, was hosted by Caroline Lucas MP, Layla Moran MP and Jack Dromey MP.
Sabrina Hobbs said: "Headteachers see first-hand the negative effects of the current testing regime on pupils and staff. This is particularly obvious for those of us working in the SEND area."
Caroline Lucas MP, agreed and said school staff and parents should be listened to.
She added: "Parents, teachers and headteachers are right. Children's education and well-being must come first, ahead of the Government's obsession with SATs and high-stress testing."
Research from More Than A Score found that 93 per cent of headteachers believe the Government should review the current system of standardised assessment.
The campaign group's research also found that only four per cent of West Midlands parents were aware of the extent of Government testing in primary schools.
