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Only 5% of school leaders think SATs tests accurately reflect academic achievement
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Only 3% believe they are a good measure of school performance
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Over three-quarters think they lead to teaching to the test and narrowing the curriculum
Primary school leaders have delivered a damning verdict on the value of year 6 SATs and the negative effects caused by preparing for the high-pressure tests. As the government begins its Curriculum and Assessment Review, 70% stated that they would like to see Key Stage 2 SATs removed, according to a survey by Teacher Tapp*.
Headteachers and other school leaders overwhelmingly disagree with the principles behind the controversial tests. Only 5% of respondents believe they are an accurate reflection of a child’s achievements and only 4% agree that they are a reliable way to measure academic progress in primary.
They also disagree with the use of SATs data to measure school performance: only 3% believe the results are an accurate reflection of this.
The government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review is seeking evidence from all stakeholders as it considers the role of statutory tests in measuring children’s educational progress.
Many of the arguments put forward by proponents of SATs are disputed by the research. Only one in ten school leaders believe that the assessments build confidence in pupils. When it comes to transitioning to secondary school, only 12% of respondents think preparing for the tests – often involving cramming and practice papers – help with readiness for secondary school and a tiny 4% believe that they equip pupils for GCSE success. Over three-quarters (77%) think the preparation leads to teaching to the test.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review is also giving significant consideration to the best way to support children with SEND or other disadvantages. According to school leaders surveyed, SATs do not support either group: 67% agree the tests disadvantage children with SEND and over half (54%) agree they disadvantage children from deprived backgrounds.
Other negative effects in primary schools include unnecessary pressure on school staff (77% agree) and narrowing of the curriculum (76% agree). The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has set a target of 6500 new teachers, but over a third of heads (36%) believe SATs alone is a factor in recruiting and retaining year 6 teachers.
The government’s Review may also want to consider school leaders’ views on the priorities for a revised primary curriculum and assessment system. Four out of five believe teaching a broad, rich curriculum should be a priority, followed by allowing disadvantaged and SEND pupils to show their full potential (53% agree); fostering a sense of self-worth and wellbeing in pupils (50% agree) and using assessments to support learning, rather than for external accountability (42%).
Kulvarn Atwal, executive headteacher, Highlands Primary School and Uphall Primary School in London, comments, “As headteachers, we believe it’s important for the performance of our schools to be measured and we want to accurately monitor the academic progress of our pupils. But SATs are the wrong way to do this. They are unreliable and unfair. Schools should not be judged on how well 10- and 11-year-olds do in GCSE-style exams and children should not be subjected to unnecessary pressure just before they move to the next phase of their education.”
Alison Ali, spokesperson for More Than A Score comments, “School leaders must be listened to. They see the harmful effects of the current system day after day and year after year in their classrooms. They know that SATs, and other primary assessments, do not support learning and can cause harm to their pupils and staff. It’s time for SATs to go and to introduce a fairer, more equitable system for the benefit of everyone involved in educating our youngest pupils and, most importantly, the children themselves.”
*Teacher Tapp surveyed 986 primary school heads and SLT, October 2024