HEADTEACHERS in Colchester look set to ignore a countrywide boycott of national tests for 11-year-olds.

None of the 11 schools the Gazette spoke to said they would snub the Sats on May 10.

The headteachers say the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Headteachers boycott was called too close to the exams, which was unfair on the pupils who have already done much of the work.

William Aylett, headteacher of Montgomery Junior School, Baronswood Way, said cancelling the exams now would have a negative impact on the pupils.

He said: “In principle, I agree with the association’s view that Key Stage Two Sats are damaging to pupils. But the outcome of the decision would unfairly punish the pupils and the staff who have worked so hard.

“You will find few headteachers who think Key Stage Two Sats are a great thing, but we believe because of the work that has gone in so far, it would be unfair on pupils and their families to cancel them.”

Mark Walker, headteacher at Monkwick Junior School, in School Road, said: “The children have worked for too long. To say ‘stop’ two weeks before they take them is wrong. I have sympathy for the unions, but it’s so late in the day.

“It would be crazy to not take them now we have put the work in.”

In total seven primary school headteachers said they would ignore the boycott. Four refused to comment or said they had yet to make a decision.

The unions says the tests for year six pupils – aged ten and 11-year – do not accurately reflect of a child’s ability. Peter Malcolm, a member of the Essex branch of the National Association of Headteachers, said he was not worried headteachers in Colchester had decided to push ahead with the exams.

He said it will only take a few schools to opt out of the exams to render league tables irrelevant.

Mr Malcolm said: “Sats fundamentally are not fair for pupils, but the union isn’t looking to stop testing taking place.

“The use of the tests in league tables is not reliable as there’s a 20 per cent error in marking.”

Mr Malcolm said the timing of the boycott announcement could not be helped because unions were legally bound to carry through any industrial action in a certain time frame.