Campaign reply - Is it time to reform SATs? Please join the More Than A Score event on Tuesday 5 July 04/07/22

Thank you for contacting me about year 6 SATs. I want to assure you that I appreciate your concerns.  

Unfortunately, due to urgent parliamentary business, I was unable to attend this event. However, these statutory assessments play an important role in making sure that children are secure in basic reading, writing and mathematics. This is key to ensuring they succeed at secondary school and in later life.

 

Schools’ overall results are also important for accountability, as they allow for the calculation of a value-added measure, and thereby identification of schools that are coasting or falling below the expected levels of progress. The assessments also help teachers by offering insight into their pupils’ performance in relation to national expectations, and allow them to identify where extra support may be required.

 

Teachers are trusted to administer statutory assessments in a way that does not cause undue pressure for children or compromise their wellbeing. However, steps are being taken to enhance the support available in schools for children’s mental health and wellbeing. To build upon the work of school nurses and counsellors, new mental health support teams are being established in and near schools and colleges.

 

I also welcome that a £79 million funding boost will see the number of these support teams grow from 59 to 400 by April 2023. Funding for training for senior mental health leads in schools and colleges will also be provided so that schools can adopt a ‘whole school’ approach to mental health and wellbeing. 

 

We must also do more to give teachers the support they need. As such, I welcomed the introduction of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, which, amongst other things, is an impetus for discussion between government and head teachers about further ways in which teachers’ workload can be reduced, and professional development supported.