Anastasia de Waal’s cogent article on testing takes exactly the same position as the NAHT on the issue of Sats (“There is no doubt that Sats are deeply pernicious ... ”, September 3). Testing must be the servant rather than the master of the curriculum.

The article will raise further questions about what will happen to Sats testing in May 2011. I imagine my successor’s inbox will already be bursting with demands to know what the NAHT will “do”. This will be resolved in the next few weeks when the executive meets to decide whether the new departmental administration will pay credence to the condemnation of the current system by Education Secretary Michael Gove and his policy adviser Sam Freedman. Noises off do not sound encouraging!

My challenge to colleagues in primary schools is not to wait for permission, but to decide now what it is you want for your Year 6 this academic year - and to stick to your guns. It is heartening to hear that primary schools are also not waiting to be told what curriculum they should have in place.

Mick Brookes, Independent consultant and former NAHT general secretary.