This summer’s tests of seven, 11 and 14-year-olds will be severely disrupted in parts of Wales, as the one remaining teaching union boycotting the Standard Assessment Tests continues its industrial action.
More than 4,000 members of the Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru (National Association of the Teachers of Wales) are to continue the boycott on the grounds of excessive workload.
The union, whose membership works mainly in designated bi-lingual and Welsh-medium schools, claims there are too few specialist Welsh supply staff and external examiners to provide adequate cover for the tests to be carried out.
In addition, some local authorities have already indicated that they cannot afford to provide cover because of budgetary restrictions.
Wyn James, general secretary of UCAC, said he would be meeting representatives from the Welsh Office and the Awdurdod Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru (Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales) to discuss the issue.
He said teachers in the Principality had barely benefited from the Dearing Review because of the additional pressures traditionally placed on Welsh schools.
While teachers in England had been relieved of up to 20 per cent of the constrictions of the national curriculum, this had amounted to less than 5 per cent in Wales. This was because pupils had to learn and be assessed in Welsh as a core or foundation subject and were expected to take part in cultural activities and festivals such as Eisteddfodau, which were time-consuming and removed pupils from the normal school timetable.
The boycott is likely to affect the outcome of the review of the testing arrangements which will be carried out by ACAC during the tests in May.
Mr James said: “We are increasing our membership from the other unions because of our stand on this issue, and because the votes of Welsh teachers are always swamped with those of members in England and are never fully represented. We have reached the point where we have a higher proportion of primary heads and deputies off sick than in any other part of Britain, and these pressures on staff cannot be allowed to continue.”
Mr James added that a survey of UCAC members carried out at the beginning of the year found a majority of three to one remained in favour of continuing the boycott. But John Valentine Williams, chief executive of ACAC, said the review of testing arrangements would go ahead.
“We will not know what impact, if any, this boycott will make on the tests review until it happens, but we intend to go ahead as planned and will be working closely with the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Office said: “We hope that the union will look at this issue afresh in the light of the review on testing. If UCAC does not participate in the tests it cannot contribute to the review process.”
