Green Party pledges to abolish ‘pointless’ Sats

Green Party also promises to scrap academies, and to boost the education budget by £7 billion
15th May 2017, 10:41am

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Green Party pledges to abolish ‘pointless’ Sats

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The Green Party is pledging to abolish “pointless, pressured” Sats and scrap academies as part of radical plans to shake up the education system.

Freeing teachers and children from national tests will be at the heart of the party’s education policy, which promises to put the “enjoyment, creativity and inspiration” back into schools.

Launching the plans on the Isle of Wight this morning, education spokeswoman Vix Lowthion is also set to promise a £7 billion cash boost for education to fill the funding gap created by cuts.

Ms Lowthion, a secondary school teacher, is due to say: “We want to create an inspiring education system that transforms lives and transforms Britain, but that can’t happen without the very basic foundations being in place and this government has been removing them brick by brick.

“How are schools meant to prepare children for life when 99 per cent will suffer from funding cuts and children and teachers are subjected to pointless, pressurised testing?

“We need to make up for the enormous shortfall, the massive neglect, in our education system by plugging the £7 billion spending deficit.

“At the same time as schools are getting fewer resources, more is being asked of teachers and pupils.

“Getting rid of Sats tests would be one big step towards putting the enjoyment, creativity, and inspiration back into school and ensure teachers are free to teach.”

The Greens will put forward plans to bring academies back under local authority control and ensure education is in the hands of teachers and parents rather than businesses.

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