The London Association for the Teaching of English
c/o 20 Vanbrugh Hill London SE3 7UF
www.late.org.uk
johngwilks@hotmail.com
31st January 2003

John Bangs
National Union of Teachers
Hamilton House
Mabledon Place
London WC1

Dear John Bangs

KS3 English SATs

I am writing on behalf of members of the London Association for the Teaching of English (LATE) to convey their anger and dismay at the changes to KS3 English SATs for May 2003. The concerns expressed to us centre on: the inadequacy of the SATs as a means of assessing pupils' achievements in the National Curriculum for English; the lack of consultation; the late arrival of sample papers and mark schemes; and the fact that the revised SATs are closely linked to the non-statutory National Literacy Strategy which has not yet been introduced into Year 9.

I have enclosed some notes made at a NATE 9 - 14 committee meeting in December that indicate the kind of criticisms that are being made about the changes to the KS3 English SATs and about the sample papers and mark schemes. I would also like to draw your attention to the following:

· At a LATE meeting on Wednesday 29th January 2003 at Friends Meeting House, Euston, over 80 colleagues voted unanimously to support a statement condemning the current SATs (enclosed);
· This statement has so far also been signed by 10 out of 15 Heads of English in Tower Hamlets (list of schools enclosed);
· Heads of English in Herefordshire wrote to the TES in November outlining very similar concerns (enclosed);
· NATE has issued a press statement (enclosed) which has so far also been signed by 12 out of the 16 secondary Heads of English in Redbridge;
· NATE is also planning to write to every Head of English in the country to gauge opinion about the new SATs;
· Heads of English in Harrow and in Hammersmith & Fulham have written joint protest letters (enclosed)
· LATE has received several e-mails from individual teachers and English departments (examples enclosed) outlining similar concerns and requesting information about a possible boycott;
· The ATL "is urging the Secretary of State to withdraw the 2003 KS3 English SATs until they have been substantially improved" (ATL Update 2003).

It is clear that secondary English teachers are looking to the NUT to support them in a boycott of KS3 English SATs. I would therefore be very grateful if you could indicate what action the NUT is planning to take on this issue so that I can report back to LATE members at the next meeting to consider how to proceed with the campaign.

Yours sincerely

John Wilks
(LATE General Secretary)

cc.
Doug MacAvoy
NUT National Executive members
for Inner and Outer London