It’s not hard to see why we should stop subjecting 10- and 11-year-olds to the annual fiasco of Sats.

It beggars belief that the powers-that-be in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland realise there is an issue and have discarded them and yet in England, they are maintained.

At what cost?

These tests destroy both individuals and schools.

We all know they have a negative impact on children’s learning; we all know they affect far too many pupils’ wellbeing; we all know that to negotiate them successfully, we have to reduce the breadth of curriculum offered to years 5 and 6.

We also know they are not a reliable way of measuring pupils’ achievement, and we know that by continually assessing our children we can support their individual needs better, not through arch end-of-course exams.

We also know that the general public does not support Sats: a survey by the NAHT heads’ union of 10,000 parents showed that more than 85 per cent believed that they had had their day and should be scrapped.

And yet, we continue.

All primary teachers know there is a need for change. But how do we bring about reform? The answer lies, perhaps, with those parents. If parents of Year 6 pupils could be persuaded to take little Jonny and Jemima out of school for a few days of “home education” during Sats week, then the message might begin to get through to the government.

Sats: ‘The Ofsted sausage machine’

I am in little doubt that most parents would like their child to have more creativity in their education, show more independence in their learning and have a say in it.

I very much doubt parents want their children to become a cog in the Ofsted sausage machine that key stage 2 Sats have become.

I am in little doubt that more parents would rather allow teachers to demonstrate their professionalism and provide them with their professional assessment of the progress being made. Or not made.

Perhaps if enough parents could be persuaded to keep their pupil off during Sats Week it could finish off national primary tests once and for all.

Imagine what would follow.

Schools wouldn’t be inspected by results alone. Teachers’ pay wouldn’t be linked solely to results. Pressure on pupils and teachers would be considerably reduced. Secondary schools would carry on regardless. And we would start delivering a proper curriculum appropriate to each of our pupils’ needs.

Education professionals know best what is happening in their classrooms and they know we need to abandon Sats.

Colin Harris has led a school in a deprived area of Portsmouth for more than two decades. His last two Ofsted reports were “outstanding” across all categories

To read more of Colin’s articles, visit his back catalogue