Jewish primary schools have remained largely unaffected by today’s protests by parents over tougher Sats tests for young children.
Campaigners launched a nationwide social media campaign encouraging parents to remove children from school for one day to demonstrate their concern over the national curriculum exams for seven and 11-year-olds. Hundreds of schools were expected to be affected, according to the campaign.
The “Let our Kids be Kids” campaign website said: “On Tuesday 3rd May join thousands of other parents who feel the same – that their kids are over tested, over worked and in a school system that places more importance of test results and league tables than childrens’ happiness and joy of learning.”
However Jewish primary schools reported no difference in attendance records.
A spokesperson at Hasmonean Primary School in north-west London said there had been “no absences because of it”.
In Manchester, King David primary school’s head teacher Nicola Nelson said: “No, we haven’t been affected at all. No parents have withdrawn their children from school.”
At Brodetsky Jewish Primary School in Leeds, administrator Bonnie Berman said: “No one has complained and we haven’t had anyone who has not turned up today. We are mostly full today. All of Year Six are in.”
A spokesman for Ilford Jewish primary school in east London, said no pupils were absent because of the tests. Susy Stone, head teacher of Akiva school in Finchley, north London, said she was not aware of any absences due to protest.
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