The National Primary Headteachers Association (NAPHA), the National Primary Trust and the National Association for Primary Education believe the tests put unnecessary pressure on children, parents and teachers, and are not a reliable measure of a child's educational progress.
They will launch the National Primary Education Alliance at a meeting on 19 May in Dudley, West Midlands, which they hope will be attended by teachers representing schools that want to return to teacher assessment.
The Alliance is already circulating a questionnaire outlining its stance.
Among its main points are that teacher assessment is more reliable than SATs; effective teaching time is lost preparing for and administering SATs; they are not cost-effective and the finances could be more appropriately used; there are no tangible benefits to children, and it can inhibit their future learning potential and create unnecessary anxiety among teachers, parents and children; and the current curriculum runs counter to most research into child development.
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