A LEADING union boss has issued a rallying cry to teachers across Derbyshire ahead of a proposed boycott of SATs tests in May.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said that teachers were "chipper" despite concerns over SATs tests and Ofsted inspections.

Mrs Blower, who visited St John's C of E Primary, Belper, and Belper School, spoke with staff and worked with some of the pupils.

She said "The teachers are true professionals and won't let these problem areas dampen their spirit and enthusiasm for the job."

The union, together with the National Association of Head Teachers, is bringing the subject of SATs to a head this May when schools are likely to boycott the annual tests for 11-year-olds.

The union has been campaigning for several years to get them abolished and is hoping that the proposed action will see an end to them, as in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Mrs Blower said: "We are trying to show the Government that there is an alternative to continually testing children and league tables, in the form of teacher assessment.

"There is no strike action planned but a simple boycotting of the tests, without which there can be no league tables."

Without the SATs tests, the Government would be unable to identify specific primary schools it said recently are failing because less than 55% of pupils are passing both English and maths.

This has happened in Derby, with Peartree Junior and Sinfin, Boulton and Allenton primary schools being told to improve by 2011 or face the ultimate sanction of closure.

Mrs Blower said: "As a union, we don't think it appropriate to use SATS alone to measure a school's progress.

"It is much too narrow a way of doing it and does not tell the full story. We have seen schools in these 'failing' categories but ironically, their Ofsted reports are often 'good' with 'outstanding' features."

Recent changes to the Ofsted inspection system, resulting in more schools being judged "satisfactory" or being placed in special measures, has also irked Mrs Blower.

She said: "We are quite prepared to write to Ofsted about any schools we think have been judged down unfairly and would urge schools to defend themselves rigorously if this happens.

"The bottom line is that teaching has changed tremendously over the years but the dedication of teachers hasn't."