I WISH to take this opportunity to applaud the head teachers of Goddard Park Primary School and Grange Junior School who refused to take part in the sats tests this year. What I find surprising is that many more heads did not take the same action and follow their convictions, or is it that many have lost sight of, or have little understanding of what primary education is all about? It is certainly not about subjecting children to mind numbing worksheets and tedious revision or about reinforcing the feeling of failure for many pupils in this testing situation. It is also not about creating undue stress in many pupils. Primary education should be about fun and excitement in learning, developing creative skills as well as providing a sound basic knowledge.

There are, I am sure, more effective ways of monitoring standards in education such as short notice school and class inspections which would be more objective and accurate than the present system.

ROBERT WEBB

(former head of Greenmeadow School)

Sutton Park

Swindon