School tests under threat of a teacher boycott could be scrapped in favour of teacher assessments, a government-backed group of experts indicated today.

The body was set up by Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, to analyse the system of national curriculum tests, which some teachers claim is damaging children and resulting in narrow teaching in the final year of primary school.

Mr Balls told the Commons that he would accept the recommendations “in full”.

The group backed Mr Balls, who is determined not to be bullied by teachers into abolishing the Key Stage 2 tests for 11-year-olds, by saying that getting rid of English and maths testing would be a backwards step and misguided.

However, it said that science tests should cease to exist in their current form, and be replaced by teacher assessment.

The report said: “For the longer term we propose that alternative methods of testing and assessment should be trialled, and that teacher assessment should be strengthened.”

In a letter to Mr Balls, the group said: “In the short term we believe our report sets out the best course of action for the assessment system, but we are aware that future developments could mean further changes need to be implemented.”

The point of the tests was called into question by the group’s recommendation that children should not sit them until the end of June, a month later than now. This would mean that the results would not be available until after the pupils had started secondary school.

Ministers have previously said that the tests provide vital information for secondary school teachers about their intake.

The tests, formerly known as Sats, could be boycotted by teachers next year if the Government does not abolish them. Two teaching unions are balloting members on whether to take disruptive action.

The expert group — which included government advisers, head teachers and a former Ofsted head — advocated the urgent introduction of school report cards. These would give parents information about schools, including pupil satisfaction, child wellbeing and exam scores. They would also have an overall grade, probably from A to F.

It said that the Government should then promote the report card as an alternative to league tables “as the focus of public accountability for schools”. However, teaching unions, angered by the use of the test results to create league tables, have indicated that the introduction of the system as an alternative source of information would not dilute their opposition to the tests.

The expert group also wants primary school graduation certificates, focusing on each child’s strength.

It advocated extended projects that children would start at the end of primary school and finish in their first year of secondary school, to improve the transition process, when many pupils regress.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Balls said that the current system was not set in stone. He added: “I can confirm that I will accept the expert group’s recommendations in full, and consult on their implementation.”

Times recommends

• ‘Obama effect’ pushes British pupils to US
• Over-subscribed colleges face budget shortfall
• End in sight for school tables based on test results