Michael Rosen, former Children’s Laureate, was presented today with the Fred & Anne Jarvis Award for education campaigning at the NUT Conference in Liverpool.

The award is made to outstanding individuals who, other than NUT members, who have campaigned tirelessly for all children and young people and to acknowledge their inspiring and lifelong example and commitment to education and equality.

Michael Rosen said that his parents were teachers and that he had the NUT “running through my veins”.

In his speech he said he was “passionate about the abolition of SATs” and fully supported the joint NUT/NAHT campaign for assessment reform. He went on to say that SATs are “anti-child, anti-teacher, anti-education”.

Michael Rosen (centre) receiving his award from Fred Jarvis (left) and Gill Goodswen (right), NUT President.

Mr Rosen denounced as ‘lies’ Ed Balls saying that SATs drive up standards.

He described the experience of a head teacher of a school in Birmingham who, totally against his wishes, couldn’t do music, plays, …… “just skill, drill & kill” all through years 5 and 6. The Head said that SATs had wrecked education for him.

Mr Rosen said that he was delighted that Conference delegates would be debating a motion on ‘Reading for pleasure’. This was the alternative to the SATs regime he said and urged delegates to support the motion.