As controversial as they might be, pupils are once again preparing to sit their SATs tests. The tests, aimed at children as young as six, take place in primary schools across the country each May.
Despite them no longer being mandatory for Key Stage 1 (Year 2), they're still going ahead in many schools, as well as those for Year 6 kids in Key Stage 2.
Over the years there have repeated calls to axe the tests, from some parents and teachers who believe they have made schools into exam factories and turned children against education. Read more: The park 30 minutes from Manchester with its own free zoo Back in 2016, Let Our Kids Be Kids spearheaded a school strike day, urging parents to keep their kids off for a day a show of defiance against the exams.
The government insists the 'tests are in pupils' own interests', helping both parents and teachers identify where additional support is needed to 'make sure all children leave primary school having mastered the basics of literacy and numeracy'.
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