A new study published in The Economic Journal has suggested that women are often under-represented in high-powered careers because they shy away from taking advanced maths courses at school.

New exam rules announced by Ofqual could lead to many pupils missing out on the opportunity to resit GCSE exams.

Author Meg Rosoff has condemned UK education policy, describing the government’s focus on exams as ‘an assault on childhood’.

Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of Ofsted, has warned that the focus on the ‘three Rs’ in primary schools has pushed other compulsory subjects such as the sciences and languages ‘to the margins of the curriculum’.

The Society of Authors has issued a statement to the government warning that the current testing regime is undermining children’s ‘pleasure in writing’ and their powers of ‘creativity and self-expression’.

Research for BBC Newsround has revealed that nearly 90 per cent of Year 6 pupils in England feel pressure to do well in tests.

Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw has voiced support of the government’s plans to impose tougher primary tests, after a campaign was held opposing the move.