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.

Thousands of parents in England are set to keep their children off school for a day, as part of the ‘Let Our Kids Be Kids’ campaign protesting the introduction of tougher new Sats.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has warned that teachers are in need of protection from parents who accuse them of brainwashing their children.

According to research by NatCen Social Research, disadvantaged primary school pupils who take part in after-school clubs were found to achieve better results than those who did not attend such clubs.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) has recommended that the primary school curric