A concerned group of primary school headteachers from across the borough have written to Darlington MP Peter Gibson condemning the “very poor” reading SAT exam taken by children last week.

A key stage two reading exam has ruffled the feathers of parents and Headteachers across the country as some are now looking to the Government for answers.

Pete King, Headteacher of Mowden Junior School in Darlington, is one of the Primary Heads’ Forum who wrote to the MP lobbying for the complaints over the “badly designed” exam to be taken to the Department of Education.

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Mr King told The Northern Echo that some children did not complete the exam, revealing that Headteachers across Darlington are “all in one voice” with their concerns.

He said: “We’re very aware that the number one reason for the SATs is not for the children but for the school, and it is a way of grading how good our school is - the Government makes no secret of that.

“It is a tricky balance because they are important for the children but mostly, we are aware that they are important to a school’s reputation.”

SATs, or Standard Assessment Tests, are used to measure children’s English and maths skills in Year 2 and Year 6 and consist of six 45-minute papers. The papers then tend to inform secondary school teachers of the level in education children are at.

Following the exams, parents and teachers across the country have slammed the SAT reading exam, claiming that the exams left ten and eleven-year-old children “in tears”.

The Northern Echo: A screenshot of the letter sent to MP Peter Gibson.A screenshot of the letter sent to MP Peter Gibson. (Image: PETE KING)

Headteacher Pete King said: “It was very clearly a harder test. There were more questions, children were having to read much longer questions and then having to cross reference that with much longer extracts.

“If all the children are being graded on now is extreme speed reading this will change the reading culture in schools and become the new normal.

“The focus will not be on a love of reading but based on how fast you can read extracts and retrieve as much information as you can – and that’s wrong.”

Mr King then explained that in his school, half of the children did not manage to complete the paper, as he encouraged the children that it was not their fault but just a “much harder test than normal”.

This is only the second year of SAT testing that has taken place following the pandemic, as children missed out on school teaching and exams throughout COVID-19.

Following this disruption, Mr King admitted that children would not suffer should the exams be discontinued.

He said: “If anything, in the COVID years, it gave us the chance to give more detailed advice to secondary schools about the children. This is perhaps more information that we could have given in a test year.

“The children would not suffer and the system would not crash if children did not take exams at the end of year six.”

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Parents and teachers across the country have slammed the SATs online, claiming that the exams left ten and eleven-year-old children “in tears”.

Schools North East, a regional network of Head Teachers in the region has commented on the complaints, stating they are concerned about the “unnecessary pressure” placed on children by SATs.

Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, added: “SATs this year have been disproportionately difficult for pupils, at a time when pupils are still recovering from school closures during the pandemic.

“The focus on SATs as part of a high-stakes accountability framework has not supported education recovery, and has risked narrowing the broad curriculum necessary for ‘catch-up’.

“Pupils still need support to focus on key skills and mental health and wellbeing, that ensure children are ready to learn.”

Following complaints, schools minister Nick Gibb has pledged to investigate will concerns that last week’s Sats exams were too difficult amid claims the reading paper was extremely challenging.

The Minister said he does not want the exams which are taken by 10 and 11-year-olds in England to be “too hard” as that is “not the purpose” of the assessment.

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The Northern Echo approached Darlington MP Peter Gibson for comment, who received the letter from the local Primary Heads Forum on May 16.

He said: “I am aware of the concerns raised by our Primary heads having received their correspondence. I understand their concerns and have written to the Secretary of State to request a meeting to discuss this important issue.

“We know that reading attainment is key to great futures and I want to make sure that we are doing all we can to ensure Darlington students can have the best possible future.”