AN EAST Lancashire head teacher has launched a petition to urge the government to scrap the new Sats assessment system.

Louise Young, head of Worsthorne Primary School, has gathered dozens of signatures of parents and teachers who want to see the new tough marking system introduced by the Department for Education this year, to be changed.

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The changes involved Year 2 and Year 6 pupils sitting harder tests and more rigorous marking procedures resulting in a negative impact on the results tables.

Figures show results from this year have fallen by 30 per cent across the country compared to last year.

The Brownside Road school head, who is also a member of the National Association of Headteachers, said the new system was brought in too quickly with too many changes.

Ms Young said: “During Year 6 Sats week our children were subjected to the most challenging tests I have witnessed in my career.

“In particular the reading test, which was, in my opinion, more suitable for Year 9 pupils.

“We heard that children across the country were going home in tears because they had found the tests too difficult.

“While none of our children were that upset, there were worried pupils telling me the tests were a lot more difficult.”

Last year, on average, schools across the UK had an average test score of 90 per cent for reading, 80 per cent for writing and 87 per cent for maths.

The government’s ‘expected standard’ across the board has been set at 80 per cent.

However, this year’s results has seen the average across these three subjects fall to 66, 70, and 74 per cent respectively, with the expected standard as low as 53 per cent.

Ms Young said: “It is shocking that only 53 per cent of the Year 6 children across the country have met the standard set by the Department of Education.

“The quality of teaching hasn’t changed so what’s gone wrong?”

Worsthorne Primary School’s expected standard percentage reached 63, but was down from last year’s heights of 92.6 per cent.

Ms Young said: “Once I have enough signatures I will be taking them to our MP, Julie Cooper, to take the matter higher.

“I would like to reassure all parents that we are working to our absolute best to make sure our pupils get the best grades possible.”

To sign the petition supporters can contact the school on 01282 425690.