****STOP YEAR 6 SAT’s****

We call on the UK Government and the Department for Education to abolish Year 6 SATs and replace them with a fairer, more holistic approach to assessing children’s learning.

Year 6 SATs place unnecessary pressure on 10–11-year-old children at a critical stage of their development. Instead of supporting learning, these high-stakes tests create anxiety, damage self-esteem, and reduce education to exam performance rather than understanding, creativity, and personal growth.

Teachers are forced to “teach to the test,” narrowing the curriculum and limiting opportunities for art, sport, discussion, and deeper learning. Children who do not perform well are often labelled as failures, despite having strengths that cannot be measured by standardized tests.

SATs also fail to reflect a child’s true ability. A child’s performance on a few exam days does not account for different learning styles, additional needs, emotional wellbeing, or personal circumstances.

We believe:

Children deserve an education that prioritises wellbeing, confidence, and curiosity

Teachers’ professional assessments over time are more accurate than one-off exams
Accountability should not come at the expense of children’s mental health

We urge the Government to:

•Abolish Year 6 SATs

•Trust teacher assessments and ongoing formative evaluation.

•Invest in child-centred, inclusive education that supports every learner

Our children are more than test scores. It is time to put their wellbeing and futures first.