THE Bolton branch of the National Union of Teachers has called on the Government to stop turning schools into 'exam factories'.

It follows last week's countrywide demonstrations against the introduction of Sats (Standard Assessment Tests) for six and seven-years-olds.

Julia Simpkins, secretary of the local branch, says parents do not want their children to be put under undue pressure.

People have been gathering to voice their protest, with the children's laureate Chris Riddell joining hundreds of parents and youngsters in Brighton. There was also a demonstration in Lancaster.

Ms Simpkins said: "Parents are seeing the stress testing is causing their children.

"Countries like North Korea have shot up the Pisa rankings (which compare the test results of 15-year-olds in countries) but the number of children committing suicide in those countries has also risen.

"Parents are very concerned about testing and want children to be children and let them enjoy school rather than sending them to exam factories."

Ms Simpkins said that the axing of the controversial baseline tests proved testing wasn't the answer. She added a number of countries which had a successful school system did not have a primary school testing regime.

She said: "The Government will not look at the successful school system in Finland, they are hell bent on testing."

Mr Riddell, a writer and illustrator, said "Sats testing for seven-year-olds is an important issue. I do not think some of the questions about testing have been fully explained and there are legitimate concerns about the validity and value of testing at this age.

"My feeling is there should be more trust in teachers and their ability to assess children at this age rather than through testing.

"The children are being put under undue stress and my argument is, what is the value of what comes from this testing? I think it is questionable."