SEVEN-year-olds across East Lancashire are ploughing ahead with reading, writing and numeracy lessons.

What has changed for teachers is the knowledge that this bunch will be the first in 13 years to escape the pressures of one wave of Standard Attainment Tests.

National set tests for seven-year-olds have been scrapped by the Government after ministers decided flexible assessments were more a more way to judge pupils' performance than a one-off exam.

It is a semi-victory for the National Union of Teachers which has been campaigning for months for the exams to be abolished.

Teachers felt the tests were a burden and too stressful for children. But headteacher at Audley Infants in Queens Park, Blackburn, Susan Grimshaw, said she won't rest until they have been scrapped all together.

Pupils will still take tests in reading, writing and maths but no longer under strict exam conditions. Scores will feed into teachers' assessments rather than giving a prescriptive grade -- and the tests can be sat at any time rather than under a high security system.

Mrs Grimshaw said: "I am really pleased that at long last ongoing teacher assessments are being valued. However I am quite concerned that teachers' work load will not be reduced because it appears that the tests will still be done at some time during the term, so what has actually changed?"

Simon Jones, Blackburn with Darwen NUT secretary, said: "The move to give teacher assessment pride of place in informing parents is very welcome.

"Trusting teachers to provide results from their assessments is a major step forward. The logic must be to move towards further reform to end key stage testing and assessment in all schools.

"The tests are burdens without benefits and disrupt rather than promote children's education."

David Fann, Lancashire council member for the National Association of Headteachers, said: "Teacher assessment supported by tests and tasks administered by teachers as and when they see fit is a much better approach for seven-year-olds."

In a survey by the NSPCC, exams were the biggest worry for children and young people, with 82 per cent of young people affected. Marie Nolan, of the NSPCC Lancashire Schools Team, said children get tetchy, more tearful and start falling out in the run up to the exams. She organised stress-busting classes at St Luke's and St Philips Primary in Blackburn last year.

Minister behind the changes, Steven Twigg, said there would be no change to Key Stage testing of pupils aged 11 and 14.