Education secretary Charles Clarke has announced wide-ranging changes to primary school testing and tables, including the scrapping of the current form of Standard Assessment Tests for seven-year-olds.

The moves will give more control to teachers but heads and teaching union members say the changes are not enough. James Watson reports.

PUPILS as young as seven will no longer be put through formal SATs exams.

The SATs, or Standard Assessment Tests, have been heavily criticised by head teachers and teaching unions for putting pressure on young people.

The exams are taken at the age of seven, 11 and 14 but have led to criticism that English pupils are among the most tested in the world.

Pupils take exams in English, maths and science.

The National Union of Teachers is to ballot its members over refusing to teach pupils for their SATs later this year, with teachers claiming that pupils are taught to only pass exams.

But Education Secretary Charles Clarke has announced that from next year tests for seven-year-olds will be less formal and only form part of broader assessments. There are no changes planned for tests to 11 and 14 year olds.

As well as changes to tests for seven-year-olds, Mr Clarke is to allow schools' boards of governors to set their own targets.

Primary school league tables, which are compiled from data from the 11-year-old Sats, could be modified to take into account Ofsted reports.

Mr Clarke said: "I hope parents will be positive about it but actually I believe firstly it's very important to continue to have a driver to raise standards, particularly in primary schools because the tests that people do at the age of 11 make a hell of a difference to them in later life.

"I hope people will acknowledge the idea of making primary schools very creative, exciting places is something most teachers want to do and I want to encourage."

Heads and union leaders in Swindon are critical of the changes, saying they are not enough to make things better for pupils or teachers.

Ian Hill, Swindon secretary of the National Union of Teachers said: "We don't believe in SATS for younger children and from what I understand Charles Clarke is saying there is a problem and he will tamper with the exams, but still keep them.

"He will allow schools to set their own standards but set national standards too, which is a small step and will not solve the stress for children or workload for teachers.

"I think the fact changes have been made is down to the NUT, parents, governors and heads.

"The fact so many different organisations have come out against the tests gives credibility to the argument they are not right."

Nigel Price, chairman of governors of Seven Fields Primary School in Penhill said: "I believe in some form of testing but I think the most important part is value added, which shows how a school has improved its pupils.

"I am not convinced by SATs but it would be nice if they stood still for a few years without changing."

John Proctor, head of English at Greendown School, was highly critical of Sats for 14 year olds.

He said: "It costs a massive amount of money to tell you something that teachers know anyway. There is never any great surprise in the results.

"The writing test was disgraceful, it was far too difficult and the questions too open ended. The Sats are not necessarily the best preparation for GCSEs."