A MOTHER claims the pressure of controversial national tests left her daughter in tears.

Vicki Farthing’s 11-year-old daughter Teri attends Sty Catherine’s Roman Catholic Primary School, in Stratton.

The school is one 51 schools in the Swindon area that will go ahead and conduct the Year 6 Sats tests.

Vicki, 35, of Downton Road, Penhill, said she supported the Sats boycott today put forward by the two teaching unions the National Union Of Teachers and the National Association Of Headteachers.

She said: “They should be abolished.

“It’s horrendous, she comes home from school hysterical in tears.

“The kids have got enough worries going up to secondary school, which is a huge step.

“It gives them that fear that ‘if I’m doing this now, what am I going to be doing in secondary school.’ “It’s not right.”

Mrs Farthing said she believes her daughter has not learned anything new since November.

She said the tests should be done so that each child gets a practice session and therefore knows the exam format, but then goes ahead with the exam.

She said this would be a fairer reflection of their ability and knowledge.

“Before this year I thought the Sats were about seeing how well the school was doing and how well the children were learning,” she said.

“They haven’t done any learning and are forced to do the same tests over and over until they have memorised it.

“The Sats are a joke. It’s not showing what they have learnt, it’s showing that they can memorise the answers.”

The headteacher at Sty Catherine’s School did not want to comment.