Should SATs Be Scrapped? Eastenders Actor And Parents Call For Change

"We're at breaking point," said a parent, whose child has autism and ADHD.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

EastEnders actress Kellie Bright is leading the charge for SATs to be scrapped in schools.

In England, SATs – or standard assessment tests – may be taken twice during primary school: once when kids are six or seven (at the discretion of the school), and again when they’re 10 or 11 (these are compulsory).

It’s a way for the government to measure a school’s performance and give secondary schools an indication of how well a child’s doing in maths and English before they move up.

With Year 6 SATs currently underway (starting 11 May), a collective of parents, particularly those with children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), are calling for the exams to be scrapped for good due to the overwhelm, anxiety and stress they cause.

It comes after Childline revealed May is the peak season for children to call the service about exam stress – between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026; the free, confidential service for kids delivered 1,679 counselling sessions where exam or revision stress was mentioned.

The majority of concerns about exam stress were from children aged 12-18 years old, however 11% of contacts were from children aged 11 and under.

In a video shared on Instagram by SEND campaigner Kirsti Hadley........

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