A FORMER Worcester teacher turned politician has slammed the Government over tests for six-year-olds - saying children are suffering "immense pressure".

Councillor Paul Denham, Labour's spokesman for children and families at Worcestershire County Council, says the teaching profession is "up in arms" about it.

More than 40,000 parents across the country have signed a petition calling for a boycott of new primary school tests due to be taken later this month.

In some parts of Britain parents kept their children off school for the day yesterday, as part of the 'Let Our Kids Be Kids' campaign.

Councillor Denham, who used to teach at the old Elgar Technology College in Worcester, said: "I accept it makes sense for them to measure performance but I don't believe testing six-year-olds will raise standards in any way.

"It puts children aged six under immense pressure - these schools know the results will be linked to their Ofsted results, they may not mean to put the pupils under pressure, but it will.

"The teaching profession is absolutely up in arms about it."

Councillor Denham has also written an open letter to Worcester MP Robin Walker suggesting the Government's policy will do nothing to raise standards.

He said he did not condone any children staying off school, but rubbished claims the testing was needed.

But the move has sparked a row between the two, with Mr Walker responding by saying Labour should be "ashamed" for what he called a "politically motivated campaign".

The MP, who is Education Secretary Nicky Morgan's parliamentary private secretary, called Labour's criticism over the move "desperately sad".

He said: "The tests that six-year-olds will be taking this year are not exams, but instead designed to help schools in coming to teacher assessed judgements.

"These judgements then form a baseline from which we're able to measure pupil progress throughout their time in key stage 2.

"Without this baseline, we'd have no way of knowing how well pupils have improved."

He added: "There is no requirement for schools to hold these tests like exams or even on a fixed day, they can hold them at any time in May.

"The best schools ensure that children aren't even aware they are taking tests."

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has sent Mrs Morgan an angry letter calling the current system "broken", suggesting staff are facing "unmanageable" pressures from it.

Mrs Morgan has insisted the policy is part of a package of measures to boost standards and has urged campaigners to drop any further action.

"Keeping children at home, even for a day is harmful to their education," she said.