Should SATs Be Scrapped? These Parents Are Calling For Change

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 (@futurepowergang), actor Kellie Bright said: “We all know the system isn’t working, especially for those who learn differently.”

The Eastenders star – whose son is autistic, dyslexic and has ADHD – invited parents to share their experience of SATs week in the comments, so they can “amplify these stories anonymously and push them in front of MPs to try and scrap SATs for good”.

In the UK, around one in seven people are estimated to be neurodivergent.

Dr Laura Powling, Evolve Psychology’s consultant clinical psychologist, explained that many neurodivergent children struggle with exam season because traditional teaching methods – long periods of focus, written revision and silent study – “don’t match how they process information”.

The disruption of routines can also have a major impact. In response to Bright’s Instagram post, shared on 12 May, one mother, who has two autistic daughters, said her eldest is currently doing SATs and “is having to start therapy because they’ve brought on panic attacks, something she’s never had before until now”.

Her other daughter, who is a year younger and not doing SATs, “simply cannot be in the school during SATS week because she finds the atmosphere so awful”, said the parent.

“Everything in the school changes, so many new rules and set ups and all her usual grown ups aren’t available within the school because they are so busy and taken up with SATS.”

The mum suggested the assessments don’t just affect those doing them, adding “it has a ripple across the whole school, and not in a good way”.

Another parent said: “My AuDHD son is putting so much pressure on himself, I can see the weight he is carrying on his little shoulders despite us reassuring him otherwise.”

And it seems the pressure doesn’t just extend to SATs week. One commenter noted: “It’s more than just SATS week, it’s the whole of year 6! The consistent pressure of having to score so highly, to achieve the very best!

“For a high functioning autistic/ADHD girl, the whole system has crippled her this year and her mental health is now at the lowest it’s ever been. Chuck in this week where every day looks different to normal, the enormous weight of having to be in school on time and achieve your very best, we’re at breaking point.”

One parent noted their almost 11-year-old daughter is “academically bright and capable” yet she has “spent every night this week lying in bed with her – which I have not done since she was a toddler – because, as she says, she feel exhausted and overwhelmed”.

Another said: “My daughter is currently doing her SATS. She doesn’t have SEND, but her anxiety in the run up to these tests has been through the roof. We’ve had tears, sleepless nights, low mood. All the work has been focused around SATS which has made her so stressed.

“I can’t imagine how it must be for children with SEND. Kids should not be sitting exams at the age of 10/11. It’s wrong.”

Evolve Psychology suggests neurodivergent children often spend significant energy masking and trying to behave or learn in ways that feel unnatural to them. This means when exam stress is added on top, burnout can follow quickly.

Dr Powling urged parents to watch for signs such as exhaustion after school, emotional outbursts, negative self-talk or feelings of failure.

“Prioritise sleep, hydration and nutritious food and, if you can, try to build in activities they will find calming, such as listening to music, a short walk, breathing exercises or spending time with a pet,” she added.

If your child is struggling, it might help to shift the focus away from results, reframing the conversation around effort, strategy and wellbeing.

“Exams aren’t the only measure of success,” said Dr Powling. “The reality is that many neurodivergent adults thrive once they understand how their brains work.

“Creativity, problem-solving and unconventional thinking can become powerful strengths. If, as a parent or carer, you can help your child understand how they learn best, that is something that will serve them far beyond any test paper.”