TEACHERS in Worcester are supporting calls to scrap the controversial SATs tests in favour of alternative assessments.

The General Teaching Council wants to see the exams for seven, 11 and 14-year-olds abolished to take the pressure off children and schools. It has proposed a sampling' system instead, where fewer than one per cent of primary and fewer than three per cent of secondary pupils would sit exams. The aim would be to give a picture of overall education standards. GTC chief executive Keith Bartley said: "We need to trust teachers more and let them do what they are trained for."

Teachers in Worcester agree with Mr Bartley. Ian Tait, acting deputy headteacher at Gorse Hill Community Primary in Holly Mount Road, said: "The SATs are not a true reflection of a child's ability or the work of the school.

"Teachers must be able to be left to their professional judgement to assess children. We assess children constantly, and are aware of what is going on at other schools. The SATs are just unnecessary."

Youngsters in Britain sit 70 tests and exams by the time they start their GCSEs at the age of 16. Eleanor Sinton, headteacher at Claines CE Primary in Timberdine Close, said: "I think assessment is important but SATs are not the right way, in my opinion. Constant assessment by teachers is much more important to children."

SATs results are used to create school league tables which are a constant bone of contention.

Mrs Sinton said she believed such tables ought to be scrapped. "They are just not important and do not reflect what a school is really capable of," she said.

Jackie Ludlow, headteacher at Oldbury Park Primary in Oldbury Road, added that key stage 2 SATs should be changed so that they were less formal, like those at key stage 1. "I think assessing children is important," she said.

"But it is not necessary to do it in such a formal way at a young age. I would support an investigation into finding better ways to assess children at key stage 2."

The GTC's plans to scrap SATs would bring England into line with Wales.

However, schools minister Jim Knight said there were no plans to scrap the tests.

He said: "Parents need and greatly value the information they get from tables."

Worcester MP Mike Foster, a former lecturer, was not available to comment.