PARENTS across Warrington will be joining a nationwide protest against government changes to education by keeping their children off school on May 3.

The campaign was started by parents of year two pupils who objected to their children sitting National Curriculum Tests, SATs, at the age of six or seven.

Protestors have blamed these tests for the increase in childhood anxiety.

Mum-of-four, Jenna Welsby, is planning to keep her children off school on Tuesday despite being very happy with the curriculum at Chapelford Village Primary School.

She said: “We as a family believe that the government should be listening to teachers and their unions, parents and children when they ask for a SATs boycott.

“I think it’s just too much too soon. It’s definitely having a detrimental effect on children and a lot of children are going to start off feeling like they are already failing.

“The school really supports my children emotionally and does not want stressed out children.

“The teachers are really doing their best to deliver the curriculum but not pass any stress onto the children.

“My year two child is blissfully unaware that she is being tested, but does know that she is learning things previously taught in higher years. 

“My year six child is being encouraged to do his best, and he doesn't feel pressure from home or school and is still achieving well.”

Jamie Dolphin, 31, is the owner of Muddy Hands Forest School and is also planning to keep his stepchildren off school on May 3 in protest.

He said: “It’s terrible what we do to our kids in this country – setting targets at such a young age. It’s just wrong.

“Scandinavia and Sweden don’t do these tests and they are years ahead of us in education.

“Let them learn through play – we will be cooking on fires and making dens. They are still going to be learning but with no pressure on them.

“The amount of homework they come home with – it’s impossible to fit into your daily routine as a family.”

Jamie is inviting other parents to join the protest by sending their children to the Chester Road forest school for the day on Tuesday.

“You can learn so much from being outside – I know different children learn in different ways. It’s clearly working in other countries,” he said.

“We will be making stews over the fire, toasting marshmallows and they will learn lots – they will go home tired, that’s for sure!”

The government scrapped the Key Stage 1 grammar, punctuation and spelling test that year two students were due to take next month after it was leaked online.

However there are no plans to scrap the other year two SATs tests, despite an online petition with almost 25,000 signatures.