If everybody hates Sats, why haven’t they been abolished already?

Jeremy Corbyn is the latest opponent of Sats exams in primary schools but teachers have been calling for the tests to be abolished for years – and they haven’t been alone in their fight.

Last summer, a number of parents kept their children out of school during Sats. Now Labour believes it is time for the exams for 10 and 11-year-olds to go as a “regime of extreme pressure testing” has led to young children crying, vomiting and having nightmares because of stress.

In 2017, the government responded to opposition, announcing it would phase out the tests for seven-year-olds after critics said they placed too much pressure on children.

But despite this move, the Department for Education is bringing in a baseline assessment for four and five-year-olds in the first few weeks of primary school. And Sats for Year 6 pupils are here to stay.

In fact, children in primary schools will also face a times-tables check next year on top of the already unpopular phonics tests under the government’s assessment system.

So why do the controversial primary school tests still exist? Nick Gibb, the schools minister, argues that the exams raise standards and improve children’s reading and maths before secondary school.

Ministers say that pressure shouldn't be placed on children as the exams are there only to measure schools.

But opponents say the high-stakes accountability system, in which Sats are used to judge teachers’ performance, has led to a narrower curriculum. And the pressure has been passed down to the kids.

Some argue that abolishing Sats would also make it harder for parents to know how good schools are at teaching core subjects, with these results used in league tables and Ofsted ratings.

However, many parents are willing to have less information in order to save their child from the tougher assessments that leave many feeling stressed out.

Standing up in front of teachers who have been disillusioned with the primary school testing regime for years and calling for the abolition of exams is an easy gig for Corbyn. What will be harder is finding an alternative assessment system that both parents and schools will back.