HUNDREDS of primary school children in Huddersfield could be hit by a proposed boycott of SATS, the Government-set national tests.

Teachers who are members of the National Union of Teachers are being balloted to determine if they will take action.

The union wants them to refuse to participate in SATS for seven and 11-year-olds in Key stage one and Key stage two.

Local members of the union gathered support for the boycott in Huddersfield town centre at the weekend.

Branch secretary Howard Roberts said many parents and grandparents signed a petition acknowledging that their children and grandchildren were stressed by the pressure of the tests.

The tests in English, maths and science are sat by every seven and 11-year-old across the country in spring.

But the NUT believes the tests do nothing but enable the government to produce league tables.

"It is crystal clear that the SATS are harmful and damaging and lead to stress for both children and teachers," said Mr Roberts.

"This ballot is not for strike action. Teachers will continue to teach. The ballot is to refuse to participate in Key stage one and Key stage two SATS."

A statement from the union says the tests force teachers to train pupils to do well in national curriculum tests rather than teach them according to their needs.

The union argues that revising for and sitting the tests in maths, English and science takes up valuable teaching time and the tests draw attention away from other 'beneficial subjects' including history, geography, music, drama and PE among others.

Sylvia Jewell, assistant general secretary of the union's Kirklees branch said: "Understandably, parents become convinced that only what is tested is important.

"Rising parental anxiety is shown by recent media reports and commercially produced revision guides for parents are moving into the top 10 of non-fiction book sales."

She said many children become stressed by the tests, lose confidence and dread school rather than enjoy it.

"For these youngsters these tests are harmful not helpful to their education," she said.