As a teacher, I’ve had to encourage Year 9 pupils to sit the key stage 3 Sats when I’ve known that those on level 3 would not meet the “required” level 5.

Many of those pupils, who got an excellent result with level 4, told me they had “failed”. For that reason alone, I am thankful that KS3 tests have been dropped.

It was brought home to me when I saw the following on a KS3 exam desk:

Tests are boring, tests are sad.

Got my results and they were bad.

Teachers decided to tell my Mum,

then I really did get done.

Grounded for a week.

Not much fun.

Just because,

I am dumb.

Peter Sopowski, Secondary science teacher.