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

The campaign Let Our Kids Be Kids 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 the tests for an increase in childhood anxiety and have commented online 'it’s just too much too soon'. 

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.

More than 10,000 people have posted details on Facebook of events they are organising on the day of the boycott, according to campaigners.

These include picnics in parks, woodland trails in forests and arts activities.

A DfE spokesman said: "We know mastering the basics of literacy and numeracy at primary school has a huge impact on how well children do at GCSE, which is why we are determined to raise standards.

"We have updated the Key Stage 2 tests to reflect our new, more rigorous curriculum, which will help every child fulfil their potential regardless of their circumstances.

"Tests help teachers identify and provide the support pupils need as well as giving parents a picture of how their child is doing."