PARENTS concerned about the impact of new tests on young schoolchildren have come together in Dorchester to show their feelings.

The protest event in the Borough Gardens was held to raise awareness about the impact of new Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) introduced for seven and 11-year-olds.

While a national day of action saw some parents in other parts of the country take their children out of school for the day in protest, the Dorchester event was planned to avoid disruption to local schools and send a message of support to teachers.

Parents and children gathered in the gardens after the afternoon school run to voice their concerns over the tests introduce by the Government.

Mum-of-three Michelle Cheeseman, who organised the event, said she hoped the event had helped to generate awareness of the issues surrounding the SATs testing so those parents who did not know much about it would be encouraged to find out more.

She said: “I think it’s a good start.

“My main hope is that it starts a conversation between a parent and a teacher to find out a little bit more about what it’s all about and it will give teachers the idea that parents are on their side and will be happy to speak out about changes they don’t feel are right for their children.”

Michelle added: “Ideally it would have been the whole parent community out here but hopefully today has raised the issue for a lot of people who don’t know a lot about it.

“I think we need a balanced debate and hopefully this will help to change things a bit.”

Mum Sarah Collins, who has two children in school and one due to start in September, said she agreed with the principles behind the protest but would not have been in support of taking children out of schools like they had been in some other areas.

She said: “I wouldn’t have been particularly comfortable with that so I think this is our community’s way of objecting.”

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has described the SATs tests as “flawed”, while other critics have claimed the tests put unnecessary stress on young schoolchildren.

The Department for Education says the tests are not meant to put children under pressure, but are a way of ensuring schools are performing up to standard.