THE government has been accused of “damaging children’s mental health” after a third of primary school pupils were branded as having performed “below the expected standard” in today’s Sats results.

The results of the key stage two exams, which are taken by 11-year-olds, showed that 65 per cent of students received the “expected standard” of educational skills this year.

In reading, only 73 per cent of seven-year-olds and 11-year-olds achieved the standard — down from 75 per cent last year.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb welcomed the results for apparently showing that “the majority of pupils are leaving primary school ready to deal with the challenges of secondary school.”

He said: “These skills will give them the chance to make the most of their potential — this is at the heart of the reforms we’ve introduced across the education system since 2010.”

However the National Education Union (NEU), whose membership is overwhelmingly opposed to Sats, said that the figures were “demoralising.”

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “Over a third of 11-year-olds will arrive in their new secondary school in September knowing that they have been labelled as ‘below the expected standard.’

“This demoralising outcome is the result of policy-makers’ delusion that to measure the performance of our primary school system it is necessary to test each individual pupil.

“Test-driven primary assessment is damaging children’s mental health and well-being; it intensifies the stress on teachers.

“The tide has turned against high-stakes testing. Announcements like today’s will soon be a thing of the past.”