CALLS have been made to cancel primary school SATs in East Lancashire this summer after a 'chaotic u-turn' by the government.

The Department for Education announced recently that the deadline for schools to submit writing assessments for 11-year-olds was to be brought forward by a month.

The revelation received wide-spread criticism from teaching unions before Nick Gibb, the schools minister, said that the deadline stay at the end of June for 'this year only'.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) in East Lancashire has blasted the process of introducing the new assessment arrangements but has welcomed the news that the deadline will be kept the same in 2015.

In a letter to the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) Mr Gibb said that it 'will take time for teachers to understand the detail'.

Schools were worried the shorter timescale would raise pressure on both staff and pupils as it coincided with higher standards demanded in the tests, teaching unions have said.

Simon Jones, who represents the NUT in the region, said: "Nick Gibb’s announcement does something, though not nearly enough, to address the chaos.

"The plan remains in place, and will do damage to the learning of many children.

“Mr Gibb has announced that he will no longer require teacher assessment of pupil work to be formally submitted at an earlier date than in 2015.

"This will go some way to reducing the pressure on teachers, but it remains the case that, having only been informed of assessment frameworks half way through the school year, they will struggle against time and against the pressures of workload, to submit the assessments required.

"In short, the interests of schools and pupils require that the 2015/16 assessment arrangements are cancelled."

In the letter to the NAHT Mr Gibb said that the department would 'listen to the concerns raised'.

He added that the delay in the deadline change had been made in 'recognition of the unique circumstances for teachers' working with a new framework and to new standards.

Mr Gibb said: "Throughout this important reform process we have worked closely with teachers and headteachers and continue to listen to the concerns of the profession as the details of the new arrangements are finalised.

"We are working constructively with the teaching profession and their representatives to find solutions to some of the remaining issues.

"The NAHT’s readiness to work with us, rather than use the media to scaremonger, has meant that we have been able to have a sensible discussion."