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An eight year-old schoolboy has written a heartfelt letter to Education Minister Kirsty Williams explaining how the national school tests keeps him awake with worry at night.

Matthew Wilding, from Llandrindod Wells, says he likes school but asks why he has to be assessed in three sit-down tests so young.

In his letter, the year-three pupil describes how he has been fretting over the literacy and numeracy tests which are being taken until May 9 by all children in Wales aged seven to 14.

This is Matthew’s letter in full:

Dear Kirsty My name is Matthew Wilding and I am only 8 years old. Why do I have to do tests I am only 8 years old and I find them hard and it sends me in tears. I go to school every day and I like my school and my friends. I like writing and doing my work. I don’t like doing maths and the maths test it made me have tears. When I was worrying in the night it made me have a tummy ache. I love reading and that reading test was easy but I kept on getting worried about it and it kept me awake at night. Now maybe I’ll do the tests when I’m in year 6. I’m in year 3 now. From Matthew Wilding

Parents have also taken to social media to describe in heart breaking detail how their children have been left in tears over the tests which the Welsh Government says are aimed at assessing pupils’ progress and are not published.

The reading test lasts one hour and the two maths tests 30 minutes each with younger pupils allowed breaks.

Matthew’s mother Sue Wilding said she did not agree with testing pupils before the age of 11 in this way. She said she did not want to name Matthew’s school as teachers have been helpful, but are required to run the tests by the Welsh Government .

“Matthew loves writing and he has written some letters to his favourite footballers and clubs and has had a few signed photos back,” she said.

“On the way to school he was asking why do I have to do tests and who decides I have to do tests?

“So I said tests are to see how you are getting on in school and said that the lady who’s in charge of education for Wales actually lives in Brecon so why don’t you write a letter and ask her?

“It just got him focused on what he would write and stopped him thinking about the test for the 10 minutes we were in the car.

“In the evening he asked to write his letter so I said just ask the reason for having to do tests and tell Kirsty how they made you feel and she may write back to you.

“He wrote it and then walked to the post box and posted it on Friday night.”

(Image: South Wales Echo)

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said the letter has not yet been received but provided this statement: “These tests are entirely about understanding and supporting learners’ progress. They are not used to judge schools. We do not want to see children being expected to prepare for them and we have been absolutely clear about this in the guidance we have issued to schools.

“The purpose of the national tests is to provide schools with information on the reading and numeracy skills of their learners. The tests are based on the curriculum in Wales and the skills set out in the National Literacy and Numeracy Framework.

“Schools have always used a variety of tests to check how well children are doing, but the national tests provide consistent information on learners’ development and progress.

“This information will add to what your child’s teacher knows about their reading and numeracy from their work every day in the classroom and can be used to help plan next steps in teaching and learning.”

The three tests being taken by children from years two to nine are: reading, procedural numeracy and numerical reasoning (problem solving).

There is no pass or fail. All pupils are given a score and results will be given to parents and carers before the end of this term, sometimes with end of year reports.

The tests will be going online from the beginning of next academic year.