'Excessive' student testing criticized

LONDON, May 10 (UPI) -- A report claiming students are "excessively" tested is expected to put extra pressure on Britain's Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls is expected to be pushed to cut down the Labor Party's student testing plan after the publication of the parliamentary report, The Guardian reported Saturday.

It is reported the Children, Schools and Families select committee, headed by Labor Member of Parliament Barry Sheerman, is set to say nationwide school examinations have crossed the line.

"It's a call for a proper balance between testing and learning. We have examined the effect of testing forensically and now we need to rethink and to trust teachers more than we do," Sheerman said.

The effectiveness of Sats tests given to 14-year-olds has been questioned since about 600 schools have falling attendance rates for the exam, the report said.