YOUNG children are being turned into mini-exam machines to save David Blunkett's job, claims a local teachers' leader.

Union chiefs say primary pupils are missing out on vital lessons because teachers are being forced to concentrate on getting them through English, Maths and Science tests this May.

Tom Hanley has hit out after members told him they had been provided with Government "revision sheets" to practice in class for the first time.

Some schools have also taken advantage of extra Government cash to bring in supply teachers for crammer sessions to try and boost their results.

But Bolton's National Union of Teachers leader says these moves will not help individual seven and 11-year-olds in the long term.

He believes they are short-term measures so schools can meet tough new literacy and numeracy targets on which the education secretary has staked his job.

Mr Hanley said the revision guides bordered on being "crib sheets" and added: "Teachers are being encouraged to use them in the period running up to the SATs and Year Six pupils are being intensely targeted.

"Over the next eight weeks, teachers will be encouraged to ignore other parts of the curriculum and concentrate on making sure children pass the tests.

"But this extra input is cosmetic and will not significantly progress a child's education.

"More children may pass the tests because of the revision guides, but their understanding of Maths will not be any deeper or their knowledge of English any broader. The Government are fiddling with the superficial to teach children to pass tests."

But a Government spokesman denied the claims.

He said: "I am surprised we are being criticised for helping teachers do their job and putting extra money in to help children.

"Tests are important but of course we recognise there is more to educating a child than just getting them ready for exams."

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