PARENTS have been urged to send their children to school tomorrow rather than join a kids' strike planned in some parts of the country.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said it was a "bad idea" for children to be taken out of school without good reason.

The campaign, run by Let Our Kids Be Kids, has urged parents to keep their children at home for a day of fun learning as a protest about testing for six and seven year olds.

The campaigners believe young children are feeling stressed and unhappy about the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests, taken at the end of year 2.

They also believe a culture of testing too early is squeezing any creativity out of school lessons.

Primary school children are currently tested at the end of year 2 and the end of year 6.

However, Mr Walker said he did not believe there was much appetite for the strike locally and had not heard from any parents or schools about it.

He said: "I think it's definitely a bad idea for children to be taken out of school without good reason.

"I think it's something where the teaching profession have raised concerns about too much testing and the department (of Education) have very much responded to it.

"We are trying to make sure any testing and paperwork is minimal."

He added: "My understanding is that this is about year 2 and the fact that they are being tested at all.

"The reason for that testing is when I went around talking to primary heads they didn't like being measured on absolute performance.

"They wanted to be measured according to progress.

"I think it's absolutely right we do that but obviously we need to have some form of testing to base the progress measures on.

"I think a lot of schools do that right and make sure it's very non-intrusive and very non-threatening so they can record it without having a big palaver about it.

"I think in some other areas where teachers don't like tests they are making it a bigger issue than it needs to be."

Mr Walker, who is parliamentary private secretary to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, said: "My advice to parents and teachers would be we all recognise that it's a good idea for children to be in school and wherever possible to be engaging with their lessons."

He said instead of a strike he would welcome hearing from any parents or teachers concerned about testing.