Perhaps what Mr. Balls means is that "plebs" from working-class homes should not be told they are taking exams.
However, those at public-scholls ( as he was ) will be coached, crammed and fully prepared, so that eventually they take their rightful places in the universities and in life.
Isn't Labour

Peter West, Northampton,

I like the idea of less tests but children do better if they are told to try their best because it is for a grade. If it is not for a grade they tend not to try as hard. We need to learn other terms to label graded assessments that cause less stress like quiz, weekly assessment or check-up lesson.

Julie, Austin, United States of America

Stress is part of life. Get used to it at an early age and you will be more sucessfull. Balls is a dangerous leftist fool who will do incalculable damage to children's social mobility.

Magnus Mathewson, London, UK

Hey let's just tell everyone lies and hope for the best. Forewarned is forearmed as they say but obviously not with Labour. Primary schools teach for SATS anyway and so provide a narrow and stifled curriculum. What is Balls going to do about that? Oh I know.....deny it. Dishonesty all the way then.

j, Liverpool, England

We need a government that lets the professionals who work in education and the NHS have more say on what is required to improve standards. Otherwise we will have to do with politicians who have visited a school or hospital once and become experts overnight and promoted to ministerial level.

James, Peterborough,

Parents need to know when their children are going to be tested. There is always something a parent can do to help his or her child to pass an exam. Without knowing the exact date of the test how could a parent provide a child with additional assistance?

Des, Edinburgh,

Children surely need to learn how to deal with stress or they will be unable to face the real world. And surely the way to reduce the stress of exams is to have them practice exams as many times as possible until they realise that they are not to worry and to just do their best.

Rob, Singapore,

For goodness' sake! I was at primary school from 1959 to 1966. We had an exam every year. The marks were given out of 100 for each subject and the final result was the position in class. Not only do I distinctly remember this but I still have all the reports. A return to common sense? Please?

crabapple, Stockport, England

Is this the standard default setting for Nu Labour? If in doubt...lie. Mr Fann says that Ball's has little idea about the daily realities of running a school which sums up the government. People in cabinet with no clue or real life experience about the department they run.

Edward, London,

I was wondering who Balls was going to blame next for failure in education. It used to be faith schools then grammer schools now its teachers telling parents and pupils in advance that they will be tested. Maybe Balls should take over a failing school for a year and show us how it's done.

John Goode, Welwyn Garden City, UK

So, this is a government that believes in keeping people in the dark, so as to "protect" them from stress.

I wonder, in "protecting" us all, what things our government is hiding from us? Perhaps I shouldn't get stressed about it, just in case the government decides to "protect" me, somehow.

Simon, Brentwood, UK

I guess the advice he will give to Brown is don't tell anyone its an election Gordon!!!

Mel, Craigavon,

I did my 11+ without being informed that was what it was, and much to my teachers incredulaty I passed. I believe that there is nothing wrong with standard testing, however, teachers telling the mother of an ethnic minority child at KS1 getting level 1, 2c and 2b that she is doing alright is wrong.

Dee, Kent, UK

SATs have been abolished at Key Stage 1 in Wales, which means that children can get on with childhood, and teachers can get on with education, leaving less stress for worried parents.

Alun, Ystalyfera,

Hey Ed, I've got a great idea. Why don't we just scrap SATs - they're completely pointless, have no use and would definately take away the stress. All this government cares about is exam results and not the quality of education we recieve.

Meera, Reading, UK

Why do they worry? They all get A's now anyway.

Edward, London,

As a mother of four kids I can only agree with Ed Balls on this one. My kids get so worried about the tests that they're nervous wrecks before they go on that day. Its all built up into something SO important that they feel pressured. They would do so much better without this stress.

paula, East Yorkshire,

Let's not tell Ed Balls when the next election is taking place. The stress of him being booted from office may be too much for him.

MarkS, Leeds,

Maybe his wife will not tell us when the next budget is due and then we will not notice they have increased taxes again

Gwilym Ashworth, Wisborough Green, UK

What's all this "when I did my 11+ we weren't told about it in advance or knew why" ...I took my 11+ over42 years ago. I was told why and knew when....... don't recall any trauma cases in our class. Maybe the education system started falling apart just after that .....Eh!

Paul R, Paris,

If children cannot cope with exams at school, what happens to them when they grow up and attend job interviews?
What happens if in later life they are unlucky enough to be passed over for promotion at work, made redundant, etc ?
By some miracle they learn to cope with stress along the way?

John Doe, london,

We attend a 'pushy', 'middle class' private school, however they do not let the children know they are being tested for their yr 2 SATs. No need, and it works. The parents don't mention it either. The children learn more in a caring, stress free classroom.

Lucy, Herts,

Has anyone proved that testing 6-7 year olds actually benefits their education? I suspect not.

Childhood is short enough. Why try to expose children (who've probably only been toilet trained for 2-3 years) to the stresses of the rat race.

Leave the innocents alone. Stop politicising them.

W Smith, Manchester,

People need to prepare for things, balls could care less for our childrens education.
Young children shouldn't have to be 'graded' by stupid tests anyway.

tom, Caernarfon, Wales

I agree with Mr Balls statement, they should not be told. My sibling was told he had exams and couldn't stop stressing about it and he was only 7. I wasn't told they were exams at that age but when it came to my 11+ exams, we were told and everybody stressed and worried. Don't tell them!

Charlotte, Oxford,

I've just come back from Poland after seeing the in-laws and the first British newspaper article I read in England was the above. Seems our lords and masters are as crazy as ever !!!! The 2010 General election can't come soon enough !!!!!!!

ian payne, walsall,

Like many of the others here, when we did our 11+ we weren't told about it in advance. Didn't even know we'd done it until afterwards! No stress and the best way forward. Exam stress is enough at GCSE/A-Level age, small children really don't need that - they need to enjoy school and their childhood.

Steve, Luzern, CH

What else can Ed Balls not believe? That key stage 2 tests force a narrow, boring curriculum onto 10 year olds? That year 6 children peak in May after months of narrow focus on SATs and then there is an achievement dip on transition to secondary?

diana, derby,

quarter of the kids attending inner city schools can,t speak english never mind take tests.

lorne, derby, england

I agree. I never understood why children were affected by SATs. One explanation given to me was that they affect which stream you are put into at secondary school. But these children are 6 and 7; probably also suffering because their mothers talk about dieting in front of them.

Jon, manchester, uk

Mr Balls has three children himself - I presume he practices what he preaches !

Sort of makes you wonder what else he thinks should be kept quiet on a "need to know" basis !

David, Guildford,

Hmm - this from the government who closed grammar schools as the 11+ was too stressful. Ed Balls, who was educated outside the State education system, like many of his colleagues should learn to live life in the real world, instead of submitting children to so many exams.

Tony Reeve, Potters Bar, England

Just because that's his name, doesn't mean he has to talk it

Chris, Derby,

It is not necessary to be Middle Class or "pushy" to want your children to do well. In this highly competitive world learning to deal with stress, new situations and competition is a lesson best learnt early. Tests/exams are part of school life and prepare us for life in the working world.

Phoebe, Manchester, Lancashire

I'm 18, and although we practiced for SATs and the 11+, we were never told repeatedly that it was an important exam. I agree partly with Ed Ball's statement, about it being individual school policy to minimise exam stress, but the problem also lies with pushy middle-class parents.

Dan, Wirral, UK

we were never told when the 11+ or other important tests were when i was at school. you would turn up and be asked to do some work, or it was handed out and done on the day. I suspect the head teachers are astonished as this linked to getting the best results for their league tables

Phil, Brixham,

When I did my 11+ years ago we weren't told what it was we were just given some papers and told to complete it as part of our lesson - no stress no problems.

When I took my own daughter to do her entrance exams there were some girls there in tears and that was before it had started!!!

Julia, Kent,

I agree with Ed Balls. Having suffered myself, I have brought up my son differently to see exams as a normal days at school. He arranges his free time and holidays trough the year to do light revision and pace himself and exams are then a cake walk. His results convince me that this is the right way

SK, Shanghai, PR China