THE government has been accused of “damaging children’s mental health” after a third of primary school pupils were branded as having performed “below the expected standard” in today’s Sats results.

The results of the key stage two exams, which are taken by 11-year-olds, showed that 65 per cent of students received the “expected standard” of educational skills this year.

In reading, only 73 per cent of seven-year-olds and 11-year-olds achieved the standard — down from 75 per cent last year.