CHILDREN as young as 10 were being given stress-busting lessons today in a bid to beat the pressures of national examinations.

In the only initiative of its kind in the country, children's charity the NSPCC has stepped in to help Year 6 pupils at a Blackburn school cope with the stress of Standard Attainment Tests.

Gill Harding, head at St Luke's and St Philip's Primary School, Hancock Street, called for similar sessions to be available in all East Lancashire schools.

But the National Union of Teachers today said the event could reinforce its national push to boycott SATs testing, which it claims causes unnecessary stress for youngsters.

The Lancashire Schools NSPCC team has organised the one-off workshop for Children's Day.

It hopes the techniques will help children cope with exam stress throughout their school lives and beyond and the scheme could be extended to other schools if successful.

Pupils in Year 11 began their Key Stage 3 SATs this week in maths and science while Key Stage 2 for primary school children aged 10 or 11 will be rolled out from May 10.

Michaela Fogarty, wife of Blackburn's former world superbike champion Carl Fogarty, has joined today's campaign to get youngsters to relax when they sit the Key Stage 2 tests.

Children will be shown a range of techniques, including hand massage, breathing and visualisation techniques.

In a recent survey by the NSPCC, exams were the biggest worry for children and young people, with 82 per cent of young people affected.

Marie Nolan, of the NSPCC Lancashire Schools Team, set up to work with education bosses to help pupils, said children get tetchy, more tearful and start falling out in the run up to exams.

Ms Nolan, who has provided drop-in sessions at the school since November 2000, said: "At this time of year there are more children coming to us worried about exams. They are increasingly aware of the importance it has for the school and they are worried about what everyone will think, including their parents.

"They feel 'thick' if they find it hard, become anxious and stop sleeping properly. Then on exam day they get all wound up.

"We want to show them how to note the physical changes that come about under stress like rushed breathing and adrenaline

"We want children to know that they have someone to turn to."

Head teacher Gill Harding said: "It is exactly what children need. As teachers we have not always got time to listen to children's problems and deal with them. It would be great to see this available in all schools."

Michaela Fogarty, whose two daughters aged 12 and nine are also in exam season, said: "If it helps one per cent it is worth it. I don't know one person of any age at any level that does not find exams stressful."

The National Union of Teachers supports a full boycott of SATs, saying they cause too much anxiety for youngsters and unfair comparisons between schools.

Lancashire Secretary Ken Cridland said: "The testing has distorted the curriculum, marginalised teaching and caused real unpleasantness for children."