Proposals to scrap testing for seven-year-olds have been announced by the Government.

Instead, there will be a new teacher assessment of four and five-year-olds when they start infant school.

The move will help to "reduce the burden" of assessment on teachers and pupils, the Department for Education (DfE) said.

One union leader said the possibility of ending Key Stage 1 testing was "good news" and would give schools more time to focus on teaching, rather than "high-stakes assessment".

Here are some of the main issues.

What tests do children sit at the moment?

Seven-year-olds across England are assessed in reading, writing, maths and science at the end of Year 2 - often known as the end of infant school, or Key Stage 1.

This is done through tests and teacher assessment. Children are given results in each subject and these are used as a baseline for measuring the progress that a youngster makes between the ages of seven and 11 - which is the end of Key Stage 2, and the end of primary school.

The proportions of pupils reaching the "expected standard" set out by Government are published at a national and local authority level, but individual school results are not released.

There is also an optional paper in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

More than half a million schoolchildren across England sit the Key Stage 1 tests in May each year.

I've heard that these tests are controversial, why is that?

Primary school testing in general has a long history - the assessments were first brought in around 25 years ago - and has always had its critics.

Concerns have repeatedly been raised, by groups such as teaching unions, that too much pressure is being put on pupils too young and that England's schoolchildren are among the most tested in the world. Too much assessment can have a negative impact on a child's school experience and their well-being, and can mean that youngsters are simply "taught to the test", it has been argued.

Some parents agree - last spring, there was a campaign to keep children off school during Sats week, with organisers arguing that there is more focus on testing, results and league tables than children's happiness.

The campaign came as both the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 tests were made tougher, in response to a new national curriculum which ministers said is more rigorous, and will help to ensure that all children leave primary school with a good standard of English and maths.

But there were also problems in 2016 - a security breach meant that a version of the spelling and grammar paper was published online, containing live test words. The test was scrapped.

So what is the Government proposing?

Under the Government's plans - which are now open for consultation - Sats tests for seven-year-olds will be axed.

Instead, children will be assessed on their abilities in the basics during their reception year of schooling - when they are four or five. The results of these assessments, which are likely to be conducted by teachers in the classroom, will be used to measure how much progress youngsters make between when they start primary school and when they leave at age 11. Schools will be held to account based on the progress pupils make.

The Department has been at pains to say that children should not know that they are being assessed in reception.

Am I right in thinking that the Government had previously wanted to test children at the start of school?

Yes, there were plans a few years ago to bring in "baseline" assessments for four and five-year-olds in England, covering reading, writing and maths. The checks were meant to be carried out within the first few weeks of children starting reception class, and were designed to help measure progress throughout primary school.

The assessments were optional in autumn 2015 and due to be rolled out last September. However, they have been postponed.

Last April, a study from the Standards and Testing Agency concluded that these assessments cannot be used to compare pupils as the tests - which were offered by three different providers - were not ''sufficiently comparable''.

The Department for Education said that it would be "inappropriate and unfair to schools" to use the results.

What's the reaction to today's announcement been?

In general, many think that axing Key Stage 1 Sats tests would be a good thing.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) - which represents a large proportion of primary school leaders - has said the move will create more time for schools to focus on teaching rather than high-stakes assessment.

But there is also apprehension about the plans for a new reception class assessment, with the National Union of Teachers (NUT) arguing that it will damage the education of very young children, and lead to a narrower early years curriculum.

Have your say - do you think Sats should be scrapped for seven-year-olds?