PARENTS have been assured their children will sit exams after a blunder saw a teacher announce that end of year tests had been cancelled.

A post on Highdown School's online homework portal advised parents that mathematics exams for Year 7 and 8 pupils had been axed because of funding issues.

The post was swiftly removed however after the teacher realised there had been a break down in communication.

Younger pupils will still sit their end of year mathematics tests, however they will not be held in the school's hall in order to save on costly invigilator fees.

Teachers will invigilate exams in classrooms instead.

Rachel Cave, head teacher at the Surely Row school, said: "The school assesses both annually and throughout  the school year. The information briefly posted about no examinations was incorrect and removed in under 24hours from the school's on line homework platform. A teacher had misunderstood a communication and so subsequently removed the post.

"The correct situation is that we are not holding end of year examinations in our hall with additional invigilator costs for our younger year groups. 

"The school believes that all parents have been contacted by the subject team involved. Any concerned parents will of course be in touch with the school. Our results in mathematics are outstanding at both GCSE and A Level and we have every confidence in how we assess our students in mathematics."

Parents at Highdown are asked for a donation per family to help ease the school's financial pressures.

The school's sports hall was also made available for hire in a bid to secure more revenue.

Matt Rodda, MP for Reading East, said he is set to meet with the government's education secretary, Damien Hinds, to discuss funding for schools in his constituency.

He added: "This seems like another example of how government funding cuts are effecting schools and children.

"It is really unfair."