Nigel Utton, of Bromstone Primary School in Broadstairs, appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast last Tuesday as it broadcast from the Rumfields Road school.

Asked by host Nicky Campbell if children with special education needs get a fair deal, Mr Utton struggled to contain his emotions, saying: “It’s wearing me down, it’s worn me out. It’s at the point where I’m going to have to stop for a while. I want to be back because I love this job."

Mr Utton, who has been head of the school for six years, spoke of the need for less pressure on target grades from Ofsted and more focus on a holistic approach.

He said: “I’m going to work with two charities - one parent special needs charity and I’m a trustee for the Alliance for Inclusive Education.

“I gave an assembly to the children yesterday and part of the assembly was looking at Rosa Parkes and how she sat on the bus and wasn’t content to allow black people and white people to be separated anymore and that’s the point where I’ve got to, enough is enough, someone’s got to around and say I’m not willing to do this anymore in this way.

“I think that all of the changes are making it worse constantly. I’m measured not how brilliant a student’s life is but on how he performs in a test at the age of 11 and that’s just disgusting.”

The broadcasters were visiting the school to focus on the biggest shake-up in special educational needs provision in England for 30 years.