SATS delays ‘unacceptable’ says Balls
17 Jul 2008
Ed Balls yesterday branded the delays to this year’s SATS results as ‘unacceptable’.
The Schools Secretary told MPs that ‘lessons must be learned’, following a series of embarrassing revelations around the marking of the curriculum tests.
Results for Key Stage 2 SATs had been due to be published online on 8 July, but the deadline was pushed back to 15 July following an announcement that some of the papers had not been marked.
Despite an announcement on Monday from QCA Chief Executive, Ken Boston to say all test papers had been marked, a number of headteachers have reported that scripts have been returned to schools unmarked with pupils being wrongfully recorded as absent.
A spokesperson for the QCA apologised and has said that it was aware of only 20 schools that had experienced these problems, explaining: ‘As in all previous years, there is always a very small amount of material that comes to light subsequently that still requires marking.’
Following the announcement of the delay, Ofqual, the qualifications regulator, announced that Lord Sutherland would head up an inquiry into the problems with the delivery of the national tests. Both reports will be published later this year.
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