Schools break up, but thousands wait for Sats

8:30am Saturday 19th July 2008

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SCHOOLS in the region have begun breaking up for summer with thousands of pupils still waiting for their Sats results.

Headteachers in the North- East and North Yorkshire have reported delays receiving results and returned test papers. Concerns over the standard of marking have also been voiced.

The problems have led to calls for the Government to scrap the testing system from next year.

Durham County Council has only received 63 per cent of its key stage three English results.

David Ford, the council’s head of achievement services, said: “Many schools still don’t have complete sets of papers back, so they aren’t able to check the results. In addition, many schools are reporting significant inconsistencies and errors in marking.”

Many schools in North Yorkshire broke up yesterday with ten per cent of test papers still to be returned.

Incomplete sets of papers and missing papers have also been reported to North Yorkshire County Council.

A spokesman said the problems had caused “undue anxiety”

to pupils, parents and staff.

Bill Jordon is head of Dyke House and Brierton schools, in Hartlepool, and staff are waiting for some test papers to be returned. Mr Jordon has also questioned the standard of marking on the results the schools have received.

Members of staff have volunteered to go into school during the holidays to check the marking, before the results are posted to parents.

Mr Jordon said: “I’m not a happy man. The system is flawed and should be scrapped in my opinion.”

Schools in Stockton are still waiting for nearly 20 per cent of their English key stage three results.

Among them, Blakeston School, has received its results, but no papers.

Headteacher Georgiana Sale said: “Just looking at the marks, they seem to be very anomalous and we’re waiting for the papers to check.

“We’re certainly not giving them to the children yet, which is very disappointing.”

Vince Allen, regional spokesman for the National Union of Teachers, said: “We would like the Government to consider in any future investigation not just whether the results stand or fall, but whether there should be the same kind of Sats.”

Many teachers blame the fiasco on US firm Educational Testing Services, which has the £154m contract to mark the Sats papers.

During a visit to the region yesterday, Schools Secretary Ed Balls said the problems was “hugely frustrating”.

He said: “We want to know what has gone on. It is clear they have not delivered on their contract.

“I’m assured by the independent regulator that the marking is of a high quality – as good as in past years. I am assured people can have confidence in the results.”