SATs results at two primary schools scrapped

Student studying. Pic: Christoph Spiegl

Student studying. Pic: Christoph Spiegl

Test results have been annulled due to maladministration at two Hackney primary schools.

Inquiries at Southwold and De Beauvoir primary schools have revealed suspicious anomalies in the marking system.

A source told the Hackney Gazette that answers to mental arithmetic papers had been altered. The source said: “From what I understand there were differences in handwriting between what the child had put down and some other answers.”

A Standards Testing Agency spokesperson said: “Any instances of maladministration of tests are completely unacceptable.”

“Following an investigation into the administration of 2014 Key Stage 2 tests at De Beauvoir Primary School, the decision was made to annul a number of the children’s mental mathematics results.

“At Southwold Primary School we decided to annul the results for the mental mathematics and spelling tests for all pupils.”

As a result, scores for mental maths tests taken by 10-11 year olds at De Beauvoir school will be displayed as “0” when league tables are published next month. Both mental maths and spelling tests at Southwold will also show “0” grades.

In last year’s league tables, De Beauvoir entered just within the top 50 per cent of primary schools in Hackney, with 83 per cent of year 6 pupils attaining the expected level – Level 4 – in English and maths.

Southwold fell to the bottom quarter of the table, ranking 42 out of the 53 schools listed, with 73 per cent of year 6 pupils achieving Level 4 in the required subjects.

A spokesperson for Hackney Learning Trust said: “All children affected have been allocated moderated teacher assessment data for this element of their maths examinations.”

An internal investigation is underway and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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