 Test delay: Heads are saying "the row is only beginning" |
Head teachers are reporting "widespread problems" with the quality of marking in the delayed Sats results being returned to schools in England. "The row is only beginning," says Mick Brookes, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers. Mr Brookes is urging heads to give parents the assessments of teachers, as well as any disputed test results. The National Assessment Agency has given assurances that the marking will be as good as last year's. The NAHT head teachers' union says that schools are reporting concerns about the reliability of the marking in scripts being returned. 'Blank paper' Mr Brookes says that he will advise schools to issue these returned test results as "provisional" - and to accompany these results with the teachers' assessments of the levels achieved by pupils. This was a reflection of the level of concern over disparities and mistakes in the marking of test papers taken by 11 and 14 year olds, he said. "We're getting calls about the quality of marking. In one case there was no marking at all, the papers sent back to the school were completely blank," said the heads' leader. The National Assessment Agency has promised that the marking will be as reliable as last year - a promise repeated on Monday by Schools Minister Jim Knight. "Marking accuracy will be checked more frequently, at up to five rather than two intervals during marking (as was the case in 2007). These checks will confirm that marking is being maintained at the required national standard," says a statement from the NAA. "The NAA is confident that marking quality is at least as high as in previous years." But Mr Brookes dismissed the NAA exams watchdog as "venturing into the absurd" in its response to the marking problems. "This is a complete mess. There are widespread concerns in every area," he said, predicting that there would be many appeals against the marking and further disputes when they were used as the basis for school league tables. Mr Brookes said schools should be given budgets to commission their own external marking - rather than the �156m paid as a five-year contract to the private contractor. Inquiry Secondary school head teachers are also reporting problems with the tests taken by 14 year olds - and they will have to take into account disputed results from the tests taken by 11 year olds about to enter secondary school. John Dunford, head of the Association of School and College Leaders, also said that heads were expecting marking to be of a lower quality than last year. The problems are "symptomatic of a system bursting at the seams", said Dr Dunford. The Sats results for 11 year olds are used for school league tables - and often used as part of the decision about which ability group pupils will be in when they move to secondary school. An inquiry has been launched into the delays in publishing this year's test results taken by a million pupils. Markers have highlighted administrative problems in the process operated by a private contractor, ETS.
If you would like to comment please use the form below. A grand farce so far. I'm a secondary teacher and we will be expected to re-mark ALL of our 14 year old's papers when we receive them (looks like a job for the summer hols now) as the quality is expected to be poor. Last year's papers were marked poorly too, so meeting that quality is nothing for ETS to be proud of!
Daniel, Manchester I am nearing the end of my first year in the profession and the emerging SATs fiasco is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Our papers were returned last week and, whilst the maths and science results were as expected, the literacy results were a mess - some children achieving much better than our assessments and others much worse. The reading scores show a massive increase in the number of children achieving level 5 compared to last year without any obvious difference in the cohort, which suggests inaccuracies in the thresholds. But worse still is the writing. It is so inconsistent and also obviously wrong. There are scripts that are vastly different in standard but that have scored the same marks. In nine out of the 36 spelling papers there were mistakes marked as correct ("articals" being a favourite). Schools' performance are based on these results and so Heads are rightly anxious about how this reflects on their schools, but we must also reflect on how this affects the children. There are two children, who, if the tests are to be believed, are level 4a, but from my assessments they will likely spend the next two years before they realistically achieve this. Therefore, if these results are to stand, they will spend the next two years without making progress (apparently). What will this do to their confidence?
Pete, Leicester As a deputy of an inner city high school, we continually stress the importance of exams and preparation to our kids. What message does this farce send out? This year pupils on borderline marks will not have a clerical check, how many will slip through the net? Our papers did not arrive back today as promised, the electronic version they "hope" to get to us by the end of next week as the school breaks for summer.... Any queries must be filed by Friday 25th July when school is shut for the summer break. We are judged on progression between these key stages and yet they are wholly incapable of managing their own admin processes.
Mark, Leeds This is a nightmare for all concerned. Not only has it stopped my son from meeting his Form Tutor today as they couldn't sort the groups out it is holding up both my children's school reports as well.
Vanessa Jones, Rugby I've been a marker for around 8 years. This year was the worst in terms of organisation and support that I can remember. We didn't see the mark schemes or test papers until the training day. Previously we've had them a week. We marked Test scripts and got a feel for the Mark Scheme, and came to the Training with questions. Not this year. Previously, we sent off two lots of samples. We received feedback so we knew which questions we were weak on. Not this year. This year we had 'Benchmarking'. Pass or fail. No feedback so no improvement. ETS have no idea how marking and assessment works. This was utterly predictable.
Dave, Tamworth The whole process has been a shambles this year. My wife is a marker and has been for many years, and is an experienced teacher too. She has been disgusted by the lack of support and organisation offered by ETS. She had to continually chase them for papers, she was sent incorrect ones and told NOT to mark them and that they would be picked up (they weren't!) and nobody would return her calls or emails. Her team leader was excellent and understanding but this year I understand the system went online yet the website was unreliable! I have children too, and they deserve a better service. Don't blame the markers though, the problems stem from the organisation.
Tim, Derby I can't believe after all the pressure my 11 year old was placed under to revise from January onwards to take these tests that there are now concerns about the accuracy of the marking. If these tests are so important to both the Primary School for League Tables and the Secondary School to help place in the correct ability groups, the appropriate attention and resources should be provided for the marking. We should not make our children suffer the SATS otherwise!
Lynda, Battle My son revised hard and put a lot of effort into trying to pass these exams with high marks as not only does it effect which 'set' he is put in for certain subjects and whether he can do one of his choices at GCSE, it also may effect his finacial reward for getting certain grades. He is quite distressed that he might not get the grade that he worked for and deserves because of someone elses error and rightly so!
Suzanne, Brighton How ridiculous... yet again we are shown the level of incompetence we are expected to simply take in our stride. People are sacked for less in the private sector and while I am constantly talking with my son about the importance of doing a job well and diligently, these illustrations of stupidity, laziness and ignorance continue to plague us. Now is the time for the government to sack this 3rd party and recover a large part of the costs in order to finance a better solution.
Annabelle, Berkshire Annabelle says that people are sacked in the private sector for less. The marking has been done by the private sector, ETS, so I assume we will soon be hearing the announcement of the sackings. Perhaps next year we will stop using incompetent private sector companies.
Nigel, Coventry This pathetic, expensive system, which tells us nothing more about children than we already know, has been completely discredited. Once again, children and schools will have to pick up the pieces of inept and misguided policy and practice. When will the powers that be listen? No doubt schools showing the same level of ineptitude and incompetence would be placed in special measures. Disappointing and disgraceful but not surprising.
Mike Whitfield, Huddersfield My school breaks up on Thursday 17th July. Papers are still to be returned (9th July), then checked and remarked by staff before children can be given their results. When will the Government have the courage to announce that the results of SATs to be cancelled, and that all schools to rely on teacher assessments in order to ensure effective planning and preparation for next academic year.
Kenneth Judd, Leicester City
It is the marking that has been a disaster this year, the tests themselves have been much the same as other years. It is important that the debate distinguishes between these two issues - the exams should not be abolished becuse of the administrative shambles, particularly because previous years have shown that the administration can work perfectly well. As a school we really value the SATs exams and would be sorry to lose them.
Oliver, Chippenham The five checks for marking that were alluded to in the report were online tests we markers at to take at regular intervals - there has been no double checking of live scripts as there was in previous years. I have had no real support from my team leader. The so-called marker helpline was withdrawn while markers were still sending scripts back. A total shambles. I'm embarrassed to have been associated with SATs marking this year.
Yvonne, Eastbourne The KS2 SAT's play a major role in the reputation of the schools, I work in a small school that has had problems with SAT's in the past and this year we achieved double the number of level 4's and level 5's from last year only to now find out that it could be wrong. These mistakes could force or small village school to close. It's disgraceful
Jim Liddle, Sittingbourne, UK I have worked as a marker of KS2 English for this year's SATs and wish to defend the integrity of the marking. Although the administration from the ETS side was somewhat shambolic at times, myself, my excellent team leader and my fellow team members marked with experience and accuracy. English is a great deal more demanding a subject to mark and often requires a judgment call, particularly when a child's work is not displaying a range of devices or structures required for a mark. However, the mark scheme was stringent, the benchmarking checks were strict and, speaking for myself, I marked with a strong commitment to fairness and accuracy.
Martyn, Eastbourne This year's SATs marking debacle should signal an end to these hideous tests and a return to trusting teachers to do their best by the children they serve. On a supplementary note, I would like to point out that most secondary schools planned to seriously consider the SATs results before finalising subject sets for next year in Y7 and Y10. This vital practical process has been thwarted by the ineptitude of an over-confident, incompetent and money-grabbing organisation that should never have been entrusted with the job. When are core subject leaders now meant to do the hours of donkey work that must precede any marking appeals?
Neil Theasby, Sheffield UK As a parent of a Y6 child who has just taken the SATS I am concerned because the accuracy of these tests will be used as part of the toolkit to target support for her in the next year or so. The results will also impact on the Value Added measure for her old and new schools. With so many parents looking at these measures as a shorthand for the effectiveness of schools they must be accurate or if not, then they should not be used for these purposes. Sadly, the evidence does not encourage one to feel that they are reliable.
Laurence Mann, Twickenham, Middlesex, UK Our school is closing on 1 Aug! If we don't get our results back before the summer holidays...who will be there to receive them? I won't have the opportunity to discuss the results with my class, who have worked extremely hard all year. I won't have the opportunity to analyse the results and check how accurate they are! I am a KS2 English marker and feel extremely confident that I have marked all scripts to the best of my ability. I took great care and double checked each script. I returned my scripts before the end date...however I'm aware of other markers who received a delivery and was told to have the scripts marked in 2 days! With that pressure...how can you feel confident that you have indeed double checked each script and marked fairly? Are these results seriously worth all the stress and aggrivation that they cause!
Pam, hertfordshire I just thank God that I am a deputy head in a Welsh primary school and my three children went to Welsh primary schools. Quite simple: No league tables, no SATs
Richard Coleman, Cardiff
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.
| 
One-Minute World News 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
It is so inconsistent and also obviously wrong. There are scripts that are vastly different in standard but that have scored the same marks. In nine out of the 36 spelling papers there were mistakes marked as correct ("articals" being a favourite).
BBC News
Bookmark with:
What are these?