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Minister cancels leaked primary spelling test Sats primary school spelling test scrapped after blunder
(about 9 hours later)
The schools minister has been forced to cancel a national spelling test for England's primary schools, after a teacher spotted it had already been published online as a practice paper. The government has been forced to cancel its controversial new spelling and grammar test after it was accidentally put online by officials.
Nick Gibb said this was a "clearly regrettable incident". Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the incident was "clearly regrettable".
More than half a million seven-year-olds had been due to take the test next month, as part of their Sat tests. Half a million seven-year-olds in England had been due to take the tests next month, as part of their Sats.
Head teachers' leaders, who had called for the scrapping of the test, welcomed the decision. Head teachers' leaders had called for the test to be scrapped as it had been used as practice by an unidentifiable number of schools.
It follows the discovery that part of the English test paper had been mistakenly published on the Department for Education's website, for use as practice material, and had been available there for three months - potentially giving some pupils a clear advantage. On Wednesday, the BBC News website reported that a spelling test from this new additional paper had been available on a Department for Education website, for use as practice material, since January.
The blunder was initially spotted by a teacher at a school that was carrying out an official trial of the test, using the paper that was to be taken by pupils around England. 'Human error'
"We have no way of knowing how extensively it has been used by schools and parents," said Russell Hobby, the leader of the National Association of Head Teachers. The blunder was initially spotted by a teacher at one of 700 schools that was carrying out an official trial of the test, using the paper that was to be taken by pupils around England.
Russell Hobby, the leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "We have no way of knowing how extensively it has been used by schools and parents."
Mr Hobby said the schools minister had acted "quickly and appropriately" in cancelling this part of the Sats tests for seven-year-olds.Mr Hobby said the schools minister had acted "quickly and appropriately" in cancelling this part of the Sats tests for seven-year-olds.
Mr Gibb issued a statement saying: "To remove any uncertainty and clarify the situation for schools, I have decided that we will remove the requirement on them to administer the Key Stage 1 grammar, punctuation and spelling test for this year only."Mr Gibb issued a statement saying: "To remove any uncertainty and clarify the situation for schools, I have decided that we will remove the requirement on them to administer the Key Stage 1 grammar, punctuation and spelling test for this year only."
He said that no other test papers for Key Stage 1 pupils appeared to have been affected.He said that no other test papers for Key Stage 1 pupils appeared to have been affected.
The schools minister also announced there would be a "root and branch inquiry" into the Standards and Testing Agency, an agency of the Department for Education that sets tests. The schools minister also announced there would be a "root and branch inquiry" into the Standards and Testing Agency, an agency of the DfE that sets tests.
A statement from the Standards and Testing Agency said the mistaken publishing of the words to be tested, rather than another sample, was the result of "human error". Jennifer Coupland, chief executive of the Standards and Testing Agency, said the blunder had been caused by "human error".
"We were made aware on 20 April that sample guidance material published by the STA, to be used with the modified version of the Key Stage 1 spelling test, contained the live test words rather than the sample test words.
"As soon as we were made aware, we removed the document from the website."
The test, known as the SPAG, was being introduced this year for children in Year 2. Teaching unions criticised the move saying it introduced a technical approach to language for children too early.
Hundreds of thousands of papers will have been sent to schools in readiness for the statutory test to be taken in the first week of May.
A guide to SatsA guide to Sats
Key Stage 1 Sats tests are taken by six- and seven-year-olds in England at the end of Year 2. Key Stage 1 Sats are taken by six- and seven-year-olds in England at the end of Year 2.
Pupils take tests in:Pupils take tests in:
The Key Stage 1 test results are used by teachers to reach an overall judgement of the standards pupils have reached in these key subjects.The Key Stage 1 test results are used by teachers to reach an overall judgement of the standards pupils have reached in these key subjects.
Parents also receive a teacher assessment for science, though there is no science test.Parents also receive a teacher assessment for science, though there is no science test.
A second set of tests, Key Stage 2 Sats, are taken by 10- and 11-year-olds at the end of Year Six. A second set of tests, Key Stage 2 Sats, are taken by 10- and 11-year-olds at the end of Year 6.
The Key Stage 2 tests are used as a measure of school performance.The Key Stage 2 tests are used as a measure of school performance.
This year's Key Stage 2 tests will be more demanding than in previous years and will be based on the new curriculum taught in England since 2014.This year's Key Stage 2 tests will be more demanding than in previous years and will be based on the new curriculum taught in England since 2014.
Pupils will sit them on set dates in the second week in May.Pupils will sit them on set dates in the second week in May.
They include:They include: