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| Delay 'likely' for school tables | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| This year's school "league tables" in England are likely to face delays because of the test marking problems. | |
| Schools Minister Jim Knight said he expected the problems with marking and appeal to push back publication. | |
| Provisional figures suggest 14-year-olds did better in writing and maths national tests this year but less well in reading and science. | Provisional figures suggest 14-year-olds did better in writing and maths national tests this year but less well in reading and science. |
| A breakdown by local authorities has not been released as up to half the results were missing in some areas. | A breakdown by local authorities has not been released as up to half the results were missing in some areas. |
| The schools minister said he expected the problems with the delivery of the tests to mean that timetable for publication would have to be pushed back. | |
| 2008 KEY STAGE 3 RESULTS LEVEL 5 English: 73% (74% last year)Maths: 77% (76%)Science: 71% (73%)LEVEL 6English: 33% (32%)Maths: 57% (56%)Science: 41% (41%) Source: DCSF | 2008 KEY STAGE 3 RESULTS LEVEL 5 English: 73% (74% last year)Maths: 77% (76%)Science: 71% (73%)LEVEL 6English: 33% (32%)Maths: 57% (56%)Science: 41% (41%) Source: DCSF |
| "I think it's likely that it won't be published at the same time as last year - because we've got a review process that's open for people to submit for reviews until September," said Mr Knight. | |
| "That inevitably has consequences for the timetable and being able to publish school results." | |
| The National Union of Teachers said the decision not to release the local figures was understandable - but none of the results should have been published in view of the delays and questions over the marking organised this year by private contractor ETS. | The National Union of Teachers said the decision not to release the local figures was understandable - but none of the results should have been published in view of the delays and questions over the marking organised this year by private contractor ETS. |
| The tests - popularly known by the misnomer "Sats" - are a measure of children's achievement against targets in Key Stage 3 of the national curriculum, the first three years of secondary schooling in England. | The tests - popularly known by the misnomer "Sats" - are a measure of children's achievement against targets in Key Stage 3 of the national curriculum, the first three years of secondary schooling in England. |
| Schools Minister Jim Knight told reporters he expected a postponement of the performance tables. Those for primary schools, based on the Key Stage 2 results, are usually issued each December with the Key Stage 3 tables in January. | Schools Minister Jim Knight told reporters he expected a postponement of the performance tables. Those for primary schools, based on the Key Stage 2 results, are usually issued each December with the Key Stage 3 tables in January. |
| Officials later said publication was a matter for official statisticians, not ministers. | Officials later said publication was a matter for official statisticians, not ministers. |
The usual schedule is:
| The usual schedule is:
|
| Mr Knight said of the latest Key Stage 3 results: "Schools' efforts mean that they are sustaining the significant improvements of the last decade - there are far fewer children below the expected level than 10 years ago and the brightest pupils are continuing to show good results, particularly in maths." | Mr Knight said of the latest Key Stage 3 results: "Schools' efforts mean that they are sustaining the significant improvements of the last decade - there are far fewer children below the expected level than 10 years ago and the brightest pupils are continuing to show good results, particularly in maths." |
| But he added: "We know there is more to do before all of our schools are truly world class and that every young person is reaching their full potential at age 14 and beyond." | But he added: "We know there is more to do before all of our schools are truly world class and that every young person is reaching their full potential at age 14 and beyond." |
| The general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), Dr Mary Bousted, said: "The Key Stage 3 tests are an irrelevance. No one will be interested in the results when young people apply for a job. | The general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), Dr Mary Bousted, said: "The Key Stage 3 tests are an irrelevance. No one will be interested in the results when young people apply for a job. |
| "In a year when Sats have collapsed under their own weight, cutting the Key Stage 3 tests would be an excellent way to reduce the excessive amount of testing our students face." | "In a year when Sats have collapsed under their own weight, cutting the Key Stage 3 tests would be an excellent way to reduce the excessive amount of testing our students face." |
| Liberal Democrat children spokeswoman Annette Brooke agreed and said the money saved could be used to improve learning. | Liberal Democrat children spokeswoman Annette Brooke agreed and said the money saved could be used to improve learning. |
| She said: "Ministers have once again failed to meet their own targets. After three years of secondary education, thousands of pupils are not reaching the expected level in key subjects. | She said: "Ministers have once again failed to meet their own targets. After three years of secondary education, thousands of pupils are not reaching the expected level in key subjects. |
| "It's a disgrace that on the day the results have been published, many schools will still not yet have received their marked papers." | "It's a disgrace that on the day the results have been published, many schools will still not yet have received their marked papers." |
| Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "The government continues to miss its modest targets and we are left with the unacceptable position that two out of five 14-year-olds are failing to achieve the necessary grades in reading, writing and maths that they will need to be able to achieve at GCSE." | Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "The government continues to miss its modest targets and we are left with the unacceptable position that two out of five 14-year-olds are failing to achieve the necessary grades in reading, writing and maths that they will need to be able to achieve at GCSE." |
| Statistical change | Statistical change |
| Statisticians at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which issued the results, say comparisons with previous years are skewed by a change in the marking process. | Statisticians at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which issued the results, say comparisons with previous years are skewed by a change in the marking process. |
| This involved removing the practice known as "borderlining", which involved double checking all the test scripts with marks just below the benchmark level (but not above it), to see if they warranted any extra marks. | This involved removing the practice known as "borderlining", which involved double checking all the test scripts with marks just below the benchmark level (but not above it), to see if they warranted any extra marks. |
| The effect is particularly significant in English, in which the marking is more subjective. | The effect is particularly significant in English, in which the marking is more subjective. |
| The statisticians say removing borderlining is estimated to reduce the percentage achieving Level 5 (the expected minimum level) by 0.9 percentage points in English, 0.2 points in maths and 0.6 points in science. | The statisticians say removing borderlining is estimated to reduce the percentage achieving Level 5 (the expected minimum level) by 0.9 percentage points in English, 0.2 points in maths and 0.6 points in science. |
| At Level 6 the effect is even more pronounced: about 1.6 percentage points in English, 0.3 in maths and 0.9 in science. | At Level 6 the effect is even more pronounced: about 1.6 percentage points in English, 0.3 in maths and 0.9 in science. |
| The figures show that the proportion of children attaining Level 5 in reading, writing, maths and science was 56% - down two percentage points on last year or roughly the amount predicted by the removal of borderlining. | The figures show that the proportion of children attaining Level 5 in reading, writing, maths and science was 56% - down two percentage points on last year or roughly the amount predicted by the removal of borderlining. |
| The DCSF says the results were based on the data available at 25 July. | The DCSF says the results were based on the data available at 25 July. |
| These included 84% of English results and 94% of the maths and science results, deemed to be a robust enough sample to produce reliable national figures. | These included 84% of English results and 94% of the maths and science results, deemed to be a robust enough sample to produce reliable national figures. |
| There is no equivalent publication of test results for other parts of the UK. | There is no equivalent publication of test results for other parts of the UK. |