This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/education/7785352.stm

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Sats inquiry: watchdog 'failed' Sats inquiry: watchdog 'failed'
(10 minutes later)
The inquiry into this year's Sats test shambles has blamed the exam watchdog and private contractor ETS Europe.The inquiry into this year's Sats test shambles has blamed the exam watchdog and private contractor ETS Europe.
Lord Sutherland's inquiry into the disruption to tests taken by 1.2 million of England's pupils says the QCA watchdog "failed its remit".Lord Sutherland's inquiry into the disruption to tests taken by 1.2 million of England's pupils says the QCA watchdog "failed its remit".
The head of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Ken Boston, has already resigned over the issue. The QCA has disbanded its assessment agency and suspended chief executive Ken Boston - who had offered to resign.
Pupils, parents, schools and markers were badly let down, Lord Sutherland said. The impact had been "massive".Pupils, parents, schools and markers were badly let down, Lord Sutherland said. The impact had been "massive".
He told a news conference in London there had been a culture within the QCA and its National Assessment Agency (NAA) division that "it'll be all right on the night". He told a news conference in London there had been a culture within the QCA and its National Assessment Agency (NAA) that "it'll be all right on the night".
There had been problems in the past but it had come good, he said.There had been problems in the past but it had come good, he said.
Asked if the QCA was fit for purpose, Lord Sutherland said: "You see my report. It has not delivered and there have been massive failures."Asked if the QCA was fit for purpose, Lord Sutherland said: "You see my report. It has not delivered and there have been massive failures."
But it had not been his job to identify individuals who should take the blame and resign, he said. But a lot of people within the organisation had worked extremely hard and with such a core he believed the QCA could be rebuilt.
A lot of people within the organisation had worked extremely hard and with such a core he believed the QCA could be rebuilt. The QCA's board has not accepted Dr Boston's resignation. In a statement, chairman Christopher Trinick said it had suspended him until it had considered Lord Sutherland's report.
Responding to the report, Children's Secretary Ed Balls said that "what happened this year was completely unacceptable". It has also suspended David Gee, the managing director of the NAA - and said the internal agency would be disbanded, with its functions absorbed back into the QCA.
Lord Sutherland's inquiry blames ETS Europe and its "insufficient" capacity to deliver the tests. Children's Secretary Ed Balls said that what had happened this year had been "completely unacceptable".
'Lack of planning''Lack of planning'
It says there was a "lack of comprehensive planning and testing" of the systems used for the tests taken by 11 and 14 year olds. Lord Sutherland's inquiry blames ETS Europe and its "insufficient" capacity to deliver the tests.
It also points to the failings of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) which "failed to deliver its remit from government and did not manage the contract it held with ETS effectively". It says there was a "lack of comprehensive planning and testing" of the systems used for the tests taken by 11 and 14-year-olds.
In the recriminations that followed the Sats problems, ETS Europe had its £156m contract cancelled and ministers had the embarrassment of postponing the annual league tables, which are based on the results. It said the QCA "failed to deliver its remit from government and did not manage the contract it held with ETS effectively".
In the recriminations that followed the Sats problems, ETS Europe had its £156m contract cancelled and ministers had the embarrassment of postponing the annual league tables based on the results.
Half of the Sats themselves - those taken by 14-year-olds - have also been scrapped by the children's secretary in a subsequent shake-up of testing.Half of the Sats themselves - those taken by 14-year-olds - have also been scrapped by the children's secretary in a subsequent shake-up of testing.
Mr Balls labelled this year's problems as a "shambles" and he apologised to schools and families for "all their inconvenience, stress and frustration".Mr Balls labelled this year's problems as a "shambles" and he apologised to schools and families for "all their inconvenience, stress and frustration".
The Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman, David Laws, called for ministers and other officials to accept responsibility for the problems.The Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman, David Laws, called for ministers and other officials to accept responsibility for the problems.
"It is appropriate for the head of the QCA to resign, and the managing director of the National Assessment Agency also needs to be replaced," he said."It is appropriate for the head of the QCA to resign, and the managing director of the National Assessment Agency also needs to be replaced," he said.
“Ministers themselves should also accept some blame for their complacent attitude to the delivery of the tests. It is clear that they were asleep at the wheel," said Mr Laws. "Ministers themselves should also accept some blame for their complacent attitude to the delivery of the tests. It is clear that they were asleep at the wheel," said Mr Laws.
The National Association of Head Teachers welcomed the report but warned of "systemic flaws in current arrangements" and that there was a high risk of a repeat of such problems. The National Association of Head Teachers welcomed the report but warned of "systemic flaws in current arrangements" and said there was a high risk of a repeat of such problems.