To wonder how a Government can publish a SATs paper by accident, twice??

[ShipwreckedAndComatose]

Now it's the year 6 SPAG test

The whole testing has been appallingly badly handled and it's our kids who are in the middle of it!

[frazmum]

YANBU. Reminds me of the fiasco when DD18 did Y6 SATS and lots of papers got lost in the 'system' including hers. New secondary didn't have results so she kept getting shuffled round till they got her in right class.

Managing exams is basic stuff and this incompetence just increases stress levels for everyone.

[Sighing]

If teacher's were trusted to report year 6 ability without this farce of preprepared tests just to judge schools against so much money, effort and tears from children would be saved. But, it seems the government don't trust the profession and a lot of parents seem to enjoy the competition.

[ShipwreckedAndComatose]

I don't know Euphemia. I guess it will come out with investigation. Just unbelievable!

I agree about lack of trust in teachers!

[lostincumbria]

Why trust teachers when we can trust an incompetent company like Pearson? Maybe, just maybe, the only reason for all these exams is so we can pay more and more companies to design and administer them.

How much money could be saved by reverting to teacher assessment?

[DonkeyOaty]

Boggled by this

Yes Euph, I did wonder about sabotage too

Hmmmm

[meditrina]

It was placed in a password-protected area by an exam board.

Have the actual contents of the paper been compromised?

[frazmum]

Doesn't seem to have compromised the paper. But still incompetent behaviour by the exam board. And causes stress for all.

[AugustaFinkNottle]

The problem is that they outsource to their friends like Pearson. They have a track record for incompetence, so you really have to wonder how on earth they got the SATs contract.

As I understand it, prior to the test it was only supposed to be available to a very few selected people. They put it on a site available to all registered markers, thus massively increasing the risk of what has actually happened. How hard would it have been to avoid that?

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

It was the exam board not the government.

Not sure how many will have seen it as was on a password protected site and taken down very quickly.

[rollonthesummer]

Exactly what I was thinking!

Have the SATs ever been leaked before?
Is it actual incompetence or have the government decided, 'oops, things are going badly this year-everyone's complaining the English paper was too hard, they're going to go apeshit when they see the SPAG. If we leak it, they won't have to do it and we'll be off the hook!'

[CoolforKittyCats]

It isn't the government that leaked it though.

Plus the leak wasn't 'open' enough for a volume of people to see it.

[ShipwreckedAndComatose]

Oh please, oranges. This is entirely the Government's baby. They chose Pearson's to do the exams but the whole SATs fiasco rests at the government's door.

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

Oh please, oranges.

No need to patronise I am very aware who Pearson's are and all about SATS what with being a Y6 teacher until I started maternity leave and having DSC twins, that live with us, currently sitting them.

[littleducks]

I'm convinced its sabotage

[SusanAndBinkyRideForth]

I suspect sabotage as well.

And as a secondary teacher I know I pay little attention to SATs results. Most schools I know do their own tests early in Yr7 for setting purposes, and for flagging up discrepancies that can indicate eg dyslexia. They are a waste of everyone's time, energy and money.

[Foxyloxy1plus1]

Never really took much notice of SATS results. Secondary teachers may consider them a guideline, but will make their own judgements. SATS are not for the children at all.

[megletthesecond]

yy to probable sabotage.

Or possibly interns who aren't being supervised.

[Janefromdowntheroad]

Only sabotage if the test gets cancelled

Seems to be going ahead. I think it's just good old fashioned stupidity. They clearly weren't tested enough at primary level

[Schoolaskedustogo]

So it is still going ahead? I wonder what the reaction to the test today will be given that the reading test was so despaired. Poor year sixes. :(

[situatedknowledge]

I'm sure it was someone who doesn't think they ought to be happening. It is a pity really that it was only available to so few people for such a short time. It would have been good if all the children could have had a dry run in class with their teachers.

[ElectroStallion]

It was Pearson that fucked up the marking 15-20 years ago, wasn't it? Can't believe they're still allowed to be involved tbh.

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

It would have been good if all the children could have had a dry run in class with their teachers.

They do have lots of dry runs and practices. In fact in the lead up in lots of schools it sometimes feels they do nothing but.

[rollonthesummer]

Who owns Pearsons?

[CoolforKittyCats]

Who owns Pearsons?

It's a big multi national company.