Have drafted a letter, at this stage just to help get it out of my head. I don’t know yet if I’ll send it. DH has pointed out the ‘casting a shadow’ paragraph is laying it on a bit thick, so if this does get sent, will edit that part!
I’m sure this will trigger the ‘shrug it off’ PPs, but interested in any constructive feedback re. whether this could do the job of getting the head to seriously reconsider their conduct in future…
“I am writing to formally raise a serious concern about an incident during my daughter’s recent SATs exams which I believe constitutes clear misconduct and a breach of national test administration rules.
My child reported that, during the test, you personally intervened by picking up her paper, rubbed out one of her answers, and told her to try again. You also drew her attention to another incorrect response, encouraging her to amend it, while the exam was still in progress.
Whatever the intention, this constitutes a clear breach of national test guidelines. The statutory guidance around permissible support is explicit: adults must not indicate whether an answer is right or wrong, and may not guide or prompt pupils towards correct responses. What took place is, by any fair reading, a case of inappropriate assistance.
While I recognise that schools are under enormous pressure to demonstrate progress and deliver strong results, such pressures cannot justify actions that amount to cheating. I am extremely concerned by what this models to the children. If a child were to receive help from a peer during an exam, they would rightly face consequences. When a figure of moral and academic authority appears to break the rules, it risks teaching young people that cheating is acceptable. This is damaging and confusing, especially at an age when children are developing a strong sense of fairness and integrity. It risks normalising cheating, diminishing trust, and confusing their understanding of right and wrong.
This incident has cast a shadow over the final weeks of my daughter’s primary school experience. What should have been a proud moment — the culmination of her own hard work — is now clouded by doubt. She will be left questioning the authenticity of her results, and the experience has been embarrassing and upsetting, particularly given that it took place in full view of her peers. The emotional impact of this cannot be underestimated.
The wider implications are just as troubling. This kind of interference doesn’t just affect individual test outcomes—it can follow children for years. Inflated results lead to inflated secondary targets, which can result in students constantly falling short of unrealistic benchmarks. If children are assigned artificially high GCSE targets based on inflated SATs results, they may struggle unnecessarily, lose confidence, and spend years under the shadow of unrealistic expectations. Secondary teachers, in turn, are unfairly judged for failing to meet targets that were never reflective of genuine ability in the first place.
I also note that this kind of incident rarely occurs in isolation. If this has happened to my child, it is highly likely it has happened to others.
I recognise the intense pressure primary schools face, particularly around performance metrics. I want to be clear that I have no desire to see careers harmed or individuals publicly criticised. I appreciate how hard staff work to give our children the best education possible. However, I do feel that this situation demands accountability and reassurance.
I would like to know what steps you will take to ensure that assessment protocols are upheld in future and that the integrity of school-led testing remains beyond reproach.
Specifically, I would appreciate:
A response acknowledging the seriousness of this incident;
An outline of what steps the school will take to ensure full compliance with national test protocols in future;
A reassurance that this will not be repeated;
Any reflections you can offer on how the school will rebuild trust with this cohort of pupils and parents.
I hope you understand that I write this with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of the school community, the integrity of the education system, and the moral development of our children.
I would welcome a written response and am available for a meeting if you consider it helpful.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.”