SATS cheating - by the Head!

[Dilemmaramma]

In my DC’s final SATS exam yesterday, the headteacher was overseeing and they picked up DC’s paper, DURING the exam, flicked through it, then rubbed out one of the answers and told DC to try again. They also pointed out another wrong answer and indicated DC should re-do that question.

This is clear cut cheating, right?

YABU - don’t report it, the whole year group could get their SATS voided and they’ll be devastated
YANBU - this is appalling and the Head needs to be investigated

Just in general, I hate the idea that a person reporting wrongdoing is responsible for the consequences that then occur for the person who was responsible for the wrongdoing in the first place.
If OP chooses to report this, any consequences are the fault of the head.

Common sense and LA/ union guidance defines this further. This is LA guidance.

Any staff member administering tests on their own is left vulnerable to being accused of actions that may compromise the integrity of the tests:
• All staff to be in at least pairs wherever possible
• Consider accessing and utilising staff from across the school and include governors as part of invigilation, following training
• Consider a timetable variation if required, where the Y6 cohort can be split into smaller groups
• Use of school hall and larger space (whole school timetable can be reshaped for 4 days!)

If maladministration is under investigation by STA, a person invidulating or supporting alone is so vulnerable. We always explain this during monitoring. Schools are taking a risk of maladministration being upheld ( no other proof) on behalf of their staff if they are alone.

I wouid check with parents of other chikdren to be 100% sure. Children often make things up and then get carried away.

if you believe that it did happen then go to the Chair of Governors not the Head.

They were v stupid to do this.
They will deny it if you approach them.
You will then be in the same dilemma.
The results of the whole year group may be withdrawn.
The school will sack the HT.
There will be a big investigation.
It basically won't be pretty.

If you are OK with this then fine. If not drop it. Once you open your mouth it will be out of your control.

Test guidance.

The recommendation for having at least two test administrators in each test room during Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATs is outlined in the official guidance provided by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA). This measure ensures that headteachers can have confidence in the integrity of test administration.GOV.UK+3GOV.UK+3Schools Week+3
Specifically, the guidance states:

“STA recommends having at least 2 test administrators in each test room, so the headteacher can have confidence in the integrity of test administration.”

This recommendation is part of a broader set of guidelines aimed at maintaining the security and proper conduct of the tests. The presence of multiple administrators helps ensure that any issues can be promptly addressed and that test conditions are consistently upheld.

Full guidance here:GOV.UK
👉 Key stage 2 test administration guidance - GOV.UK
This document provides detailed instructions and is essential for headteachers and staff involved in the administration of KS2 assessments.

Honestly, I think you need to stop being so dramatic.
You haven't "been put" in any position. It's really just not that deep.

Chat to your child, explain it wasn't right but just let it go.
We all know it happens, we all know it isn't right but it's down to the ridiculous education system we have and the pressure schools are under.

I think really you are enjoying the drama and the sense of power you feel you have.

Cheating in GCSES which affect children's life chances I could understand someone taking this seriously but SATS, no, just let it go and move on.

The head teacher at my childs junior school got sacked for tinkering with the sats results. Not sure how she did it but it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. I was oblivious TIL it was in the local paper.

but in terms of motivation, is it not so patents are drawn to the school as it will advertise the results. Child’s primary school is in the catchment for the selective grammar and good sats may indicate good 11 plus results.

I wonder if it’s the same junior school/head teacher that I mentioned at my kids junior school.

May be was used because at the moment we have a ten year olds version of what’s happened.

It's very tricky. As an ex-primary HT and now a Chair of Governors I’ve been thinking about this overnight.

There's no doubt this was out-and-out cheating. The administration guidance for SATs says specifically that adults must not indicate in any way whether a child's answer is correct or not. Whether or not one approves of SATs is neither here nor there; primary schools are judged on them and it is infuriating for other local schools if one cheats and thus gains an advantage over them in parents' eyes by dishonestly making themselves out to be better than they are. (Quite apart from the implications for the child in their secondary school and the disgraceful action of a headteacher teaching a child that cheating in an exam is acceptable.)

I do have some sympathy for a headteacher in that position, perhaps under enormous pressure. I can absolutely understand it if they smile at a child when they see a correct answer, for instance - but actually rubbing out a wrong answer is another level of cheating. It is highly unlikely that your child is the only one the HT has ever "helped" in this way, and if not stopped they will probably continue to cheat in the future.

You are brave to have decided to talk to the HT - but what if they just deny it, and say your child misunderstood, was just given the rubber in case they needed it, etc., which is what they will probably say?

One option could be for you to phone the SATs Maladministration Helpline 03003033013, where there is nothing to stop you speaking anonymously if you wanted to. It is unlikely that there would be severe consequences for the HT as there would be no concrete proof, but the ensuing events might give the HT enough of a shock for them to never do it again. Good luck - whatever you decide to do, I’d be very interested to hear about it!

Oh I didn't know there was a phone number. I shall call that about what my daughter saw.

I don't care how much pressure someone is under, we have to draw the line at cheating (and indeed at putting so much pressure on children that it harms their wellbeing)

I expect if the helpline gets several reports about the same school/head then that's when they act on it.

It's why we all need to report cheating.

Otherwise the cheats get away with it and the honest teachers lose out

Hmmm. It seems unlikely that the child could misunderstand the adult taking their exam paper and rubbing something out. Even pointing at an incorrect answer and frowning is forbidden.

It says they investigate all reports.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-maladministration-at-key-stage-1-and-key-stage-2

Please keep us updated.
I do think that you have to report it. As your child matures, their understanding of this will deepen and how you dealt with it will be important.
It will have repercussions but we do have to show our children that we should do the 'right' thing.
Having SATS results for the year nullified should not actually affect your child's education as secondary schools generally move children between 'sets' by the first half term.

As I said in another comment, the crucial word here is recommendation. Given the experience and qualifications you claim to have, I'm sure you are perfectly capable of understanding the difference between a recommendation and a rule.

I would be absolutely furious if a teacher taught my child that cheating is OK, and basically forced them in to doing it! Appalling.

I don't know what I'd do but I would want to take it further.

I'd be discussing it with my child too, about why it's wrong and what they could do it it happened again (for example, just re-write the original answer again).

In the event that someone's life is ruined it would be totally self inflicted.

I sympathise with a school in the position of yours, and agree that SATs results can often be misleading about how good a school is. But nothing you have said makes what @DownToBusiness said incorrect, or justifies a headteacher cheating.

That is shocking. Maybe I should have said that I am certain this wouldn’t happen at my school. I am aware that SATS have been heavily staffed with several people in the room. There would be too many witnesses if somebody tried this!

These children are 10 and 11! A moment like this can make the difference between a child achieving standard in a largely unimportant test, progress 8 is only one measure (which the children have worked so hard for) or not. Many children with neuro divergence and anxiety struggle during these tests and can make stupid errors that they wouldn’t normally make. I’ve seen children who deserve an expected standard totally fail and be utterly distraught. I know what I’d rather see. Attack the system not the people trying their best to ensure your children get the result they deserve.

Ok, I prefer, as did my staff and as do the headteachers I support now, to protect others and not put them in a situation that can be career ending.

To be under investigation by STA, either as a headteacher or staff member is so stressful.
Some of the investigations I've carried out on behalf of STA, have been maliciously made by parents. Having two people in each room has helped with the investigation as there is another person to evidence what happened.

Yes, it’s only a recommendation.

But I can only think of one reason why a school would actively choose to have only one adult in the room.

Shortage of adults is unlikely to be a convincing reason. Most primary schools use TAs from other classes, admin staff, school governors, vetted parent volunteers with children in different classes, etc. to be the extra pair of eyes in a room, so everyone can be reassured that everything was done correctly.

Absolutely.

Honestly a few marks would be incredibly unlikely to change the result meaningfully and you would make yourself deeply unpopular locally. I imagine that even if upheld he would only get a rap on the knuckles.
Not sure I’d draw it on myself particularly if I had other kids in the school.