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

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;

There's absolutely no way you'll get any of that as it would effectively be an admission of guilt.

Just let it go.
It's ridiculous.
It will make the difference of one or two marks at most.

Yes, I have reflected and realise this now. I could take that part out and simply state that I will not be taking this further as that would risk the whole year group having their tests voided, which would be grossly unfair as the children have done nothing wrong.

But maybe it’s pointless sending the letter at all, in that case.

i drafted it to get my thoughts in order. Everyone’s comments re the head not being able to respond are fair.

Conversely, the fact that it may only be one or two marks but the HT still felt the need to cheat shows how serious it is.

I have worked at four schools. None of those schools have used any of these 'resources' except for the school's own governors, if they aren't at work in those days, which they often are.

Then why did the head do it?! ridiculous to set such a bad example to children for the sake of one or two marks. And it says something damning about their character that means I would not want them to have such a responsible position.

You do know that in a school with 96 children taking the test, that would be a totally unnecessary logistical nightmare, don't you?

We definitely had staggered testing. Dd was in the last group (all those with SEN or just non academic - DD is bright but with severe dyslexia) and they were given "revision " sessions whilst the other children were already in their SATS. The head was moving between the two groups.

I'm sorry, I genuinely don't understand your first sentence.

I can see the point that he won’t be able to admit his guilt, but I still think sending the rest of your letter without the requests at the end for a written response to various points is preferable to doing nothing. Even if you get no response at all, he'll know you know and it might make him less likely to cheat in the future.

It’s disgraceful and I don’t agree with it but it’s not like it’s GCSEs (which most employers aren’t interested in anyway either)

Wow!

For the third or fourth time on this thread, I'm afraid I'm going to have to correct this misconception. It is a recommendation that there is more than one adult per room. It is not a rule.

I'm not disputing that staggered testing exists. I'm disputing that it is ubiquitous.

That would be my current preferred course of action, I think. I’ll never know whether he took any of it on board but at least I won’t have done nothing/turned a blind eye to something that I am appalled by. Although some would say not reporting is basically turning a blind eye, I just don’t feel able to.

And I'm now correcting this for the fifth time!

The guidance recommends that there is more than one adult per room; it does not necessitate it.

No school I've ever worked at (four schools) has ever had more than one adult to a room- not because anyone was cheating, but because we just couldn't lay our hands on enough adults to do this.

No. Presumably the majority don’t need special arrangements so can take the tests in a big group. Then they could have e.g. extended playtime or watch a film while nearly all the adults supervise the second batch of groups. Other schools manage. I’ve done it easily (after careful planning) with over 70 children, using a number of governors and some school admin staff. (Also, not all but many children with 1:1 TA support can manage without their TA for an hour or so, as they would if the TA was off sick.)

I think you are putting way too much weight on SATS, my son is in year 7 and yes they used SATS g for the initial sets, but since then they have had 2 assesment weeks where kids in the wrong sets have moved and have another in a couple of weeks to ensure they go into the correct sets for year 8. I don't see the importance of them being used to predict GCSE's it's a prediction it doesn't impact anything surely. SATS are for the schools benefit and no one else

School governor here.

The primary I support has a lot of additional need; lots of movement of pupils and they tend to perform poorly in SATs in terms of national averages.

They adhere to the guidelines to the letter. Governors are invited/asked to attend as additional adults during SATs week. Despite the apparent low scores, we know the quality of education is good from multiple other means. Recently got a strong ‘good’ Ofsted rating.

It superficially benefits the school and not the child, but there is zero need to be doing this from a HT perspective, even accounting for there being a lot of (perceived) pressure.

You don’t need to over-egg it OP. This is a 3 liner email not war and peace. “Child came home, described to me X teacher did this.”
Full stop.

I’m vice chair and if I received that would take it very seriously because the facts are there is no need. I also do the HT performance review and pay recommendations. Governors awarding (or or not) pay reviews on SAT results alone should not be governors. There are multiple ways of measuring progress, understanding school demographics/dynamics, plus all the other competencies of being a HT that contribute to a school providing good quality of education.

Ludicrous quibbling on your part, but okay - a recommendation which no one is insane enough to ignore because they would be risking their entire career. 🙄

Thanks for your reply. When you say a 3 line email - to who? The Governors? Would the Governors be obliged to report it to STA?

Other schools manage. I’ve done it easily (after careful planning) with over 70 children, using a number of governors and some school admin staff.

Okay, good for you and the other schools! None of the heads at the four schools I've taught at have considered this necessary, and I don't blame them.

Regarding taking the tests in 'a big group'- classrooms can usually only fit 15 or 16 children if they are adequately spaced.

We have occasionally used governors, but most of them have jobs, and are not willing to take four consecutive mornings off work.

To go back to my original point, it just isn't true that the ONLY reason a school would have one adult per room is because they are planning to cheat. Most of us are sensible enough to realise that the kids would dob us in!

Why have you included a screenshot of something which proves me right and you wrong?! I already knew what it said in the document! Hence why I was correct!

And it's really not 'ludicrous quibbling' to point out that there is a difference in meaning between the word 'recommendation' and the word 'rule' when it is entirely relevant in the context.

All I can say is, all four of the Heads I have worked for (most of them sane...) have ignored the recommendation in question, because we cannot lay our hands on enough adults to do this. This SATs week just gone, we used 12 adults (plus the Deputy Head who did random 'drop-ins' on each room throughout the duration of each test), and three of them were unpaid volunteers. There is just no way we could have got hold of another 12 adults.

Can I ask you to list all the good things the school/head has done in the years your DD has been there? All that she has gained from the school.
This is one small thing that your DD has said (and you only have her word for it) in the context of years of education.
It is not ideal ... if we assume it actually happened ... but it is one small thing.
SATs are totally unimportant ... it is not an external exam, where it would be cause for concern.
I sincerely hope that you are not discussing this in front of your child and blowingnitnup in.het mind.
I think you should chill and see it in perspective. God knows schools are put under enough stress as it is ... stress that gets passed on to the children. Do you want to jeopardise this head's career? How does this help anyone?

Dd school is a three form school (over 90 children )and this is exactly what they do.

The children go in four separate sessions. Most able first. Those least able /with Learning difficulties etc go last and spend the entire morning getting more "coaching" /"revision" before they go in.