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| 'Rogue marker leaked' primary test paper | 'Rogue marker leaked' primary test paper |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A "rogue marker" attempted to leak a test taken on Tuesday by children aged 10 and 11 in England, the Department for Education has said. | |
| The Sats answers appeared for four hours on Monday on a password-protected website for test markers. | The Sats answers appeared for four hours on Monday on a password-protected website for test markers. |
| It blamed an "active campaign by those people opposed to our reforms to undermine these tests". | |
| But the test did not appear to have leaked into the public domain, Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the Commons. | But the test did not appear to have leaked into the public domain, Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the Commons. |
| The test was valid and had gone ahead as planned, Mr Gibb said in response to an urgent question on the matter. | The test was valid and had gone ahead as planned, Mr Gibb said in response to an urgent question on the matter. |
| He said the grammar, punctuation and spelling (SPAG) test had been "mistakenly uploaded" onto a secure website and an individual with access to the site then leaked the test to the media. | He said the grammar, punctuation and spelling (SPAG) test had been "mistakenly uploaded" onto a secure website and an individual with access to the site then leaked the test to the media. |
| Mr Gibb said it was a "serious breach" but that "teachers and parents should have confidence in the test." | Mr Gibb said it was a "serious breach" but that "teachers and parents should have confidence in the test." |
| But Shadow Schools Minister Nic Dakin, who posed the urgent question, said the matter was "just the latest in a sorry line of chaos in primary assessment". | But Shadow Schools Minister Nic Dakin, who posed the urgent question, said the matter was "just the latest in a sorry line of chaos in primary assessment". |
| The SPAG test was taken by 600,000 children in their final year of state primary school in England on Tuesday morning. | The SPAG test was taken by 600,000 children in their final year of state primary school in England on Tuesday morning. |
| It is the second time in three weeks a primary school exam has been published. | It is the second time in three weeks a primary school exam has been published. |
| Test supplier Pearson apologised for the error which it said it was investigating. | Test supplier Pearson apologised for the error which it said it was investigating. |
| In a statement it said: "A small number of markers accessed the paper, although as contracted markers they are bound by confidentiality and have a duty not to share any papers. | In a statement it said: "A small number of markers accessed the paper, although as contracted markers they are bound by confidentiality and have a duty not to share any papers. |
| "We do not have any evidence that the content of the paper has been compromised and it is important that the test should go ahead, not least as it follows so much hard work by teachers and pupils." | "We do not have any evidence that the content of the paper has been compromised and it is important that the test should go ahead, not least as it follows so much hard work by teachers and pupils." |
| Primary Sats tests in England explained | Primary Sats tests in England explained |
| The debacle follows a government climbdown last week on plans to force all schools to become academies. | The debacle follows a government climbdown last week on plans to force all schools to become academies. |
| Labour's shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said the leak was a further "body blow to parent and teacher confidence" in how the primary testing system was being run. | Labour's shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said the leak was a further "body blow to parent and teacher confidence" in how the primary testing system was being run. |
| The DfE source said: "While the test doesn't appear to have leaked into the public domain and can go ahead, a rogue marker did attempt to leak the test's contents." | The DfE source said: "While the test doesn't appear to have leaked into the public domain and can go ahead, a rogue marker did attempt to leak the test's contents." |
| The education department said the test had not been compromised and the results would still stand. | The education department said the test had not been compromised and the results would still stand. |
| They say about 90 people could have had access when it had been published and that it had not been put into the public domain. | They say about 90 people could have had access when it had been published and that it had not been put into the public domain. |
| "We are aware that Pearson, the external marking supplier responsible for Key stage 2 tests, published the key stage 2 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test on its secure marker site for a short period of time," said a Department for Education spokeswoman. | "We are aware that Pearson, the external marking supplier responsible for Key stage 2 tests, published the key stage 2 Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test on its secure marker site for a short period of time," said a Department for Education spokeswoman. |
| Teachers' union the NUT said they were "the wrong tests at the wrong time" and should be scrapped this year. | Teachers' union the NUT said they were "the wrong tests at the wrong time" and should be scrapped this year. |
| A DfE spokesman said: "The site can only be accessed by Pearson's approved markers, all of whom are under secure contract. | A DfE spokesman said: "The site can only be accessed by Pearson's approved markers, all of whom are under secure contract. |
| "Any distribution of materials constitutes a clear breach of that contract." | "Any distribution of materials constitutes a clear breach of that contract." |
| The government was forced to scrap a test for half a million children aged six and seven after it emerged that it had been posted with practice materials three months early. | The government was forced to scrap a test for half a million children aged six and seven after it emerged that it had been posted with practice materials three months early. |
| 'Lax attitude' | 'Lax attitude' |
| Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, told BBC Radio 4's Today the tests should be scrapped for this year. | Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, told BBC Radio 4's Today the tests should be scrapped for this year. |
| "The fact is they are very high stakes. They are the wrong tests at the wrong time and now they are compromised. | "The fact is they are very high stakes. They are the wrong tests at the wrong time and now they are compromised. |
| "We didn't like the tests in the first place, but the fact is the tests are compromised and it just adds to the general sense of chaos, about not just the curriculum but in particular about assessment this year." | "We didn't like the tests in the first place, but the fact is the tests are compromised and it just adds to the general sense of chaos, about not just the curriculum but in particular about assessment this year." |
| Labour's Lucy Powell called for an emergency review. | Labour's Lucy Powell called for an emergency review. |
| She said the problems "call into question the ability of ministers in the department to properly manage our education system", as well as undermining parent and teacher confidence. | She said the problems "call into question the ability of ministers in the department to properly manage our education system", as well as undermining parent and teacher confidence. |
| "Their lax attitude to delivering these assessments on time and in a proper fashion means that the work of thousands of children, parents and teachers could be for nothing," she said. | "Their lax attitude to delivering these assessments on time and in a proper fashion means that the work of thousands of children, parents and teachers could be for nothing," she said. |
| The new tests have been drawn up to assess children's grasp of the recently introduced primary school national curriculum, which is widely considered to be harder than the previous one. | The new tests have been drawn up to assess children's grasp of the recently introduced primary school national curriculum, which is widely considered to be harder than the previous one. |
| The more challenging tests have been controversial - with parents claiming they make children stressed and anxious. | The more challenging tests have been controversial - with parents claiming they make children stressed and anxious. |
| Almost 50,000 parents have signed a petition calling for a boycott of primary school tests and some kept their children off school on 3 May in protest. | Almost 50,000 parents have signed a petition calling for a boycott of primary school tests and some kept their children off school on 3 May in protest. |
| The government has said it is determined to raise standards, and the tests reflected the "more rigorous curriculum", but the tests should not cause pupils stress. | The government has said it is determined to raise standards, and the tests reflected the "more rigorous curriculum", but the tests should not cause pupils stress. |
| Are you a parent who has a child taking Sats? How is your child coping with the tests? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you a parent who has a child taking Sats? How is your child coping with the tests? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |