Results cancelled after teacher cheats

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DOZENS of children have had their SATs results cancelled after a teacher at a Bromsgrove school was found to be giving pupils the answers during tests.

It is believed about 25 Maths and 11 English results taken by pupils at Parkside Middle School have been affected.

The Stourbridge Road school held a meeting to inform parents last Wednesday (October 17).

A source told the Standard they feared the whole thing was going to be hushed up.

"Parents and children have been in floods of tears. She (the teacher involved) is continuing her role and I don't think it's right. It's amazing," they said.

"The children's education should come first."

As some of the pupils have now moved on to more advanced education in Year 7 it is not clear whether or not there will be an opportunity for them to retake the tests.

A spokesman for the Standards and Testing Agency said: "We investigated the Key Stage 2 tests administered at Parkside Middle School this summer in response to an anomaly raised by markers.

"The school has accepted our recommendation that the results for a small number of English reading tests and maths tests should be annulled.

"We have provided them with further guidance on the future administration of KS2 tests to prevent this happening again."

Headteacher Neil Mills said he had been legally advised not to comment on the matter.

Chair of governors Simon Harris said the school had co-operated fully with the Standards and Testing Agency and he assured parents it was an isolated incident.

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said they could not confirm whether or not any disciplinary action had been taken against the teacher or if measures were being put in place to reassess those pupils affected.

He added the matter was still part of an 'on-going process'.

John Edwards, the council's head of learning and achievement, said: "We are satisfied with the findings from the standards testing authority investigation and appreciate the full co-operation of the school.

"The local authority has been available to support with facilitating the investigation, however it is now a matter for the governing body to proceed."

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