Exam board Pearson has apologized after announcing that the SATs results for England will be delayed by more than a week due to "technical issues." The publication of the results was moved from Tuesday, July 7, to Thursday, July 16.
The delay has caused frustration among educators and parents. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) stated that "something has gone badly wrong" and called for "cast-iron assurances that the results schools receive are reliable." Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the delay as "deeply frustrating" for all involved and confirmed the government is working to resolve the situation.
Pearson has clarified that the delay will not affect the delivery of GCSE, A-level, and other qualification results. This is the first time Pearson has been responsible for delivering the Key Stage 2 tests, which are taken by Year 6 pupils in England, following a change in the contract managed by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA).
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, called the SATs delay "completely unacceptable" and "totally unfair" to schools, especially as it was announced at the last minute. He emphasized that schools are held to a high standard for test administration and that Pearson should be held to the same. Whiteman previously expressed concerns to the STA about the contract change but was assured everything was on track.
A spokesperson for Pearson offered an "unreserved" apology for the disruption and thanked markers affected by the technical problems. One marker, speaking anonymously, reported consistent pushes to internal deadlines and described working until 1 a.m. on some nights to keep up. Concerns were also raised about the accuracy of the marking process, with the marker recalling an instance where a previously marked question was reassigned a different mark by the system, raising questions about potential impacts on final results.
Pearson stated it has a plan to complete the remaining work, with teams operating "around the clock" to deliver the data, prioritizing the accuracy and completeness of every school and pupil's results. Whiteman added that such delays are not unprecedented and called for a thorough investigation to prevent future occurrences. He concluded that pupils, parents, and schools have been "badly let down" and questioned the purpose of the "outdated tests" given the recent "fiasco."