The spelling paper for the spelling, punctuation and grammar tests – known as SPAG – was accidentally published online by the Standards and Testing Agency. The spelling test is included in one of three tests that children take.
The error was discovered by a school taking part in a trial of the new national spelling test, which will be taken in May for the first time by six and seven-year-olds at the end of Year Two. The paper had been published online as one of the practice papers that can be used by teachers and children several months ago.
Teacher Charlotte Smiles, who spotted the mistake, told the BBC, ‘One of the children who was sitting the spelling test that we were giving them kept saying “I know this one, and this one”. He appeared to know what was coming next.
‘One of the teachers asked him if he had seen this test before and he answered in a bit of a coy way.
‘Because of the way this child was behaving, I went and checked on the DfE website and I found this exact test published as a sample paper. It's actually been there since January 26.’
The Government said that it was ‘a serious error’ and said that it was investigating.
The unions called on the Government to scrap the tests and consult with teachers urgently on a better way of assessing primary pupils.
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said there was ‘mismanagement’ around primary testing. ‘It is plain that primary assessment is in a mess, and that test results cannot be trusted to be a fair and accurate representation of children’s learning.’
She added that parents’ disquiet was growing and that an NUT survey showed overwhelming support for cancelling the primary assessments for 2016.
‘Ministers should look at the reality of the situation. They should set aside their ideological preferences and acknowledge that the system isn’t working. A decision to cancel the tests, and consult with teachers and researchers about a better curriculum, and a better assessment system for primary pupils, is an urgent necessity,’ she said.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) called the revelation ‘farcical’, and said, ‘The DfE’s chaotic reform of assessment in primary schools has been plagued by an unacceptable string of errors, miscommunications and delays.
‘Teachers have lost confidence in the department’s ability to oversee and run these assessments to an acceptable standard. How many more mistakes will the DfE make before they realise these assessments are not yet fit for purpose and their implementation is chaotic? Why should our children be put through these slapdash tests?
‘It is time for the DfE to scrap these reforms and work with the profession to design an assessment system that we all can have confidence and pride in.’
Russell Hobby, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, told the BBC, ‘As things stand, these tests can have little value because there is no way to know how many children will have already used this test for practice.’
Commenting on his Facebook page author Michael Rosen said, 'Never mind 'serious error'. The test is dead. It's now a non-test. An ex-test. A late test. Don't do it. It's invalid.'
The Government said the mistake was ‘deeply regrettable’ and asked that teachers did not share the test further.
The DfE has removed the sample paper from the website.
A DfE spokesperson said, ‘This is clearly a serious error and we have launched an immediate investigation to understand how it happened. The material has been removed from our website. Fortunately, this is a Key Stage 1 test which is provided to schools to support Teacher Assessment judgements. The data used to judge the performance of schools and the progress children are making at Key Stage 1 are teacher assessment judgements. The results of these tests are not collected. Nonetheless it is deeply regrettable that it has happened.
‘We ask that if anyone has seen the material, they do not share it further so that the test remains helpful for those teachers who have not yet used it with their pupils.’
Key Stage 1 Sats tests
Taken at the end of Year Two by all six and seven-year-olds in England
- English grammar, punctuation and spelling
- English reading
- Mathematics
