SATs marking is delayed for a week amid ‘chaos’ as technical glitches see teachers unable to access online assessment portal – with some now having to work over half term break
- Markers say the issues began when they were unable to access online training
The marking of SATs papers has descended into ‘chaos’ after being delayed for a week due to technical glitches.
Markers say the issues began when they were unable to access online training sessions for several hours over the weekend of May 13 and 14.
Some were then left waiting three weeks to receive passwords for the online portal due to bungling by outsourcer Capita.
Marking had been due to start on Monday May 15 and end on Sunday June 4, but the window has now been moved back seven days.
Teachers have complained the delays will force them to mark papers over the half term – despite being paid ‘peanuts’ for the work.
Marking for SATs had been due to start on Monday May 15 and end on Sunday June 4, but the window has now been moved back a week
One marker wrote on social media: ‘They don’t seem to know what they’re doing – it’s ridiculous from the start.’
A second added: ‘I will need to do 9 hours marking each day to get the marking done – on top of working. It’s not possible.’
READ MORE – Can you answer the SATs test questions that left pupils ‘in tears’?
It comes a year after Capita was accused of losing and mismarking countless exam papers, leaving children unable to access their results.
The company delivered SATs for the Department for Education for the first time last year after being given a six-year £107million contract in 2018.
Pupils had not sat the exams since 2019 because of Covid.
Tiffnie Harris, from the the Association of School and College Leaders, told Tes she was ‘disappointed and concerned’ that the SATs marking process had been hit by problems for a second year in succession.
One marker referred to ‘chaos on a mammoth scale reminiscent of last year’.
Capita has insisted the results will be handed to pupils as scheduled on July 11 regardless of the delays to marking.
MailOnline contacted the Department for Education, which referred the enquiry to Capita.
The company has been contacted for comment.
Teachers have complained the delays will force them to mark papers over the half term – despite being paid ‘peanuts’ for the work. Pictured: School’s minister Nick Gibb
Earlier this month the Government vowed to examine a SATs exam after parents complained it was too hard.
Schools minister Nick Gibb has pledged to ‘look at’ the Year 6 reading paper amid claims it reduced some pupils to tears.
Hundreds of parents and teachers complained that last Wednesday’s exam for ten and 11-year-olds was too difficult. Schools said it was so tricky that even staff failed ‘to understand the questions’.
And that the English reading test included ‘GCSE-level’ questions, with even high-ability pupils unable to finish the paper.
Mr Gibb said the tests shouldn’t be ‘too hard for children’ and promised to inspect the paper.
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