SATs chaos as appeal requests are set to double

EXAM chiefs are braced for a massive surge in appeals from schools furious over their SATs results.

Months after 1.2 million pupils took their exams, thousands of grades were still missing and some papers had not even been marked. The chaos is expected to see double the number of requests for remarks this year as confidence in the system evaporates.

New board minutes from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority reveal costs are mounting as a result of the fiasco. And plans for next year's tests for 11-year-olds are already running into trouble.

The QCA was responsible for managing the tests for 11 and 14-year-olds in English, maths and science this year.

The agency hired US-based firm ETS to run and mark the tests in schools.

But a string of computer blunders and administrative failures delayed results for children across England and the £156 million contract between the QCA and ETS was torn up. Officials insist that the quality of the marking has not been affected, even though there were widespread reports of markers quitting.

However, headteachers claim the marking is the worst they can remember, with bright pupils being given the wrong grades and less academic candidates scoring top marks.

The QCA minutes predicted "twice the demand over previous years for reviews" of marking. Last month, Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced he was abolishing SATs for 14-year-olds.

However, he stressed that compulsory tests for pupils at the end of primary school would continue. A new system could replace SATs from 2010.

The QCA is searching for a company to run the tests for 11-year-olds for one year only in 2009. But the meeting was warned that the "uncertainty over the future" for SATs could make it more difficult to find a new marking firm.