Sats results are halted after 'absent' pupils error

The scale of the Sats marking fiasco was laid bare today after ministers took the extraordinary step of halting the publication of key results.

Delays to marking meant nearly 170,000 grades were not ready in time to be included in the annual release of national results for 14-year-olds next week.

In fresh evidence of the confusion that hit this year's tests, officials said many pupils had been wrongly registered as "absent" for their Sats in English, maths and science because of a computer error.

One month after 1.2 million children were due to receive their grades, marking of papers was still going on across England.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said he would publish headline national results for secondary school Sats next week as planned. But figures for individual councils will be postponed because marking could not be completed in time, he said. Mr Balls said: "I continue to be deeply concerned that this work has not been completed and that not all results have been released to schools."

Government exam chiefs awarded private firm ETS Europe a £156 million five-year contract to run the tests. The company faces financial penalties of up to tens of millions of pounds for failing to deliver results on time.

Mr Balls has claimed responsibility for the marking disaster mainly rested with ETS and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

But shadow children's secretary Michael Gove blamed ministers. "This year's figures will be based on incomplete results because the Government failed to ensure that the Sats exam process ran smoothly and on time. Ministers have let down parents, pupils, heads and teachers and there's still no sign that they appreciate their direct responsibility for the fiasco."