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Inquiry into National Curriculum Tests 2008: Call for evidence

Inquiry into National Curriculum Tests 2008: Call for evidence

NEWS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE News Release (News Release ref : SLH/08) issued by The Government News Network on 11 August 2008

Issued by the News Distribution Service on behalf of the Sutherland Inquiry

Stewart Sutherland (Lord Sutherland of Houndwood), has today launched a call for written evidence, to inform his independent inquiry into the delivery of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 National Curriculum tests this year.

The call for written evidence, and details on how interested parties can submit evidence to the Sutherland Inquiry, can be found on the inquiry's website http://www.independent.gov.uk/sutherlandinquiry

The deadline for the submission of written evidence is Friday 12 September 2008.

Stewart Sutherland's call for evidence says:

"I am today launching a call for written evidence to inform my independent inquiry into the problems that have arisen in the delivery of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 National Curriculum tests in 2008.

"I will report this autumn to the regulator, Ofqual, and to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on matters within their respective remits."

More information on the scope on the inquiry is detailed below.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. On 7 July 2007, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofqual, announced that Stewart Sutherland (Lord Sutherland of Houndwood) had agreed to report to them separately on the delivery of National Curriculum tests in 2008.

2. On 14 July, Ed Balls and the Chair of Ofqual, Kathleen Tattersall, announced terms of reference for the inquiry. The terms of reference can be found at http://www.independent.gov.uk/sutherlandinquiry

3. A biography of Stewart Sutherland can be found at http://www.independent.gov.uk/sutherlandinquiry

4. It is anticipated that the inquiry will report in Autumn 2008.

5. The process for submitting evidence is set out on the inquiry's website http://www.independent.gov.uk/sutherlandinquiry

Scope of the Inquiry:

1) How the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has discharged its remit from DCSF to deliver National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 in 2008, and specifically:

a. how QCA has delivered against its formal success measures in relation to Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 tests in 2008;

b. the appropriateness of governance and organisational arrangements within QCA; and

c. the appropriateness of the DCSF's arrangements to monitor QCA's delivery against its remit.

2) The appropriateness of arrangements put in place by QCA to procure the contract for delivery of National Curriculum tests, and the subsequent management of that contract by QCA, and specifically:

a. the procurement process from the development of the initial tender specification to the award of the contract;

b. the suitability of the contract to allow delivery of QCA's remit;

c. the arrangements for the contractor, ETS Europe (ETS), to report to QCA;

d. the arrangements for ETS to report risks to QCA;

e. the effectiveness of QCA's arrangements to manage the ETS contract and the delivery of National Curriculum tests in 2008; and

f. the functioning of IT systems and programmes to manage and deliver the National Curriculum tests and to ensure delivery of data between the contractor, ETS, QCA, DCSF, and schools.

3) The delivery of the tests in 2008 by the National Assessment Agency (NAA), and ETS:

a. the nature and extent of the failures;

b. risk identification, management and contingency planning by ETS and NAA;

c. quality and use of management information provided by ETS to NAA, and NAA to Ofqual;

d. administration of the marking process, including the training and management of markers;

e. communication with schools by ETS and NAA; and

f. the effectiveness of regulation of National Curriculum tests by QCA (as regulator) and subsequently Ofqual.

Issued by Suzanne Halls at COI on behalf of the Sutherland Inquiry

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