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