Sats fiasco agency given bonuses

Sats fiasco agency given bonuses

Friday, 24, Oct 2008 12:00

Staff at the agency responsible for this summer's Sats fiasco are to be given bonuses of up to £4,000, it has been revealed.

Sats results were published so late that ETS, the American company responsible for the results, had its contract with the government terminated.

"Teachers, parents and children who had to wait months for discredited SATs results will be astonished that many of the people overseeing the fiasco are now being rewarded with bonuses," said shadow schools minister Nick Gibb.

"Throughout the whole affair the people in charge have failed to take responsibility, right up to Ed Balls [schools secretary] who still has not apologised for his department's failings."

The affair had such a shattering effect on the government's education policy that it contributed to Mr Balls cancelling of Sats tests for 14 year olds earlier this month.

"The timing of these bonuses is at the very least insensitive, even if they do supposedly relate to last year," said Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws.

"I will be writing to the secretary of state asking for an assurance that in the light of the this year's chaos, bonuses will not be paid for the 2008 tests."