Last updated: 14 Jul 2008

Mr Chairman

I make it clear to this Committee, as I have to pupils, schools, parents and Ministers, that I apologise for the failure of our contractor to have key stage test results available on 8 July, and I share their frustration at this quite unacceptable outcome.

Lord Sutherland will establish the causes of this failure, which was foreshadowed by a number of problems in delivery. Among them:

• Problems with marker recruitment and retention
• Markers being given wrong information about the location and time of training
• Delay in getting papers to markers
• Unmarked scripts being returned to schools
• Data entry requirements impacting on rate of marking
• Inadequate call centre capacity
• Slow and unpredictable data feeds.

Let me assure you that we have responded immediately to every one of these signals, and have done everything possible operationally and within the terms of the contract to ensure that ETS would deliver the results to schools.

• Since the start of the test cycle in September last year, we have met weekly with ETS, and daily since 1 May, to review progress, identify risk, and address it – in systems, communications, marking, distribution and helpdesk.
• We have held ETS accountable for meeting the service levels under the contract, and have closely monitored their performance against them.
• We have escalated problems to the highest levels of ETS, including having their Vice-President brought to London.
• We have had up to seventy of our own staff co-located with ETS, providing technical support, developing communications for schools and markers, establishing emergency marking centres, supporting call centres, managing and recruiting for data entry centres, and supporting the management of scripts.

We have pushed to the absolute limit our capacity under the contract to advise, support and warn.

The current position is:

• KS2: The marking is 100% complete in all subjects. The results will be published on the website tomorrow to download and print. Data entry has been slower than marking: the volume of results entered as at midnight last night was English 94.4%, Maths 97.3% Science 97.3%.
• KS3: Maths and science are substantially complete. There is still some marking to be completed in English. The majority of results will be posted on Friday. Results for schools that do not receive English results on Friday will be posted as they become available.

I can assure the Committee that we are presently exploring all possible commercial and legal avenues to ensure that suitable action for this failure is taken.

We have a recovery plan in place, and we are attending to the urgent need to ensure that the system will deliver in 2009.

Ken Boston