Last updated: 15 Aug 2008

QCA and ETS Europe have agreed to dissolve their five-year contract for national curriculum tests operations with immediate effect. This follows the late delivery of national curriculum test results this summer.
 
The agreement to end the contract early has been made by both parties and there will be no payments made by QCA to ETS Europe for any future years of the contract.  Financial details of the termination mean that ETS Europe will make a payment to QCA of £19.5 million, along with the cancellation of other invoices and charges of approximately £4.6 million.
 
Ken Boston, Chief Executive, QCA, said:
 
"ETS Europe was selected due to the strength of their worldwide experience in delivering large scale assessments. It is disappointing that the issues with this year's national curriculum test results have meant that the partnership between QCA and ETS Europe must end early.
 
Zoubir Yazid, Managing Director, ETS Global BV, said:
 
"ETS Europe has apologised to schools for the delays in marking national curriculum assessments in England. As a subsidiary of a global, non-profit company, we are dedicated to assuring quality and equity for all pupils, and we are sorry that the results this summer were delayed for some schools. However, we would argue that the quality of the marking is high, due to the stringent new checks that we introduced this year."
 
ETS Europe will continue to work to conclude this year's national curriculum test operations. They will continue to publish any outstanding results to ensure that all schools have a complete set of results and to ensure that any scripts held are returned as quickly as possible to schools. 
 
Further information about the arrangements for 2009 national curriculum tests will be made available to schools in the autumn.
 
As has previously been announced the review process for the 2008 national curriculum tests will be led by the National Assessment Agency

Notes to Editors

1. The original contract was announced on the 1st February 2007 between the National Assessment Agency and ETS Global BV for 5 years between 2008 – 2012 for a contract value of £156 million.

2. ABOUT ETS AND ETS GLOBAL SUBSIDIARIES - ETS is a non-profit organisation with the mission to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. Founded in 1947, ETS designs, develops, delivers and scores more than 50 million tests annually in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

ETS and its related ETS Global subsidiaries have offices around the world to meet the needs of non–U.S.-based entities in Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. In serving individuals, businesses, educational institutions, government agencies and membership organisations worldwide, ETS offers valid and reliable assessments, research and related services such as customised solutions, workforce products and services, and research-based teaching and learning tools.

3. For further media information please contact:

QCA
Press office, 020 7509 6789 or, out of office hours, 07798 924552

ETS Europe
Press office, 01923 438390 or 07894 484122