Statutory guidance

Primary assessments: investigating maladministration allegations

Procedures and guidance for local authorities about investigating claims of cheating, malpractice or maladministration in the national curriculum assessments.

Documents

Details

This guidance is for local authorities and provides details about investigating maladministration in the national curriculum assessments, including the:

  • reception baseline assessment (RBA)
  • KS1 phonics screening check (PSC)
  • multiplication tables check (MTC)
  • KS2 tests and teacher assessment

The investigation procedures outline how the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) investigates allegations of maladministration and covers:

  • types of maladministration allegations
  • roles and responsibilities
  • investigation and decision making processes
  • potential investigation outcomes and further actions

The investigation visits guidance explains how local authorities carry out school visits as part of STA’s investigations into allegations of maladministration.

Updates to this page

Published 27 March 2018
Last updated 25 March 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated guidance for 2024.

  2. Updated for the 2023 test cycle

  3. Updated guidance for the current academic year. (The investigation visits guidance, remains unchanged and was last update May 2019)

  4. Added note to inform of the content user of the next update for the documents on this page.

  5. Updated for the 2019 test cycle.

  6. First published.

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