Test cheating claims soar

Officials have defended teachers' integrity

Allegations of cheating in national tests in England soared this year - from 270 cases to 479 - but the number of results that were ultimately quashed fell - from 11 to just seven instances.

We trust in the integrity and professionalism of teachers and head teachers

Department for Education

The figures cover the tests taken by children aged seven, 11 and 14.

The exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), published them in response to a Guardian newspaper investigation which claimed cheating was widespread.

The QCA - which also sets the tests - said the rise in the number of cheating claims followed "a concerted effort to raise awareness of the need to report every case".

Not their own work

It said it worked very closely with local education authority inspectors who carried out thorough checks throughout the test process.

Investigations of malpractice could involve a review of scripts from a school, interviews with teachers, talking to children and drawing on advice from experts in the field - depending upon the nature of the allegations.

"A decision to annul the results of the school is only taken where we cannot guarantee that work is the unaided and independent work of the pupils.

"QCA has full confidence in the professionalism of teachers."

'Good name'

The number of "annulments" was less than 0.02% of schools involved in the test, it said.

The shadow education secretary, Damian Green, said: "These are shocking allegations. Saying that teachers are systematically cheating in exams is as serious as it can be for confidence in our school system.

"If there is evidence that this is widespread, it must be dealt with immediately.

"If there is no evidence, then the government needs to be able to defend the good name of teachers."

The Department for Education and Skills said the government was "absolutely committed to maintaining the integrity and security of the national curriculum Key Stage tests" and took any alleged malpractice very seriously.

Previous claims

"The extremely small number of isolated incidents every year are investigated thoroughly, but it is clear there is absolutely no evidence of widespread cheating," a spokesperson said.

"We trust in the integrity and professionalism of teachers and head teachers to administer the tests correctly."

Similar allegations surfaced in June after this year's tests had been taken.

BBC News Online heard from a supply teacher who had witnessed cheating in two different schools.

Another full-time teacher said her school had been cheating in the tests for seven year olds - but then lost her nerve after talking to her union and decided not to report the matter to the QCA.

'Chartered examiners'

The Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis said: "Our education system relies far too heavily on external testing, giving rise to suspicion and anxiety about performance and league table position.

"A system of 'chartered examiners' should be instigated. Schools could promote a teacher to be trained professionally for administering exams.

"They would be the examination authority in their school, providing quality control, and would be paid appropriately.

"Focusing on internal assessment authorised by their 'chartered examiner' would allow schools flexibility, and give parents the security of knowing that all assessments in that school were under the control of a professional examiner."