News

Will SATs be fair? Soaring Covid absence raises fears over May tests

SATs Performance tables Government policy Attendance Coronavirus
Questions are being asked over the fairness of holding SATs this summer given the continuing and stark increases in both student and staff absence from schools.

Official attendance figures (DfE, 2022) show that 100,000 more students are now self-isolating than two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, around 114,000 teachers, school leaders and support staff are currently off school, with a quarter of state schools reporting at least 15 per cent absence among teachers and leaders (27 per cent of primaries and seven per cent of secondaries).

In addition, 21 per cent of state schools have at least 15 per cent of support staff off (24 per cent of primaries and six per cent of secondaries).

The government intends for SATs to take place in May for key stage 1 and from May 9 to 12 for key stage 2.

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