SATS MARKERS CONTRACT ENDED

Released 17/08/2008

Controversial marking firm loses exam contract

ETS Europe, who oversaw this years controversial Sats marking, have had their contract ended by the exams watchdog the QCA.

The exams have made the headlines for the delays and mix-ups that led to widespread concerns over the quality of the marking.

The contract was worth £39.6m, but ETS have had to pay back £19.5m of this and cancel invoices worth £4.6m.

The QCA have denied that ETS were sacked, stating that the contract was cancelled by mutual consent.

Ed Balls said that the public should not worry about the financial implications of the deal and that the £15.5m that ETS received for their work represented a loss to them and was smaller than the amount spent in the UK.

The settlement reached with the firm enables the government to recover some of its costs, like those for the re-tendering and re-marking work.

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