Statutory guidance

Key stages 1 and 2: investigating allegations of maladministration

Procedures for investigating claims of cheating (sometimes called malpractice) in KS1 and KS2 national curriculum assessments and guidance for local authorities.

Documents

Key stage 1 and 2: maladministration investigation procedures

Key stage 1 and 2: maladministration investigation visits guidance

Details

The investigation procedures document outlines how the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) investigates allegations of maladministration of national curriculum assessments. It covers:

  • roles and responsibilities
  • types of maladministration allegations (including cheating in the tests or in teacher assessment)
  • information about how allegations are processed and investigated

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

End of KS1 national curriculum assessments are now optional. This guidance will be updated shortly to reflect these changes. In the meantime, more information is available at National curriculum assessments: optional key stage 1 tests.

Published 27 March 2018
Last updated 17 April 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated for the 2023 test cycle

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

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

  4. Updated for the 2019 test cycle.

  5. First published.