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
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.
Last updated
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Updated for the 2023 test cycle
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Updated guidance for the current academic year. (The investigation visits guidance, remains unchanged and was last update May 2019)
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Added note to inform of the content user of the next update for the documents on this page.
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Updated for the 2019 test cycle.
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First published.
Update history
2026-03-23 09:30
Updated for the academic year 2025 to 2026.
2025-03-24 09:30
Guidance updated for the academic year 2024 to 2025. Updates to the maladministration procedures include: additional examples of maladministration, details added to roles and responsibilities, changes to what information will be reviewed regarding the reception baseline assessment and in decision meetings, and changes to the treatment of single test annulments in key stage 2. Updates to the maladministration visits guidance include: clarification on keeping photographs from visits confidential.
2024-03-25 09:30
Updated guidance for 2024.
2023-04-17 08:27
Updated for the 2023 test cycle
2022-03-21 14:40
Updated guidance for the current academic year. (The investigation visits guidance, remains unchanged and was last update May 2019)