Dear Sir or Madam,

Please could you tell me the cost per student of the SATs
examinations at each Key Stage. I would also like the total cost to
the taxpayer for the SATs per annum. Additionally, could I request
the evidence for improvement in standards as a result of Key Stage
testing by SAT. Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Stephen Garside

Dear Mr Garside,

Thank you for your recent email. A reply will be sent to you as soon as
possible (where a response is required). For information, the
departmental standard for correspondence received is that responses
should be sent within 15 working days or 20 working days if you are
requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number 2008/0071124

Thank you.

Central Allocation Team

Public Communications Team

Tel: 0870 0002288
www.dcsf.gov.uk

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Dear Mr Garside,

Thank you for your request of 23 August 2008, under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 , in which you asked for the cost per student of
the SATs examinations at each Key Stage, the total cost to the taxpayer
for the SATs per annum, and the evidence for improvement in standards as
a result of Key Stage testing by SAT.

The Department has now completed its search for the information which
you have requested.

The Department does not hold information relating to cost of SATs per
student at each Key Stage. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
(QCA) is responsible for the delivery of National Curriculum tests, and
supplies to the Department a total estimate of the cost of delivering
the National Curriculum tests for Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and Key Stage
3. For 2007/2008, this figure was £50,570,000.

You asked for evidence for improvement in standards as a result of Key
Stage testing by SAT. The central purpose of National Curriculum tests
is to provide pupils, parents, schools, the Government and the public
with an accurate measure of attainment for every pupil at the end of
each Key Stage in the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science,
enabling valid comparisons to be made between the performance of pupils
and groups of pupils, schools and local authorities.

As such, National Curriculum tests are the key measure of improvements
in standards for children aged between 7 and 14. They are not on their
own a means of raising standards and have not been evaluated as such.
However as part of the Government's drive to raise standards, which
depends on accountability at school level as well as on support to
schools, we believe the system of National Curriculum testing has
contributed to the improved performance that can be seen in the tables
below. These show a comparison between the percentage of pupils gaining
the expected level (level 2 for KS1; level 4 for KS2; and level 5 for
KS3) or above in 1997 and 2008, at each Key Stage:

Key Stage 1

Level 2 and above

1997

2008

Reading

80%

84%

Writing

80%

80%

Maths

84%

90%

Key Stage 2

Level 4 and above

1997

2008

English

63%

81%

Maths

62%

78%

Science

69%

88%

Key Stage 3

Level 5 and above

1997

2008

English

57%

73%

Maths

60%

77%

Science

60%

71%

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to
your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of the
decision, you should write to me within two calendar months of the date
of this letter.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Contact
details are:

The Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

08456 30 60 60 and 01625 54 57 45

www.ico.gov.uk <http://www.ico.gov.uk/>

Generally, the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the Department's own complaints/review procedure.

Yours sincerely,

Sue White
Progression and Personalisation
[email address]

Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number
2008/0071124.

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