Ministers are 鈥渃onfident鈥� changes to SATs run by outsourcing firm Capita will deliver an 鈥渋mproved service鈥� after a series of failings during last years鈥� tests. Schools Week investigations have revealed problems with the first test series run by the outsourcing giant under its 拢107 million, seven-year contract to oversee the management of the national tests. A report by regulator Ofqual this year revealed that 7,000 key stage 2 pupils received at least one result late, and about 2,000 scripts were lost. Schools waited on average 53 minutes for their helpline call to be answered and the Primary Assessment Gateway (PAG), the results portal, crashed on results day. In its published today, the Standards and Testing Agency and Capita reiterated their 鈥渟incere apologies鈥� to schools who experienced difficulties.聽 They acknowledged delivery issues 鈥渃aused significant frustration and inconvenience鈥� to schools, councils and families. This year’s key stage 2 SATs will begin on May 9 – a day later than usual because of the coronation. Improvements include updated guidance on scanning papers to help prevent them going missing, and running 鈥渞obust performance tests鈥� on the results gateway to cope with the large spike of users in July. More staff have been recruited to the helpline with call handlers given 鈥渂olstered鈥� information on school queries. Guidance for schools has been updated so there is 鈥渓ess ambiguity鈥� and a new database will help identify 鈥減roblem areas quickly鈥�. The STA and Capita are 鈥渃ommitted to delivering an improved service throughout the 2023 cycle and are confident the changes we have put in place will achieve this鈥�.