Sats test published online by 'rogue marker'

The Department for Education (DfE) has said a Sats test in spelling and grammar was published online by a "rogue marker".

The answers to the test appeared on a website for the English test supplier Pearson on Monday night and remained in a password-protected area for several hours before being removed.

The DfE said it is "urgently investigating" the leak, which it said it did not believe was leaked into the public domain.

The government has insisted the tests will go ahead.

According to the DfE, the leak could only have come from Pearson staff who are under a secure contract, and any distribution of materials would be a "clear breach of that contract".

The leak was not judged to be significant enough to cancel today's test.

It is the second such incident to happen in recent weeks after a Sats spelling test was accidentally published online in April.

The test later had to be scrapped which a spokesman for the exam board described as "deeply regrettable".

Labour said the gaffe was a "body blow" to parent and teacher confidence in the Department for Education (DfE).

A spokesman said Education Secretary Nicky Morgan had been notified of the breach.