THE head teacher of a York primary school has been suspended, during an investigation into how it ran its pupil tests.

Mike Schofield has temporarily left his post at Haxby Road Primary School, pending an ongoing enquiry into its Year 6 SATs.

As revealed in The Press earlier this year, the Qualification Curriculum Development Agency (QDCA) is looking into an allegation of maladministration of the tests, which took place in May.

Martin Eldred, from the Humberside area, has taken over Mr Schofield’s duties on an interim basis, and took up his post today.

Jill Hodges, assistant director of education at City of York Council, stressed that Mr Schofield’s suspension was not a disciplinary sanction and said the investigation was continuing.

She said today: “At the request of the school’s governing body an independent investigation is being carried out into whether there has been any maladministration relating to the Year 6 tests at Haxby Road Primary School.

“As a result of the continuing investigation the headteacher of Haxby Road Primary School has been placed on a precautionary suspension from duty whilst the investigation is concluded. Please note that this is not a disciplinary sanction.

“Martin Eldred has been appointed as the school’s temporary acting head teacher, to lead the school during the headteacher’s absence. Mr Eldred started his interim post on Tuesday.”

She said Mr Eldred had worked for many years as a primary school head teacher in East Yorkshire, and also in the region’s school Improvement service and said he was very experienced and had worked with a number of primary schools where short-term support was needed.

Ms Hodges added: “We appreciate that this is a difficult situation for staff, parents and children and we are working closely with the school’s governing body to keep parents fully informed of developments.”

The SATs tests, which are taken at the end of primary school in Year 6, cover the three core subjects of English, maths and science. The brightest children may be assessed by teachers to see if they can reach higher levels and papers are sent to be marked with results being available before children leave primary school in July.

Haxby Road Primary School has about 178 pupils, including 18 ten and eleven-year-olds in Year 6 who took their SATs in May.

The QDCA defines maladministration as any act which could jeopardise the integrity, security or confidentiality of the tests, or produced results not reflected the unaided work of pupils.