Academy under investigation for ‘falsifying SATs results’

AN “outstanding” primary school in Tottenham is being investigated for allegedly falsifying children’s SATs results, the Standard can reveal.

Harris Primary Academy Coleraine Park allegedly doctored the test results to make them appear better than they would have been.

Parents were made aware there may have been malpractice when the results were not included in the children’s end-of-year report.

A source said: “The school is under investigation for falsifying the year six SATs results. This is very damaging. It raises questions about the achievements of the school.”

The source added: “This is just the latest in a string of issues. The turnover of staff is very high.”

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: “We transferred our children into this school because of its great results, but now that seems to be in doubt. Staff are leaving mid-term... the atmosphere is not good for staff or pupils.”

A Standards and Testing Agenc y spokesman said: “We are currently investigating an allegation of maladministration at Harris Primary Academy Coleraine Park, Tottenham. We cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing.”

The primary is part of the Harris Federation, a group of 37 academies set up by Lord Harris of Peckham. Its chief executive is Sir Daniel Moynihan, whose salary was revealed earlier this year to be £400,000.

Lord Harris is said to be a “huge supporter” of principal Joanne Taylor, who has been credited with bringing about “rapid improvement” in the quality of education at the school, which opened in 2012 after 10 years as a “failing” local authority school.

She graduated in education from London Metropolitan Universit y in 1993 and joined the school in December 2013, stating that she wanted to “drive rapid and sustained improvement”.

Last year she won an education business award for outstanding progress and the school was rated by the Department for Education as the top sponsored primary academy in the country for academic progress made by pupils between the ages of seven and 11.

A Harris Federation spokeswoman said: “It would be wholly unfair on staff at the school to pre-judge the outcome of an investigation that has not yet concluded. However, if any evidence of malpractice at the academy is found, we would treat this extremely seriously.”

She added that Mrs Taylor would not be commenting.

A spokeswoman for Lord Harris said he was on a cruise holiday and could not be reached for comment.