The BBC have put together an interesting article detailing the whole debacle of the SATs this year.  It details the shortcomings this year and finishing by looking at what are the possibilities for 2009.  As pointed out in the article Dr John Dunford, head of the Association of School and College Leaders:

"In the long term, appointing a new administrator for these tests is akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."

The Welsh Assembly have already scrapped the tests and they have not been used in Scotland since devolution.  The Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee concluded the national testing system in English schools was being misused to the detriment of children’s education.

Ed Balls however is insistent that as long as a new contract is in place by November there is time enough for the same national tests to be run and managed in the summer of 2009. He said:

"The wrong thing for us to do would be to suspend the tests in 2009.  We think that continuing on with externally evaluated national tests is important for parents, schools and education."

We can only wait and see – will next year hold any changes?