Dozens of exam papers have been torn up after an investigation into allegations of cheating at a primary school in South Norwood.

Thirty-four Sats tests have been annulled by the Department for Education (DfE) following a probe into misconduct by staff at Heavers Farm Primary School during last May's exams.

Selsdon Primary School, which has the same headteacher, has been cleared of wrongdoing by investigators. 

The DfE's Standards and Testing Agency (STA), which probes allegations of maladministration, launched an investigation last summer over claims Year 6 pupils at Heavers Farm, in Dinsdale Gardens, had been given help during Sats tests.

The investigation was widened to include Selsdon Primary School, in Addington Road, after a pupil's mother made further allegations to the agency. 

No action will be taken over Selsdon's results, which pupils received in July. 

But 18 reading and 16 maths papers sat by pupils at Heavers Farm have been torn up. The school's results had been witheld while the investigation was carried out.

Parents of last year's cohort of 59 children have not yet been informed of the decision.

Sharon Cato, whose son Joe sat the exams at Heavers Farm last year, said: "I didn't expect them after all this time to say that everything was fine. I would have been staggered if there were no issues."

She said she did not think her son had received help during his exams.

Susan Papas, executive headteacher Heavers Farm and Selsdon Primary, appeared confident last year both schools would be cleared.

But in February it emerged she had "disciplined" staff members at Heavers Farm over last year's Sats and assured a parent they would play no role in "any future teaching, exams or tests".

No one at the school, which is currently on a break for Easter, was available for comment this morning.

A spokesman for Croydon Council said: "Now this external investigation has concluded, any future internal action is up to the executive head at Heavers Farm Primary and she has our full support in taking the right steps in the interests of all pupils, staff and parents.”

A STA spokesman said: "Following an investigation into the administration of 2014 Key Stage 2 tests at Heavers Farm Primary School, we decided to annul the reading test and mathematics papers 1 and 2 for a number of groups of children at the school.

"The results for children at Selsdon Primary School were released without amendments." 

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