THE ROW over disputed A-level results took a new twist today after it was revealed they may not be not the only examinations with a question-mark hanging over them.

Schools in York today revealed they have also been forced to return papers for SATS exams, which are taken by school pupils at the age of 14 and which often determine the target grades given to pupils for their GCSEs.

Parents of children at Huntington School have received letters telling them all this year's English SATS papers were sent back to be re-marked.

Head teacher at Huntington School Chris Bridge said today: "We have sent off the English SATS to be re-marked and we are still waiting. They were significantly down on the grades we got last year with the same teachers and a similar group of students.

"This is all part of the exam boards being overwhelmed with the sheer volume they have to cope with.

"It is very sad and it needs to be sorted."

The headteacher of Lowfield School, John Thompson, said although he had not encountered problems this year, English SATS papers were sent back last year - and were "significantly upgraded."

He said: "This year we looked at them and felt the marks were generally in line with what was expected. There is a variation in the quality of marking because they need so many people to mark the exams and they cannot get them."

Jenny Vickers, assistant director of education and leisure at the City of York Council, confirmed there had been widespread problems with SATS tests.

She said: "There have been a considerable number of key stage three (SATS) English papers re-marked and we are waiting for the outcome of the re-marks. It has not been an issue with other subjects."

Meanwhile, the A-level storm raged on, with calls from headteachers for this year's A-level league tables to be scrapped.

Thousands of entries have had to be re-marked following claims that examiners downgraded them at the last minute to counter claims that A-levels have been dumbed down.

The row blew up after schools, both state and independent, realised that students who regularly scored As got Ds, Es and even unclassifieds - fail grades - in their coursework.

Updated: 11:46 Friday, September 20, 2002