Three staff members at a London primary that was controversially forced to become an academy have left their posts after an investigation into this summer’s Sats uncovered “serious evidence”.

Sats results for the whole of Year 6 at Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane, in Tottenham, had to be cancelled this summer.

The school was previously Downhills Primary School before it was controversially “forced” to become an academy in 2012, joining the Harris Federation.

As reported by Tes, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) carried out an investigation that found pupils had been “over-aided” during Sats tests.

The Harris Federation, which runs more than 40 academies across the London area, was then asked by the STA to carry out an internal investigation as to what went wrong.

A spokesman for the Harris Federation said in a statement today: “In addition to considering the STA’s original analysis, the investigation incorporated interviews with staff and former pupils (with the permission of their parents) and an analysis of every test paper.

“As a result, three members of staff will not be returning to work at the academy. The evidence we were presented with was so serious that this was the only appropriate course of action.

“We have informed the STA of the outcome, as well as the families of pupils who were affected. 

“The Harris Federation will put in place all the support needed to enable the academy to move on from this incident positively and successfully.”