A PRIMARY school headteacher has resigned after allegations into the way national tests on pupils were carried out.

Philip McDermott, 50, resigned by letter as head of St Paul's CE School, Hoddlesden, a month after he was suspended by governors amid allegations that key stage tests taken in May this year had not been administered correctly.

Chairman of Governors, the Rev Paul Wallington, said: "I feel very sad that this has happened but I am confident that the school will recover."

The Rev Wallington said Mr McDermott, of Forrest Close, Lostock Hall, had given no reason for his resignation.

He said: "We decided to accept his resignation because we felt that, with all that was happening, it was in the best interests of the school."

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said the council would continue its investigation into Mr McDermott.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is examining the tests for children aged seven and 11 for signs of tampering, unusually high scoring answers and very similar answers.

A spokesman for the QCA said that if the tests were found to have been wrongly administered, then they may be annulled, leaving the children without results as they cannot retake them. The Rev Wallington said he had been told the Key Stage One results would be published as normal but the Key Stage Two results may not be published in national league tables.

He said: "It should not affect the children at all because, even if they are not published, we will be told what level each child has achieved so we will be able to use that in their academic records."

If the results cannot be published, the school will not be placed in the league tables, which may make it difficult for parents choosing a primary school to judge the school's performance.

The Rev Wallington said: "Even if that happens, I am hopeful that parents will come and look at the school and be impressed by the quality of the teaching."

Mr McDermott was entitled to give three months' notice and so will remain on full pay until September.

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said: "The authority will be offering its full support to the acting head and governing body of the school."

Deputy headteacher Mrs Barbara Cocken will now be acting headteacher until a new head is appointed in January.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.