Re Contract

RM PLC
17 February 2003

17th February 2003



 RM confirms education services contract with the Qualifications and Curriculum
                                Authority (QCA)



RM plc, the UK's leading supplier of ICT and services to education
establishments, confirms today that it has signed a contract with the QCA
(Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) to develop and deliver an online
assessment service for the curriculum subject of ICT at Key Stage 3.  The Group
announced in December 2002 that it had been appointed preferred bidder for the
contract.

Commenting on the contract, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said:

'This is an enormously important project.  It marks a major new approach to
assessment in the UK and will have a significant influence on the assessment
regime in the years ahead.  I am delighted that the QCA has recognised that RM
and its partners have the skills and experience to make the initiative work.'



                                    - Ends -



For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc                              08709 200200
Andrew Fenwick/Fiona Fong, Brunswick                          020 7404 5959



Notes to Editors:

1.    The QCA is a non-departmental public body tasked with maintaining and
developing the school curriculum and associated assessments, and with
accrediting and monitoring qualifications in schools, colleges and the
workplace.

2.    The QCA Key Stage 3 ICT testing service project involves the development
of innovative on-screen tests designed to assess pupils' attainment in the
curriculum subject of ICT at age 14.  These will be the first national tests in
English secondary schools to be taken by pupils onscreen and will be 
automatically marked by computer.  There will be a technical pilot for 2% of
English secondary schools in 2004.  Practice materials will be available in
Autumn 2003.  A National Pilot in 2005 and Fully Integrated Test in 2006 will
follow.

3.    The contract is worth £23 million over six years.  The RM-led consortium
was awarded the contract after an extensive competitive tendering process.

4.    The contract will be delivered through a consortium comprising RM, its
subsidiary company 3T Productions, a software, Internet design and development
company, ICAA, a leading supplier of educational assessment services and Tata
Infotech, a major IT development company.  RM is prime contractor, and the
consortium has been put together specifically for this project.


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