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The Scottish government has said it still intends to go on an exam diet in 2021 amid reports suggesting they face being canceled for the second year in a row.
However, the government acknowledged that the risk of further disruption remains as ministers and scientific advisers consider stricter lockdown restrictions to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
School exams were canceled this year due to the virus, as they had previously been held every year since 1888.
A report in The Sunday Times newspaper said ministers are expected to scrap the 5 national tests, conducted by S3 and S4 students, next year as part of plans being considered by education secretary John Swinney.
The newspaper, citing an anonymous source within the government, said a shortened version of Highers would go ahead.
But a Scottish government spokesman said any changes to the course assessment should be considered in conjunction with a review of the 2020 exams being conducted by Professor Mark Priestley, who will report at the end of the month.
“Our ambition is to carry out an exam diet in 2021, however there is a risk of further disruption for students and schools, or across the country.”
Scottish Government Spokesperson
The spokesperson said: “Our ambition is to run an exam diet in 2021, however there is a risk of further disruption for students and schools, or more broadly across the country.
“Any changes to the course assessment should be considered in conjunction with the findings of Professor Priestley’s review of the 2020 exams, which he will report at the end of the month.
“Additionally, SQA and the Educational Recovery Group are considering appropriate contingencies. Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney will clarify the next steps before the October holidays. “
Swinney survived a vote of no confidence last month after being criticized for the Scottish Qualification Authority’s lowering of teacher estimates.
The teachers’ predictions were moderated by the SQA, resulting in a methodology that disproportionately affected students from disadvantaged backgrounds and elicited a large backlash.
A week after the test results were sent out, Swinney apologized to the students and announced that the grades would revert to the teachers’ original predictions.
Scottish Conservatives said the government had to “exhaust all avenues” before scrapping the diet from next year’s exam.
“Nobody pretends that it will be easy, but our main objective should be that the students return to the greatest possible normality.”
Jamie Greene, Scottish Conservative Education Spokesperson
Party education spokesman Jamie Greene said: “Going forward with exams must be plan A. The SNP must do everything possible to save National Exams 5 and above.
“Nobody wants it to be easy, but our main goal should be to get the students back to as normal as possible.
And if the virus affects plan A, we also need credible contingency plans, which we did not have this year. We will demand that John Swinney lay out his plans in Parliament on Tuesday. “
Swinney survived the vote of no confidence in part thanks to the support of the Scottish Greens, who were pleased with his change of position.
And the Scottish Greens have now renewed their call for Swinney to cancel all exams in 2021.
Ross Greer, the party’s education spokesman, said: “John Swinney himself has already recognized the enormous logistical challenge of attempting to take exams, as all students must take the exam at the same time, but a maximum of just 50 students can be in any exam room.
“The only reliable solution is to cancel 2021 exams now and grade students based on their work throughout the year, avoiding both the risk of exams being taken during a pandemic and the chaos of last month’s grades scandal. “.
Around 138,000 schoolchildren received the results of their national, higher and advanced higher courses in August after a year without exams due to the pandemic.
Although approval rates increased, the moderation system developed by the SQA and approved by the Scottish government saw a 26.2% change in ratings.
The SQA downgraded 124,564 results – 93.1% of all moderate scores – based on criteria that include historical school performance.
Students from the most deprived areas of Scotland saw their grades reduced by 15.2% compared to 6.9% in the more affluent parts of the country.
