Scotland’s reliance on national exams made it “particularly vulnerable” to disruption when the coronavirus pandemic hit, finds a new report that suggests scrapping exams in S4 and moving to a “school graduation certificate or diploma” for leavers.

The report - commissioned by the Scottish government, from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - is critical of the “examination loading” that takes place in Scotland, with students sitting exams at the end of S4, S5 and S6.

The report, written by the academic, Professor Gordon Stobart, says that “Britain is the last country in Europe in which pupils take national examinations at 16” and that the “yearly demands of the examination system attract criticism from both students and educationalists”.

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The report suggests that Scotland could consider “‘decluttering’ the historical diets of examinations” in upper secondary and find “alternative ways to acknowledge the end of compulsory schooling”.

It says the system could be simplified by “substituting other forms of certification at S4 that capture more of the students’ capabilities than the current National Qualifications”, adding that one example of such an alternative would be “to remove National 5 examinations at 16 (S4) and to move to a school graduation certificate or diploma”.

It suggests the certificate could “incorporate activities inside and outside school, and broader attainments, and might be organised around the four capacities of CfE [Curriculum for Excellence]”.

Other options suggested in the report include:

• The development of a senior phase qualification system based on a combination of teacher assessment and exams.
• The increased use of online exam resources and oral presentations as an assessment format.
• The inclusion of pupils’ views in decisions around assessment.
• Enhancing the role of vocational qualifications.

The report states: “The lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of many qualification systems, particularly those in the United Kingdom. The cancellation of external examinations created an awarding crisis, especially in Scotland and England.”

It suggests that Scotland should look to the likes of Canada and Norway, and introduce a more “mixed economy” of assessment and “a more dependable system”, based on a combination of “teachers’ continuous assessment, on school-based examinations as well as external examinations”.

Options for Scotland’s future approach to assessment and qualifications have been published

We will consider these with learners, teachers & parents to ensure our assessment system can best evolve in line with the curriculum and society of today

More➡️ https://t.co/yAlu0T5sG8 pic.twitter.com/LmvnKsKMdl

- ScotGov Education (@ScotGovEdu) August 31, 2021

The Scottish government says the suggestions made in the report will now be considered as part of a wider conversation with learners, teachers, parents and others on how Scotland’s qualifications and assessment system can best evolve in line with the curriculum and society of today.

Professor Stobart’s report follows the OECD review of Curriculum for Excellence, published in June, which highlighted the “misalignment between CfE’s aspirations and the qualification system” in the senior phase of secondary and which led to the Scottish government committing to replacing the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The OECD review of the CfE recommended that assessment approaches in the senior phase should be “fully aligned to match CfE ambitions” - it suggested this could include more continuous teacher assessment, externally marked projects and extended essays, and oral and practical presentations.

Welcoming Professor Stobart’s report today, the education secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “The OECD have been crystal clear - Curriculum for Excellence is the right approach for Scotland and is viewed internationally as an inspiring example of curriculum practice. Throughout the pandemic, it delivered credible results for our children and young people in the face of exceptional circumstances.

“Our decision to cancel exams as a result of the pandemic rightly sparked a great deal of discussion about the best way to recognise learners’ achievements and how we continue to meet their needs. That is why we asked the OECD to undertake this vital work and I welcome this important contribution from Professor Stobart, which is informed by how other countries run an assessment process.

“Working with teachers, parents and young people as well as other stakeholders, we will give full consideration to the options that Professor Stobart has outlined. This will form part of our work to ensure that every part of our education system is designed so that young people can demonstrate their full potential.

“I will update Parliament on how this work will be taken forward and on the ongoing implementation of OECD recommendations on Curriculum for Excellence in due course.”

Today’s OECD report was commissioned by the Scottish government following the 2020 results debacle, when more than a quarter of teacher estimates were changed by the algorithm put in place by the SQA.

Ultimately, the government was forced to revert to the grades assigned by teachers except where moderation had resulted in the grade going up.

In response to today’s OECD report, SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson said: “The pandemic has shone a spotlight on learning and teaching, and the way young people are assessed. Today’s paper is a welcome contribution to the debate about the future of assessment in Scotland. SQA is well placed to play a leading part in that debate, as its successor will be.

“Whatever reform intentions emerge over the coming months, it is in everyone’s interests to commit to maintaining the high national standards in the short and long term that have long been the hallmark of Scotland’s qualifications. 

“In the meantime, SQA will continue to serve Scotland’s learners, including the delivery of exams next year - should it be safe to do so - as part of the established and agreed assessment approach.”

Evidence submitted to the OECD report team by the SQA can be found here.