‘External exams are the fairest way to award qualifications’

Q1. “An end-of-year exam is the perfect means by which to award qualifications.” Discuss.

A. An exam must be well designed, allowing candidates to show off the knowledge they’ve picked up and to demonstrate skills they’ve learned, too. The reputation
of exams is damaged with high-profile clangers or poorly thought-through questions. For some subjects, practical performances and portfolios form part of the final grade.

But when executed well, a qualification gained via the independent, standard-maintaining, unbiased, external scrutiny of a final exam beats the internally assessed alternatives. Even Finland, that country so often referenced for having nailed the education process, still clings to an exam-based finale that has barely changed since the late 1800s.

Q2. List three external groups who value qualifications assessed via final exam, giving reasons for your answers.

A. Parents: there is definite parental pressure for students to sit National 5 rather than National 4. Of course, there is an aspirational aspect to this but, from conversations with parents, the internal assessments used to secure National 4 undermine its value.

Employers: the story here is familiar: employers knew exactly what a Standard Grade 1-7 meant. They are less trusting of awards gained without any external evaluation.

Universities/colleges: examinations are still a key feature of further and higher education from the application process to secure a place right through to the classification of degrees and diplomas.

Q3. In a normal, pandemic-free year, three students sit the Scottish Qualifications Authority Higher maths exam. Daisy from Dundee is awarded a C. Heidi from Hamilton is awarded a C. Logan from Lewis is awarded a C. Which candidate’s award is best?

A. An unseen national exam marked professionally, independently and consistently is a great equaliser. Candidates from across the country are given the same paper, so a C grade has the same value wherever it was achieved. That’s part of the motivational aspect of exams, too. Not only does an end-of-year exam provide focus for students, it also allows them to compete fairly with the best Scotland has to offer.

Q4. Which of the following is a likely outcome if external examination is abolished in Scotland?

A: An increase in teacher workload, taking
on marking currently done by the SQA.

B: Pressure on teachers from management

and government, affecting the integrity
of internal assessments. 

C: Temptation for teachers with access to internal assessment to “teach to the test”. 

D: All of the above.

A. D. Teachers want the best for their students and already work incredibly hard, as we’ve witnessed over the past year especially. Teaching is a noble profession. But we do tend to predict grades based on potential rather than current performance and the targets on internally assessed qualifications definitely bring expectations to “get students National 4, whatever it takes”, for example.

Q5. Give one potential outcome resulting from the educational reform being proposed.

A. While we should always be looking to improve and admit our education system is not perfect, tweaking seems a wiser move than scrapping the rigour of an exam system altogether. Studies have repeatedly shown that abolishing anonymous, unbiased examinations severely penalises the disadvantaged.

With continual suggestions to ditch the current examination process, it’s vital that we hear both sides of the story. There will be thousands of teachers in Scotland who would keep the status quo (more or less).

So, examination system - it’s up to you: you must show you’re working.

Chris Smith is a maths teacher in Scotland

‘Students and their teachers need more flexible assessment’

One of the greatest impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the education sector has been this: the exposure of fundamental flaws in the systems through which learners are assessed and certificated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Setting aside the organisational and operational failings of the SQA, it is clear that its traditional model of an annual diet of exams could not be made to work effectively in the current circumstances, leading to growing calls for the system to be reviewed and more flexible alternative modes of assessment investigated.

While some may advocate the total abolition of exams, there are simpler, less radical options - which could be implemented over a relatively short time scale - utilising existing technologies in a way that could reduce bureaucracy and increase the time available for learning and teaching.

SQA units in many subjects could be assessed using online tools, as already used for Scottish National Standardised Assessments (SNSA) and the SQA’s own Solar platform. Such a platform could randomise questions and be made responsive, allowing candidates multiple attempts to meet the required standard.

The system could allow candidates to attempt assessments when they feel most ready to do so. Assessing against specific criteria, referenced to subject key areas, would ensure attainment standards are maintained and clearly understood. Existing coursework tasks could be assessed individually to avoid a duplication of effort. With all units being awarded standalone Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) tariff points, collections of units could be grouped towards course “pass” awards for individual subjects. 

Basing entry requirements for further and higher education on the total number of SCQF points an applicant has gained at each level, with specific subjects indicated where appropriate, could reduce the need for mandatory final examinations. 

These could be made elective, allowing grades to be obtained by candidates who would gain additional SCQF tariff points. Multiple shorter exam diets could be offered within the school year, allowing candidates to resit and upgrade to improve their performance without having to repeat entire years of study.

Some candidates may not need to sit any final exams to progress into further education, training or work, but could use the time usually lost to study leave to complete additional short courses.

These kinds of reform would diminish the negative impact of the ongoing “two-term dash” to qualifications in place across S4-6. This exists in order for learners and their teachers to
meet the requirements of an inflexible awarding body intent on measuring ability and placing candidates in order, often with a predetermined distribution. 

To reform the system of assessment and certification into one that exists for learners to demonstrate their knowledge and skills would redress the current imbalance of the Scottish education sector - and it might also go some way to narrowing the attainment gap.

Drew Burrett is a physics teacher in Scotland