The Scottish government has announced that it is planning for national Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) exams to go ahead in 2022, after being forced to cancel external assessment of national qualifications two years in a row as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
For the past two years, teachers and lecturers have been responsible for assigning students’ grades, with the latest results-day statistics published last week.
However, education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said today that exams would take place “if safe to do so”, from 26 April to 1 June 2022.
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The government said, in an announcement this morning, that course content had been reduced compared to a normal year “to take account of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced” and that there would be two contingency plans in place “due to uncertainty over the pandemic”.
One contingency is for “further modifications to be made to courses and assessment” - but with national SQA exams still going ahead - in the event of “further significant disruption to learning as a result of Covid-19”.
However, if the exams have to be cancelled again as a result of the coronavirus, the government said “awards will be made on teachers’ judgements based on normal in-year assessment”.
Ms Somerville said: “Exams will take place next year if safe to do so.
“Fairness for learners sitting exams in 2022 is at the heart of our plans. Assessment modifications across national courses for the next academic session have already been confirmed by the SQA in recognition of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced. We will set out details on further support available for learners in September.
“Careful contingency planning has taken place in case there is further significant disruption to learning or if public health conditions do not allow for the holding of an examination diet.
“These contingencies offer stability for teachers and learners in the coming academic session and will allow their focus to be on normal practices in teaching, learning and assessment. More detailed guidance will be issued by the SQA at the earliest opportunity.”
Last Wednesday - the day after the annual SQA results were published and the day that Scottish schools started to return following the summer break - Ms Somerville said there would be an announcement on whether or not exams were going ahead “within the next few days” and “before the rest of the schools go back next week”. On 22 June, Ms Somerville had promised an announcement by the start of the school year, which started for many teachers and pupils last week.
School exams will go ahead next year, if it is safe to do so. Contingency plans also in planned in case of disruption to learning. https://t.co/hVxHXbw0vU
- Shirley-Anne Somerville (@S_A_Somerville) August 18, 2021
In the longer term, a shake-up of the Scottish qualifications system is expected following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) published in June.
It highlighted “misalignment between CfE’s aspirations and the qualification system” and led to the Scottish government saying it would replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority with a new specialist agency for curriculum and assessment.
Another OECD report, looking specifically at qualifications and assessment, is expected later this month.
After the government announcement at 10.15am this morning, EIS teaching union general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “It is no surprise that the Scottish government has stated its intention to reinstate an exam diet in 2022, should public health advice allow.
“The EIS would have preferred to see exams bypassed for S4 students in the interests of supporting education recovery and wellbeing among this cohort. It remains to be seen whether the reductions in course content for this year - as recognition that young people have been adversely affected by the pandemic through no fault of their own - will suffice.”
Mr Flanagan added: “It is essential that appropriate and robust contingencies are in place should it be necessary to cancel the exam diet on public health grounds. We saw earlier this year the damage caused by decisions being made too late without adequate contingencies in place, and the huge workload and stress that was placed on students and staff as a result.”
Update, 12.35pm:
More than two hours after the Scottish government announcement, the SQA published more details of what it would mean for teachers and students in practice. Notably, the SQA has promised that there will be no requirement to carry out extra assessments, which was a source of considerable anxiety and controversy in 2020-21.
The Scottish Government has confirmed National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher exams will go ahead next year, as long as public health guidance permits.
Watch⬇️
More info ➡️ https://t.co/vEqAxuznWS pic.twitter.com/Wpe1X1HUgO
- SQA (@sqanews) August 18, 2021
The SQA states: “Schools, colleges and training providers will not be required to carry out any additional assessments, as they did in 2020-21. Instead, teachers and lecturers will be asked to determine learners’ grades based on the work that learners have already completed throughout the year.
“To prepare for this scenario, teachers and lecturers should - as they would in a normal year - gather examples of learners’ work and keep a record of any assessments that take place throughout the session, for example prelims, practical performances or class tests that provide an appropriate degree of challenge, integration and application of the key knowledge and skills of each National course.
“Gathering completed assessments as learners progress through the session will provide a reliable collection of evidence that can be used to determine their grades if exams are cancelled at short notice.”
The full SQA statement can be read here.
