The Scottish Greens have called for the 2021 exams be cancelled.

The Greens - upon whose support the SNP government often relies, and who helped education secretary John Swinney survive a recent vote of no confidence - said it was too great a risk to assume that exams will be able to take place next year without disruption.

Mr Swinney has today reiterated that the Scottish government’s intention is to run a “full 2021 exam diet”, although these could start a few weeks later than usual to mitigate the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Background: Swinney still wants to see exams run in full in 2021

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This plan is subject, however, to the overdue outcome of a Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) consultation - which received 23,000 responses - and the results of a review into this year’s SQA results fiasco by Professor Mark Priestley, whose remit includes considering how a similar situation to this year’s results controversy can be avoided in 2021.

Teaching unions the EIS and the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) called several months ago for the 2021 exams to be cancelled and replaced with assessment throughout the year to avoid the risk of national or localised school closures affecting young people’s final results. That position has been backed by the Scottish Greens.

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer said:
“After last month’s fiasco, we absolutely cannot have a situation where exams are cancelled at short notice again, without other adequate arrangements having been put in place. There is simply no way to guarantee that schools won’t be closed or exams cancelled, either across the country or in specific areas. Pressing ahead on the basis of end-of-year exams is an unacceptable risk.

“Waiting a few weeks for the results of the Priestley review and the SQA consultation will ensure that whatever decision is taken, it is informed by the views and experiences of teachers and pupils. A lack of similar consultation was a major failure of the SQA this year and it’s exactly why the Greens secured the review.”

Mr Greer added: “Whatever is decided, though, it simply cannot be a ‘normal’ exam diet. That ship has already sailed.”