Did this week, contrary to the prevailing narrative around the response the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results, actually mark a victory for populism and a defeat for Scottish education?
Scotland seems to have an inherent art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on too many sporting fields - a passion for underperformance despite our huge pool of talent in so many aspects of our lives. During the Covid crisis, the leadership from our government and our key public health services has bucked that trend, to the envy of many beyond our small nation. The key dimension of our approach to tacking this horrible pandemic has been strong and consistent leadership backed up by the intelligent use of data and effective communications - something that has been missing over the past few days in Scottish education.
Having worked in the system for too many years to remember, and been closely associated with addressing some of the systemic causes for failure in the 2000 SQA results meltdown, this, in my view, is a very different set of circumstances that were very easily avoided; a slow-motion playback will determine that the own goal was avoidable and the referee got it wrong.
SQA: ‘We did what we were told on results moderation’
John Swinney: ‘Covid trauma changed my mind on SQA results’
SQA results: ‘We need a system we’re all confident in’
SQA results U-turn: ‘I am dreading the next few weeks’
Are exams still fit for purpose? ‘The SQA results debacle reveals deeper weaknesses’
Analysis: SQA exam system ‘has largely maintained the status quo’
The totally unforeseen circumstances of Scotland’s’ schools closing so suddenly required the SQA and Scottish government to move quickly. A plan was agreed and the key components were correctly applied in my view: maintain standards, use school-based estimates, apply moderation, introduce an appeals process to be the final arbiter.
SQA results: Decisions that will cast a long shadow over our education system
In the face of misplaced but understandable populist reaction to the results (many quite genuine, others politically motivated), and with the last component of the plan having not yet taken place (appeals), decisions have been taken that may give short-term satisfaction to some students - but the long-term consequences will cast a deep shadow over our education system.
Where did the strong and effective leadership we have seen since March go and what have we learned? Pantomime audiences love a villain, and, in this case, it seems to be the SQA. It is very clear that the plan it was working to was signed off by the Scottish government, and it delivered as required. Perhaps the most worrying piece of data that has emerged is the high percentage of teachers’ judgements that required moderation; to have accepted these as legitimate and inflated, the assessment figures would have been professionally unacceptable for many, and a slap in the face for those students whose results were found to be in keeping with national standards.
However, the real concern that I have in this very avoidable debacle is the role played by the referee - Scottish government. John Swinney, a highly committed education secretary - with the backing, no doubt, of first minister Nicola Sturgeon - decided that politics should intervene before appeals, the last component of their agreed plan, were used, which, in my view, crossed a line and cast serious doubt over the independence of our examination system.
I happen to think we have made huge improvements in Scottish education over the past decade, but our education system should depend on agreed policies and procedures established by a government and delivered by the range of professionals in schools, local authorities and, in this case, the SQA. The ref changed the rules during the match and the outcome is unfair to the individuals involved - and it has damaged the integrity of the system as a whole.
Bruce Robertson is a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde and a former director of education
