The SQA has u-turned over concerns about “unfair” exam marking and launched an investigation into the matter, with a commitment that “action will be taken” if problems are confirmed.
However, The Herald can reveal that the review is being carried out by the organisation’s own Head of Standards, despite calls for any investigation to be independent of the beleaguered exam board.
Opposition parties have warned that the SQA lacks credibility to carry out the review itself, highlighting a "string of scandals" that have engulfed it in recent years, and arguing that it should not be allowed to "mark its own homework."
Last month, The Herald revealed that teachers, including current exam marks, had accused the SQA of ‘moving the goalposts’ and subjecting students to an ‘unfair’ marking process for this year’s Higher History exam.
They explained that more detailed answers had been demanded than has previously been the case, and that no warning of the change had been provided. As a result, the SQA was accused of “moving the goalposts” after the exam had taken place.
Critics argued that this altered approach was behind a 25% drop in pupils’ performance levels in the Scottish History part of the exam, and a thirteen percentage point decline in the overall pass rate.
The SQA had insisted that marking has been “consistent with previous years”, and that the sudden falls in test scores and pass rates was simply down to poorer performance from students, but has now accepted “concerns raised” by teachers, pupils and opposition politicians.
The Children and Young People’s Commissioner for Scotland and the Scottish Youth Parliament had also intervened, accusing the exam board of undermining the rights of students.
READ MORE:
- SQA accused of undermining children's rights with 'unfair' exam marking approach
- What do the Higher History marking guides tell us?
The Scottish Government originally declined to intervene, but ultimately bowed to pressure on the matter. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth met with the exam board’s chair and chief examiner yesterday via a video call, during which details of the investigation were revealed.
Scottish Liberal Democrats education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said: "I'm apprehensive about this being an SQA internal investigation. This is a body which failed to push back on the Scottish Government's plans to downgrade exam results during the Covid crisis and whose commitment to governance reform looks shaky at best.
"An independent investigation would help to deliver clarity about what has transpired.
"As well as ensuring Higher History pupils are fairly treated, we also need proper reform with a new, accountable qualifications body."
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: “After repeated denials that a problem existed, the SQA now say they are conducting a review. Unfortunately, the SQA’s poor record on transparency, and the string of scandals that have beset them since the marking debacle in 2020, will give pupils, parents and teachers little reason for confidence.
“We’ve been promised change for years yet, as the Education Secretary's statement this week demonstrated, the SNP have done nothing but repeatedly kick the can down the road. There must be a clear and accountable mechanism for such cases that allows for proper scrutiny, and a thorough overhaul of the qualification and assessment system, not merely a cosmetic fix.”
Scottish Labour education spokesperson Pam Duncan Glancy said: “The SQA shouldn’t be able to mark their own homework. Pupils, teachers and parents deserve to know that this is being taken seriously and that their concerns have been properly listened to and acted on.
“The Cabinet Secretary must satisfy herself and others that the review is independent and fair. Given the track record of the SQA it is questionable as to whether an internal investigation meets that test.
“Trust in the SQA is at an all time low and the government’s supposed reforms are nothing more than a rebrand.”
READ MORE:
- S4 exams to stay as Scottish Government rejects key Hayward review recommendation
- A question of competence: what the latest education announcement says about ScotGov
A spokesperson for the SQA confirmed that officials had met with Jenny Gilruth “and informed her that, in light of concerns raised about the marking of Higher History this year, a review is underway".
“The review is being carried out by SQA's Head of Standards, who has had no involvement in the marking of Higher History and is expected to conclude next week. The findings will be published to allow full scrutiny, and if any issues are uncovered then action will be taken.”
The Scottish Government also confirmed that the meeting had taken place but referred The Herald back to the SQA for details of the discussion.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel