SQA hauled before Holyrood committee amid Higher History saga

Now Douglas Ross, committee convener of Holyrood’s education committee, has confirmed SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson and Ms Gilruth will be grilled on the saga on Wednesday morning.

The SQA was forced to launch the review after teachers and current markers reported the standard for Higher History had been altered after the exam had taken place.

Concerns were raised about the marking standard after a large drop in the number of students achieving grades A to C.

In August, it emerged the number of pupils who passed Higher History with top grades fell 13 percentage points, while marks in the Scottish history paper dropped 25%.

A review, conducted by an SQA official, found the exam board had acted properly and blamed pupils for the drastic drop in attainment rates and performance levels.

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It said feedback from markers, who are also current teachers, “overwhelmingly focused on the poor standards of responses provided by learners”.

Teachers told The Herald they explicitly rejected the conclusions of the review. The Scottish Government previously said it accepted the findings of the report.

But Mr Ross, a former leader of the Scottish Tories, told The Herald: “Many concerns have been raised about this year’s Higher History exam and questions remain despite the review undertaken by the SQA.

“Committee members are determined to get the answers students and teachers deserve on this issue.

“The concerns highlighted in the summer continue to be raised, and some of the teachers who have spoken with The Herald are clear that further answers are needed on this issue.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth (Image: Scottish Parliament TV) “That is why the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee have called the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, along with the Chief Executive of the SQA, to appear before members next week so we can comprehensively question them on this important subject.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson previously said it “accepts the findings of the review” published by the SQA.

However, on Friday, The Herald revealed the exams body accepted it did not consider an independent review.

It has since been revealed the Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Association of the Teachers of History (SATH) to gather the views of its members.

An online survey has ben opened to ask history teachers a range of questions, including a request to share their thoughts on the findings of the SQA investigation.

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An SQA spokesperson said: The Higher History review was carried out independently by SQA's Head of Standards, and SQA's Director of Policy, Analysis and Standards.

 “The Executive Director of Qualifications and Assessment at WJEC, an expert in standard setting in the context of national examinations, then provided independent, external scrutiny and challenge of the review.”

The Scottish Government was also asked if it still accepted the findings of the review.

A spokesperson told The Herald: “As stated, the Scottish Government accepts the findings of the review. It is a matter of public record that Richard Harry, Executive Director of Qualifications and Assessment at Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC), independently peer reviewed SQA’s report.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills asked officials to contact SATH as the organisation was mentioned in a specific piece of Ministerial correspondence relating to Higher History. It is standard practice for officials to engage with subject associations like the SATH who are important stakeholders.

“The detail of the methodology of the review and scope of independent peer review were operational decisions for the SQA. Marking of exams, and quality assurance of the associated processes, are operational matters for the SQA in its independent role as an examination body.”