SQA accused of presiding over 'massive' grade inflation

Newly published statistics show nearly half of 2021 Higher entries – 47.6 per cent – received an A. This compares with 40% in 2020. In 2019 – the last year in which a conventional exams diet was held – the rate was 28.3%.

A similar increase was recorded for Advanced Highers, with 51% getting the top result – up from 31.8% in 2019 and 46.3% last year.

At National 5 level, the 2019-21 figures for A grades were 35.1%, 42.3% and 46.7%, respectively.

Overall, the 2021 National 5, Higher and Advanced pass rates, based on attainment at grades A to C, were 85.8%, 87.3% and 90.2%, respectively. In 2020, the figures were 89%, 89.3% and 93.1%. However, the 2021 totals are still well up on 2019, when rates of 78.2%, 74.8% and 79.4%, respectively, were recorded.

READ MORE: Attainment gap between rich and poor Scottish pupils grows

Publication of the latest national results comes after the Scottish Government cancelled formal exams because of Covid and moved to a process in which results were decided on the basis of teacher judgment supported by evidence of demonstrated attainment.

The arrangement – known formally as the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) – was the source of controversy, with young people subjected to gruelling schedules of assessments, often in exam-like conditions, as teachers scrambled to gather evidence necessary for provisional grades.

Paying tribute to learners, Fiona Robertson, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, told The Herald they could have “full confidence” in their results and cautioned against direct comparisons between this year’s figures and pre-pandemic data. She said everyone in the education system had worked together to “apply the national standard” and that grading was determined “on the basis of learner evidence”.

But Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Education Policy at Edinburgh University, said: “The large rise in A grades was seen across the board – rich and poor, male and female, rural and urban, all ethnic groups.

“This suggests that the explanation does not lie in teachers’ marking, but rather in the instructions about marking that they received from the SQA.

“Massive grade inflation in such a short period of time cannot be due to better teachers or better students. The only explanation is a failure of the SQA’s processes of quality assurance. Only the SQA is responsible for this damage to the credibility of Scotland’s qualifications.”

Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Education Policy at Edinburgh University, is concerned about this year's results.

His remarks come after the Commission on School Reform, an independent group of education experts set up by the think tank Reform Scotland, published a paper that warns against scrapping exams and relying purely on teacher judgment.

Keir Bloomer, Commission Chair, said previously: “Examinations are not good at everything. Course-work can assess skills and understanding that examinations cannot.

“However the experience of exam cancellations over the last couple of years tells us all we need to know about the important role that exams play in ensuring quality, consistent marking, and equity across the social divide.”

He added: “Anonymous marking is effectively insurance against the sort of rapid grade inflation that ultimately only ends when every pupil returns straight As, which would do no favours to either individual pupils or the country as a whole.

“If Scotland were to scrap exams altogether, as some wish, it would put us out of step with the rest of the world, which increasingly relies on a hybrid model of coursework and exams.”

Opposition parties focused much of their criticism on signs of growth in the attainment gap.

READ MORE: Glasgow pupil 'shocked' at Cambridge offer

The latest statistics show differences between results obtained by the most and least deprived pupils widened slightly compared with last year. However, they remained lower than pre-pandemic levels.

SQA bosses also said the different models of assessment used in the wake of coronavirus made it difficult to compare figures on a year-to-year basis, adding that the increase in 2021 was unlikely to be statistically significant. But Scottish Conservative Oliver Mundell, Shadow Education Secretary, branded the rise a “disgrace”.

Ms Robertson strongly rejected claims that the latest national results had damaged the credibility of the qualifications system.

“I want learners to have full confidence in the results that they’ve formally received today,” she told The Herald.

“I think we’ve been clear that learners, teachers and lecturers have worked really hard to apply the national standard and there’s been support from local authorities and within schools, and from the SQA, around national standards, and [to ensure] that grading has been made on the basis of learner evidence.

Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive, defended this year's results and congratulated learners.

“Some variation in attainment, and the composition of attainment, you would expect to see – in any year, actually. There are changes every year. And it can be influenced by a range of things – presentation decisions, the cohort size – so a range of things.

“And, of course, this year we’ve seen changes to the way in which we’ve arrived at grades and we’ve undertaken modifications to the assessment approach.

“So some courses have had some assessments taken out and, for public health reasons, in some cases we’ve had to take out coursework, or we’ve had to take out assignments.”

She added: “I would acknowledge, and I’ve said it in my report, that we are seeing more movements in attainment this year than we would see in a normal year when exams were held, because there’s been a number of moving parts around the changes that have been made to the approach for certification. But I think [I would offer] assurance around the way in which we’ve collaborated with the system to deliver [and] the way in which the system has worked hard to make sure that we’ve got it right.

“There is an appeals process there if learners have concerns about a result.”

READ MORE: Scottish pupil sets sight on Olympic gold after smashing exams

Ms Robertson said just under 4,000 registrations had been received for the SQA’s new appeals service but stressed this figure was likely to change.

She also said applications had been filed for just under 300 young people to enable provisional grades to be submitted by noon on September 3 under the incomplete evidence arrangement.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “These results are testament to the hard work, resilience and determination of learners – and to the dedication of their endlessly supportive teachers and lecturers, who have been with them every step of the way, going above and beyond to make sure pupils got the grades they deserve.

“Learners can be confident that their awards are fair, consistent and credible. Indeed, industry representatives have made it clear how much they value this year’s qualifications.”