A group of education experts has warned SNP ministers against scrapping exams for S4 pupils amid concern it would have “a seriously negative impact on work rate and motivation”.

The Commission on School Reform, an independent group of education experts set up by the think tank Reform Scotland, has released a new ‘challenge paper’ on assessment and qualification in Scotland’s schools.

A report into exams and assessments in Scotland by Professor Louise Hayward is due to be published soon and is expected to suggest scrapping exams in S4.

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The commission’s paper, written by the former president of School Leaders Scotland, Carole Ford, a former head teacher of Kilmarnock Academy, warns that assessment at the end of S4 serves a different purpose to assessment in S5/S6.

The document provides analysis on progress so far, clarifies strengths and weaknesses, and offers a useful guide to fruitful routes to progress.

Instead of scrapping the exam diet for S4 pupils, the paper outlines a series of recommendations which it claims can be implemented now, maintaining the importance of assessment in S4 while also allowing additional learning time in S5.

The group’s recommendations include separating the S4 assessment system from that of S5 and S6, shortening the S4 assessment timetable and lengthening by one term the Higher assessment timetable and using external assessment data to moderate internal grades.

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Ms Ford said: “Assessment in S4 improves motivation and work rate throughout S3/S4.

“The removal of external assessment at the end of the National 4 courses has had a seriously negative impact on work rate and motivation, as many teachers will attest.

“On the other hand, assessment in S5/S6 leads to endpoint qualifications which offer entry to higher education, training or employment opportunities. There is no logical reason to tie these two assessment processes together.

“There are undoubtedly many problems in our exams system and Scottish pupils cannot continue to be subjected to a narrow, formulaic assessment system.

“A system which also fails to motivate a significant minority of pupils, exacerbating the serious behavioural issues in our schools.

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“The Commission on School Reform’s paper highlights opportunities to reform the exam system now, immediately alleviating some of the most serious concerns.

“We can and should take action now on the processes that we, as teachers, know are causing problems. If we fail to do so, we fail yet more of Scotland’s children.”

SNP Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has suggested “radical” change is needed to modernise Scotland’s qualifications system.

Ms Gilruth told the BBC there was a need to "future-proof our qualifications" adding that the exam programme they may look "radically different" in the future.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), which runs exams, is set to be broken up after a report warned there was too much focus on exams in schools.

A new body is to be established alongside a replacement for Education Scotland, while a separate school inspection agency will also be formed.