Education secretary Jenny Gilruth signals return to 'normal' pre-pandemic exam grading standards for Scotland's pupils

SQA grading approach to exams was ‘generous’ in 2022 and ‘sensitive’ in 2023

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth has said she expects exam grades in Scotland will “return to normal” from this academic year.

It would mean the way grades are decided may no longer take account of the impact of the pandemic on the nation’s youngsters.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), which is still to make an announcement on its plans for this year, operated a “generous” approach to grades in 2022 and a “sensitive” model this year.

High school pupils sitting exam. Image: John Devlin

The approaches aimed to recognise the disruption caused to the education of pupils during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. They involved altering the boundaries set when deciding the level needed to achieve A, B and C grades.

SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson, Scotland’s chief examining officer, said in August the SQA was “moving back to normal awarding”, although she added the approach for grading next year was still to be confirmed.

At education questions in Holyrood on Thursday, Ms Gilruth was asked about the SQA’s grading approach for this academic year.

She said: "As I understand it, they have returned to the approach that was applied prior to the pandemic, and the arrangements have returned to normal.”

Ms Gilruth added: “That is certainly my understanding of the approach they are taking this year."

The SQA said it was still to confirm its approach for grading this year, however. The body announced in March that coursework and exams for practical subjects that were removed from the assessment of National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers during the pandemic would return in 2023/24.

Ms Gilruth previously told The Scotsman she hoped there would be a “bespoke” approach in 2023/24 that “supports our young people, but also protects rigour within the system as well”.

She added: "I think that’s where we need to get back to. That’s what we had before the pandemic.”

Professor Lindsay Paterson, emeritus professor of education policy at Edinburgh University, warned in August the SQA faced a “real dilemma” over whether to return to pre-pandemic arrangements.

He said continuing to make assessments “easier” would risk “permanently depressing” standards, but returning to pre-Covid grading might be “unfair” on many pupils who suffered disruption at a younger age during the pandemic and teacher strikes.