Expert warns of difficult choice ahead for SQA over return to pre-Covid exam standards

The qualifications body has taken a ‘sensitive approach’ to grading this year

A leading academic has warned that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) faces a “real dilemma” over whether assessments will continue to take account of disruption caused to pupils during the pandemic.

Professor Lindsay Paterson said there would be a tough choice in the coming years between continuing to make assessments “easier”, which he said would risk “permanently depressing” standards, or to return to pre-pandemic arrangements, which might be “unfair” on many pupils.

The Edinburgh University professor of education policy spoke to Scotland on Sunday ahead of SQA exam results day on Tuesday, when thousands of school pupils and college students will discover their grades.

Teenage Students In Uniform Sitting Examination In School Hall

This year, the SQA said it had recognised the continuing impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning and had again designed a “package of support”, which included modifications to course assessments, an exam exceptional circumstances service, a “sensitive approach” to grading and a direct appeals service.

The body has not provided details of its “sensitive approach” to grading, but has promised to explain further on Tuesday.

Prof Paterson said: "The SQA has kept in place this year (2022-23) the special arrangements for the first year of exams after Covid (2021-22).

"The aim was to compensate candidates for the disruption caused by Covid by making the assessments easier.

"Yet, at the same time, the Scottish Government has not put in place any special support to pupils to help recover from the Covid disruption, unlike the national tutoring scheme and the Oak national academy of curricular support in England.

"So any Scottish improvement in this year's results would be due to what schools and teachers have done despite Scottish Government inaction.

"On the other hand, if there is very little improvement since last year, then that shows the urgent need for more organised programmes of recovery from the Covid disruption.”

Prof Paterson believed the SQA would have a crucial decision to make as it begins to draw up plans for next year’s exams.

"For next year and after, the SQA faces a real dilemma,” he said.

"Do they still keep the special arrangements, on the grounds that next year's exam candidates were also disrupted by Covid in 2020 when they were just starting secondary school?

"That would risk permanently depressing the standards of the exams.

"Or do they return to normal arrangements, which might be unfair to these pupils for whom Covid and teacher strikes have had an very disruptive impact?"

An SQA spokesperson said: “Our focus over the coming days remains firmly on the learners about to receive their results on Tuesday morning.

"We confirmed earlier in the year coursework and exams that were removed due to the pandemic, would return for session 2023/24.

"SQA will continue to work closely with its partners throughout Scottish education over the coming session, and we will confirm the approach to grading we will take next year in due course.”

Scottish ministers announced that the SQA would be scrapped and replaced in the wake of a controversy over its handling of assessments when exams were cancelled during the pandemic, including a notorious algorithm which lowered many grades.

However, the legislation to establish a new qualifications body was recently delayed by the government.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “While the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic may have been less severe than in previous years, we absolutely recognise there has been a continued impact on students. The approach taken to this year’s qualifications takes this into account and the support offered has rightly evolved each year to reflect the latest circumstances.

“In addition to modifications, and the sensitive grading approach put in place by SQA, the Scottish Government provides £1.5 million in funding for the National e-Learning Offer. For senior phase pupils, this offers live year-long Study Support webinars, Easter Study Support webinars, thousands of recorded lessons by Scottish teachers across all curriculum areas, and access to nearly 25,000 supported resources to provide additional support for pupils.

“In addition, our investment in the Scottish Attainment Challenge gives headteachers the choice on how to enhance support for young people impacted by poverty. Over this course of this Parliamentary term, £1 billion additional funding will be provided.”