Teacher '˜told' Higher pupils what was in exam paper

A teacher who helped set the Higher English exam is alleged to have told students what to expect and sparked the need for a replacement paper, it has been reported.

Picture: PA

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) sent the new paper to schools and exam centres a week before the exam earlier this month, amid fears the original had been leaked.

The exams agency is now carrying out an investigation, which the BBC alleges centres on a teacher involved in setting the initial paper and who may have given pupils too much information about it.

Its report alleges the teacher gave students possible topics and answers for the exam, sparking concerns the pupils could have an unfair advantage or could spread the details to others.

A spokesman for the SQA said: “We are continuing to conduct a detailed review of the circumstances around this year’s Higher English examination and it would be inappropriate to comment further until that process has been completed.”

At the time of the incident, the agency blamed the problem on an “isolated and external factor”.

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