‘Teachers’ fears over exams were ignored’

TEACHERS have criticised a national audit of readiness for Scotland’s new exams, accusing it of ignoring their concerns about the new qualifications.

Education Scotland yesterday published the findings of its “deep audit” into the level of preparedness for the new National Qualifications, concluding that delivery of the exams was on track, with no need for a delay.

However, the country’s two largest teaching unions said the exercise had shown a “depressing” lack of interest in the views of teachers, many of whom warn that schools are not ready to implement the qualifications.

Part of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), the Nationals will replace Standard Grades and Intermediates when they are introduced in Scotland’s schools next year. East Renfrewshire Council, which is home to some of the country’s best-performing state schools, has already said it will delay the introduction of the new exams by a year to give teachers more time to prepare.

Education Scotland said its audit had failed to identify any other schools or individual subject departments which had requested a similar delay. However, it said of 367 secondary schools in Scotland, it had identified 21 departments making “limited progress”. It refused to name the schools concerned.

Dr Bill Maxwell, chief executive of Education Scotland, said: “Evidence shows that secondary schools are making good progress for the new National Qualifications. We are engaged in a process of major change in the secondary curriculum and change always produces challenges, but the picture I am seeing is of a highly professional workforce of teachers and school leaders responding positively to that challenge and making effective use of the increasing amount of support and guidance available.”

But Larry Flanagan, the general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, said: “The superficial nature of the consultation in most authorities and schools tells a deeply depressing story about how little the voice of the classroom teacher is listened to.”

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, added: “The SSTA has raised repeated concerns about the shallowness of this so-called deep audit. We have numerous examples of councils who failed to consult with classroom teachers.”

However, the Scottish Parent Teacher Council said in a statement: “It is positive that delay to the introduction of the new qualifications appears to be off the agenda, as most parents we have had contact with made it clear they want no delay.”

The facts

The National Qualifications will be introduced into Scotland’s schools next year, with pupils sitting their exams in 2014.

The National 4 will replace Standard Grade (General level) and Intermediate 1, while National 5 will replace Standard Grade (Credit level) and Intermediate 2.

While Standard Grades will be discontinued, Intermediates will continue to be offered for a further year. This has allowed East Renfrewshire, which dropped Standard Grades altogether in 2005, to delay its introduction of the Nationals by 12 months.

The new qualifications are part of the so-called “Senior Phase” of Curriculum for Excellence, for pupils aged 15-18.

Despite recently published guidance, many in the profession are concerned about a lack of detail over course content.