Green light on exam delay

SCHOOLS are to be allowed to delay the introduction of a new national exam linked to the Curriculum for Excellence.

Education Secretary Mike Russell announced the concession amid concerns that more time is needed to train teachers for the new courses and that they face an “unmanageable workload”.

He also unveiled a new £3.5 million package of extra support to help schools prepare for the new exams.

In a letter to the Scottish Parliament’s education committee, he said after detailed discussions with teaching unions, he had agreed that if a school or department was “not sufficiently on track” for the new National 4 and 5 exams, and it was in the best interests of its young people, it may consider the option of switching to Intermediate exam for the current S2 cohort.

He said parents and pupils would be informed of any such decision to delay before the end of the summer term.