Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 09 December 2020
Yesterday, I outlined to the Parliament that plans for the 2021 exams have been updated in the light of the continuing disruption to young people’s education caused by the coronavirus. I highlighted that higher and advanced higher exams will not now go ahead and that grades will instead be awarded on the basis of teachers’ judgment of evidence of learner attainment. The assessment model, details of which were published yesterday, will be based on that which is already agreed for national 5 awards, although there will be adaptations for the higher and advanced higher requirements.
That model has been developed by a group led by the SQA but involving local authorities, professional associations, the college sector and Education Scotland to make sure of an important element that lies at the heart of answering almost all the questions that Mr Greene has raised in his speech—that this approach is supported and endorsed by the whole education system and can be delivered as a consequence of that agreement.
Having taken that decision, we can now provide certainty to the education system and time to ensure that appropriate alternative processes can be implemented. This is the safest and fairest way to ensure that pupils’ achievements are recognised in the difficult circumstances that we find ourselves in.
The proposals recognise the reality of the disruption that many pupils have already had to their learning, through having to self-isolate to learn from home or as a result of school closures. The proposals also recognise that, although we hope that the public health situation will improve, we cannot guarantee that there will be no further disruption to learning in the period that lies ahead.
In coming to these decisions, there has been significant engagement with everyone involved. Following on from my announcement yesterday, I reiterate our on-going commitment to listening to the views of others to ensure that all the decisions that are taken are as balanced and as fair as possible.
In recognition of the additional workload of assessment of national qualifications in 2021, I am making provision for additional resource to meet the requirements of the new assessment approach. It is important that, as part of the exercise, there is adequate opportunity to ensure early support for moderation practices within individual schools. As we work through the steps, which are all outlined in the model that was published yesterday, there will be adequate opportunity for members of the teaching profession to be engaged in dialogue and discussion about the standards that are expected in each of the qualifications and to ensure that the assessment of the work undertaken by young people at a local level, which will be structured around the assessment modules that are provided by the SQA, enables consistency of judgment to be applied in every part of the country.