Pupils face chaos as exams are cancelled for the first time ever
EXAMS in Scotland’s schools have been cancelled for the first time ever as pupils face up to five months away from the classroom.
Schools and state nurseries will shut down today in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Ministers think they are not likely to reopen before the summer holidays.
In an unprecedented step, pupils will get grades based on a new ‘certification model’ that will be put in place by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
But it has sparked fears that pupils who perform best under the pressure of exams may be penalised – and could lead to an avalanche of appeals.
Some schools will remain partially open with a skeleton staff to look after vulnerable pupils and a small number of children of ‘key workers’, such as doctors, nurses, police officers and firefighters.
A definitive list of key workers will not be published by the Government, with councils and schools to make decisions.
But the vast majority of Scotland’s 2,004 primary schools and 358 secondary schools will be closed to the 700,000 pupils who normally attend them.
Announcing the move at Holyrood, Education Secretary John Swinney said: ‘In all of our history, Scotland has never cancelled the exams. Since 1888 they have been held every May or June, without fail. In the midst of two world wars the exams went ahead. It is a measure of the gravity of the challenge we now face that I must today announce the exams will not go ahead this year.’
The UK Government has also announced that schools in Engtheir
‘I know they will be very worried’
land will close today. Schools have already been shut down in countries across Europe.
Mr Swinney said scientific advice now indicated that closing schools will ‘help to suppress the spread of coronavirus’. He admitted the closures and the decision to cancel exams ‘will not be universally welcomed’ but insisted it was the most ‘robust’ option.
The SQA’s certification model will award grades based on coursework pupils have submitted, teacher assessment of their performance and prior attainment, such as performance in prelims.
The Education Secretary said: ‘Whilst the protection of life is our overriding priority here, we must do our upmost to ensure that the interests and life chances of our young people, due to sit exams from the end of April, are protected. Their achievements must be rightly and fairly recognised.
‘I want the 2020 cohort to hold
heads high and gain the qualifications and awards that they deserve, after many years of hard work.
‘I know they will be very worried by the situation they face and I want them to be assured we are doing all we can to deliver the best outcome for them.’ Pupils will still need to complete some coursework while schools are closed and ‘distance learning’ and online courses will be used, while weekly tasks will be emailed or delivered to parents by schools.
Mr Swinney said teachers will be required to submit assessments of grades, allowing pupils to know their grades by the planned exam results day of August 4.
He also admitted he ‘suspects’ that the academic year is likely to be over for older pupils. Asked on BBC Radio Scotland if the shutdown could even last as long as 18 months, he said: ‘I really hope we are not in that length of period but I can’t sit here and say in all honesty that I know the answer to your question. We are in a much more advanced position today about the delivery of education by means other than children attending school than we have been at any moment in our history.’
Private nurseries will not be forced to close but will be encouraged to prioritise vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers. Around £220million of funding has been guaranteed by the Scottish Government.
But most parents will face a childcare nightmare and may need to take extra time off work.
Joanna Murphy, of the National Parent Forum of Scotland, said: ‘It will be a challenge for many parents to balance work and childcare commitments once schools close, however we are reassured and encouraged by the Scottish Government’s commitment to keep schools open to support vulnerable children and the children of key workers.’
Conservative MSP Michelle Ballantyne raised concerns about the possible impact on pupils who ‘don’t pull their socks up’ until the last minute.
SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson said there would be a free post-results service to review grades. She added: ‘I fully appreciate that this will be an uncertain time for learners who have worked hard throughout the year and will now, with their families, be worried about what this means for them.
‘Everyone here at SQA will do their utmost, with the support of the education system, to ensure that their hard work is rightly and fairly recognised.’
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said: ‘The key issue now is to ensure that the efforts of pupils and young people are recognised appropriately, particularly for those who potentially are exiting formal education or who require certification as a passport to the next phase of study or employment. No young person should be disadvantaged as a result of the SQA diet being cancelled.’
Scottish Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘This is clearly a deeply worrying time for pupils, parents and those in the childcare and teaching industries, but the Scottish Government has our full support on this.
‘The decision to close schools is one of the most difficult any government can take and, while understandable and inevitable, it will have a lasting impact on the future of many young people.’
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