Mixed reaction to exam cancellations from the unions and parents

There has been a mixed reaction from unions and parents groups to the news that next year’s National 5 exams have been scrapped.

In an address to the Scottish Parliament this af ternoon, Education Secretary John Swinney confirmed that the National 5 qualifications e xams would not go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The decision, which will effect around 80,000 pupils across Scotland, means that the results will instead be based on course work and teacher assessments.

The H igher and Advanced Higher exams are still expected to take place “as long as public hea l th gu idan ce allows it”.

Jo Bisset, organiser for parent group UsForThem Scotland, was highly critical of the decision – one which she believes will have a “significant impact” on pupils.

In a statement she said: “Parents will be furious at this move, which is going to have a significant impa c t on ten s of thousands of children.

“They will not accept the excuses given by the Scottish Government, who will have had 14 months to ge t these exams to go ahead by the time May comes along.

“It’s all very well saying Highers and Advanced Highers will still go ahead, but that’s no good to pupils who leave school after National 5s.

“These are often young s te r s f rom d i s a d v a n t a g e d backgrounds who were already facing a tough future in this economic climate.

“No w they will be hampered even further by not sitting what would have been a final exam.”

However Scotland’s largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scot land (EIS) , welcomed the clarity that came with Swinney ’s announcement but warned that lessons should be learned from this year’s results U-turn.

General Secretary Larr y Flanagan said: “Teachers and pupils are already working towards next year’s award.”