SNP TO SCRAP NEXT YEAR’S EXAMS

Virus forces National 5s to be abandoned

EXAMS are set to be scrapped for tens of thousands of Scottish pupils next year in a radical bid to prevent a repeat of the SNP’s grades fiasco.

Education Secretary John Swinney is poised to announce that due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, National 5 examinations for next year will be cancelled – although Highers and Advanced Highers will go ahead.

The plan would see around 80,000 pupils awarded their certificates on the basis of coursework only. With teachers and pupils desperate for clarity over qualifications, Mr Swinney is expected to make the announcement before schools break

up for the October holidays. The proposals are under ‘serious consideration’ as First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon is set to announce a ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown for Scotland as early as tomorrow.

She said on Friday that positive cases north of the Border had risen to

4.4 per cent of new virus tests.

While Mr Swinney and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) had previously intended to hold a full exam diet next year, rising cases of Covid-19 make that seem unlikely.

A well-informed source said: ‘Serious consideration is being given to not having National 5 exams but potentially going ahead with Highers and Advanced Highers.

‘The Scottish Government would want to avoid cancelling exams at short notice and not having something to fall back on.’

Coronavirus laid waste to Scottish education this year with all exams cancelled. Mr Swinney ordered the SQA to find a way to grade pupils and these were based largely on teacher estimates.

But when this year’s results were announced, it emerged that 124,000 grades had been lowered by an algorithm. The ‘moderation’ process affected around 75,000 youngsters.

Mr Swinney swiftly abandoned the process and said grades would be based on teachers’ recommendations.

Two reviews are due to be published at the end of the month – one by the SQA and another by Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University, who delivered a draft report to the Scottish Government last week. The source added: ‘It would be a high-risk strategy for the Scottish Government to wait and see how things are next year. They will want to balance the risks in some way.’

Scottish Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘Teachers are desperately waiting for guidance about what lessons should look like this academic year. Mr Swinney needs to urgently clarify how National 5s will be assessed if those exams are to be scrapped and how Highers and Advanced Highers will be fairly graded.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Our ambition is to run a 2021 examination diet, however there remains a risk of further disruption. John

Swinney will provide clarity on the next steps before the October break.’