Inability to appeal exam grades is a fundamental denial of candidate’s right

SIR,

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) – Scotland’s exams’ authority – released the results of the Scottish Highers on August 4. The A-Level results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland will follow on August 13 while the Irish Leaving Cert results won’t be available until September 7. All results are estimated or calculated this year because of Covid-19.

Of the 511,070 grades submitted by Scottish teachers, 124,564 were decreased by the SQA. That is about 25 per cent of all grades. Candidates from schools in the most deprived areas of Scotland suffered grade reduction far in excess of candidates from upper income families. This has led to allegations that SQA assessed the school not the candidate and that the SQA treated teachers’ professional judgment with contempt.

SQA is being inundated with appeals. The standard appeal fee of £39.95 per subject for fast-track appeals has been waived and SQA has promised to process all appeals submitted by August 14, in time for UCAS – the British CAO – to confirm university places.

A huge backlash is expected from candidates and parents when the A-Level results are released on Thursday amid fears that disadvantaged students will be unfairly downgraded by statistical moderation.

In the Irish calculated grade system, there is no entitlement this year to appeal the grade awarded, only the paper trail leading to the grade awarded.

This is a fundamental denial of a candidate’s right to due process. The civil right of a candidate to appeal exam grades is a long-established principle in Irish exams. It’s a grave injustice to deny candidates that option this year.

The Department of Education and Skills must urgently expand the calculated grades appeal process to include a re-examination of the grade awarded. It must follow the Scottish example and provide a fast-track grade appeal process, free of charge, for all candidates who wish to avail of it, Sincerely,

Billy Ryle

Spa

Tralee