‘We should not have exams this year’ – head teacher fears for pupils

UNPRECEDENTED Covid disruption could rob young people starting exams this week of deserved grades, fears the head teacher of one of Scotland’s biggest secondary schools.

No S4, S5 or S6 pupil starting the crucial tests this week has ever sat a formal exam – and Ronnie Ross says this school year has suffered the greatest disruption.

The Levenmouth Academy head teacher believes exams should have been cancelled for a third time, following high rates of absence among pupils and teachers.

Exams were cancelled in 2020, when this year’s S6 cohort was preparing for National 5s in S4, and again 2021.

Mr Ross said: “I don’t think we should have had exams this year.

“This year has been the most disruptive of all the Covid years because of pupil absence and illness.

“There were days when we had 25 members of teaching staff off (out of 112), and that’s disruptive to learning and teaching.”

The number of young people seeking help within his Fife school for stress and anxiety has increased significantly, he said, some of them worried about how they will cope in the tests which will determine their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher grades.

He said: “I worry that this year, because of the amount of disruption there’s been throughout the year, young people will not get the results I would hope they would get.”

In an attempt to mitigate the disruption, modifications have been made by the Scottish Qualifications Authority to coursework, assessment and exams, with revision support including guidance on content of exam papers.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We understand this can be an anxious time for learners.

“Significant modifications have been made to exams and coursework to take account of Covid disruption.

“Pupils have been able to access a comprehensive package of study and revision support.”

Exams are taking place for the first time since 2019.