By Michael Blackley Scottish Political Editor Fury of parents over threat to 2021 exams

EXAMS are in danger of being disrupted in schools for a second year in a row, ministers have confirmed.

The Scottish Government said it was considering ‘changes to course assessment’ and admitted there remains a ‘risk of further disruption for learners and schools’ over the continuing crisis.

It followed reports that National 5 exams may be dropped altogether next year, while Highers may be scaled back.

Insiders also told the Mail that they are worried about how the current resurgence of Covid-19 will make it difficult to commit to a normal exams programme.

Education Secretary John Swinney is due to give an update on his plans before next month’s school holidays – although opponents are now urging him to set out his proposals to MSPs tomorrow.

Mr Swinney faced an outcry over the decision to downgrade 124,000 pupils based on the past performance of their school following the cancellation of this year’s exams.

This was eventually reversed and results were based instead on ‘teacher assessment’.

One option being proposed by education bosses is that tens of thousands of pupils would be awarded certificates based on coursework alone for National 5s.

Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘Going ahead with exams must be plan A. Nobody is pretending it will be easy, but it must be our central goal to give pupils a return to as much normality as possible. And if the virus does impact plan A, we also need credible contingency plans, which we didn’t have this year.’

Mr Swinney’s proposals will be informed by the findings of a review into this year’s exam fiasco, conducted by Stirling University professor of education Mark Priestley and expected by the end of this month. A report by the Scottish Qualifications Authority on the future of exams is also imminent.

According to the Sunday Times, one insider said cancelling National 5s would be a ‘least-worst option’, while Higher exams could be retained but ‘based on a shorter school year with fewer areas of some subjects being covered’.

Mr Swinney is expected to consider the current rise in infections when setting out his plans. A source said: ‘Are you telling me that on a given day next spring you can put tens of thousands of school pupils in exam halls?’

The UsForThem Scotland parents group has told Mr Swinney youngsters cannot afford a repeat of the exams chaos. It added: ‘It is completely unfair to leave children who have already endured so much hanging in this way.’

The Scottish Greens, however, called for the exam programme for next year to be cancelled.

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

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

‘Completely unfair to children’