EXAM grades for pupils at Beath and Lochgelly High Schools, who would have been facing Higher examinations in May under normal circumstances before these were cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis, are to be based on the estimates of teachers, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has announced.

The exam board issued information to schools and colleges this week regarding emergency arrangements for students studying National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.

Exams were cancelled for the first time last month after schools were closed by the Scottish Government as part of measures to control the spread of coronavirus.

David Farmer, of the Fife Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union, told the Times that students and parents should be "reassured" that teachers will use their best judgement when estimating grades.

Estimates will be made by teachers not just based on one prelim but a judgment based on work across the year.

The SQA will then check and validate that information and students will still get their results on August 4.

Mr Farmer said: "I think students and parents can be reassured that teachers will use their best judgement so what comes back in August will not be anyway off what they should have got in exams.

"In a normal year, teachers do put in estimates for students so that would have been done just before lockdown.

"There is not usually a great disparity to what teachers have predicted and exam results.

"I don't think the SQA will be swamped with appeals because teachers are estimating on students performances based on prelims, classwork and unit work, and students will know this too.

"Certainty has been taken away and I don't think there is any way around being anxious because of that.

"However, I think teachers are mindful of the circumstances and they will be fair-minded and as accurate as they can."

Mr Farmer added: "Some teachers say that the SQA proposals will increase workload but obviously these are not normal circumstances.

"They recognise that this is a very difficult time for students and they are committed to doing their very best."

The Deputy First Minister, John Swinney asked the SQA to develop an alternative certification model for 2020.

All of their work will be based on three broad principles:

  • Fairness to all learners
  • Safe and secure certification
  • Maintaining the integrity and credibility of the qualifications system to ensure that standards are maintained over time

A free appeals service will be available to schools and colleges, to allow them to request a review of the grade awarded for a learner or a group of learners.

Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said she fully understood that this is an "uncertain time" for learners as well as parents and careers.

She said: "Together with Scotland’s education system, SQA remains committed to delivering results to learners, in as fair a way as possible, at this exceptionally difficult time.

"We want to ensure that young people across Scotland get the results they deserve, so they can progress to further learning or work."

Full information can be found at https://www.sqa.org.uk