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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Kirsty Feerick

SQA confirm grades will be changed without consulting Scots schools first

SQA has confirmed pupil grades will be changed without consulting their schools.

The Scottish Qualifications Agency admitted they may fail pupils who had been submitted a pass grade by their teacher.

It comes as the group confessed they have no plans to contact schools or publish their methods.

SQA chief Fiona Roberston confirmed the system could see pupils marked up or down because of the past performances, no matter how hard they have worked.

(AFP via Getty Images)

This could see pupils’ whose teacher has submitted a pass grade receive a fail instead, without the teacher or school having been informed or consulted.

Responding, Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said:

“The SQA are undermining not only the professional judgement of teachers but the hard work of pupils with this secret moderation process.

"They are treating young people as statistics, not as individual learners.

“Applying a system that penalises pupils who go to schools in deprived communities is bad enough, but to do so in secret is utterly unacceptable.

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"Teachers will now be faced with having to understand for themselves why the grade they submitted has been altered, as well as the methodology of the system used to alter it, all just days before schools return for the new term and with a huge volume of additional work expected of them if they and their pupil wish to appeal the SQA’s decision.

“Parliament’s Education Committee have now repeatedly told the SQA to publish the details of this grading system, to show us the Equality Impact Assessment they are legally required to conduct and to engage with schools and teachers before altering the grades they have submitted.

"They have made clear their intentions to do none of this.

"Confidence in the SQA relies on fairness and transparency, but many teachers, pupils and parents feel they are not being treated with respect.”

From SQA Chief Executive Fiona Robertson’s letter to the Education & Skills Committee, 30th June:

"We have considered the matter very carefully, including further discussions with our Board of Management and we have concluded that it will not be possible to include engagement with schools and colleges within the moderation process."

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