‘Disturbing’ SQA system fails results day test
Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP has slammed the Scottish Qualifications Authority for the "disturbing and grossly unequal" results of its grading system, calling for the exams authority to appear before Parliament immediately to explain what has happened.
The West Scotland MSP, who has led criticism of the SQA over its lack of transparency and refusal to publish details of its moderation system until today, has warned that the inevitable volume of appeals will significantly increase teacher workload just days before schools are due to reopen.
Mr Greer has been contacted by teachers from across the country who are distressed and upset by the changes the SQA have made to the grades they submitted, noting a particular pattern of massive changes at schools in more deprived communities. The Scottish Greens have warned since April of the effects the SQA’s moderation system on the attainment gap, warnings which appear to have been confirmed today.
Ross Greer MSP said:
“Teachers and pupils should not hesitate to appeal these huge changes from the grades they submitted. I have been contacted by senior staff at schools who have seen over 90% of their Higher and Advanced Higher grades changed, almost all lowered and in every one of these cases the school has been in a deprived community.
"How can the SQA say the system is based on teacher judgement when in some schools they have ignored almost every professional judgement that teachers have made?
“Pupils are having their futures disadvantaged and it seems to be for no other reason than they school they go to. This is frankly disturbing and grossly unequal. The Scottish Greens warned that this would happen but the SQA and Scottish Government refused to listen.
“I have already proposed that the SQA come before Parliament’s Education Committee immediately to explain their system and the secrecy they have shrouded it in until today.
“The Education Secretary also has questions to answer. He must clarify exactly why he has allowed the SQA to do this, and how exactly he will resource schools and colleges to undertake the huge amount of appeals that will inevitably result from this flawed system. Closing the attainment gap between our most and least disadvantaged young people is supposed to be this government’s top priority. Sadly, the opposite has been allowed to happen today.”