Islands’ pupil highlights unfair exam moderation and raises her concerns with Deputy First Minister, John Swinney

Controversy over the moderation of exams has hit the headlines this week as pupils across the country claimed that they have been treated unfairly by the exams authority, SQA.

In the main, pupils across the Western Isles did well in their results with the region recording improvements in pupils’ attainment, however there were still areas of concern to be addressed.

Nationally concerns have emerged over the SQA system of moderation to adjust and set final grades for pupils after initial markings by teachers.

And this week the Comhairle’s Director of Education revealed that: “the moderation exercise this year has undoubtedly raised questions” for the authority, and that, “we have in a couple of schools got a couple of subject areas where we investigating further the awards.”

After the cancellation of exams this year, the SQA put in a place a system where teachers would award an initial grade to a pupil in a subject based on the teacher’s professional judgements and estimates along with analysis of past performance and ‘careful scrutiny’ of results across the country.

Nationally, the system of moderation came under-fire from opposition politicians as the results emerged.

Many pupils across Scotland had seen the original grades recommended by their teachers being down-graded, with only a small percentage seeing an up-lift in their initial grades.

The SQA’s system of moderation has also since faced allegations that it has disadvantaged pupils from poorer areas.

And in the Islands social media has provided a platform to air concerns about the moderation process with one pupil highlighting her work ethic and good grades from last year in comparison to the grades she received this year - much lower grades than had been predicted by her teachers.

The Islands’ pupil has now written a letter to Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney to set out her case and that of other pupils.

She goes on to point out the unfairness of the moderation system and calls for an investigation, as well as pupils having the option to see their results reviewed.

Earlier this week First Minister Nicola Sturgeon moved to defend the SQA’s moderation process, and said that without the moderation adjustment an increase in the pass rates of the poorest 20 per-cent of pupils of more than 19 per-cent would have been “unprecedented and therefore not credible”.

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, then said in a statement that the combination of teacher and lecturer judgement and SQA moderation meant “young people across Scotland can be sure that the qualifications they have gained this year have the same very high level of credibility and value as qualifications from previous years, and as such can command the same respect”.

Mr Swinney continued: “Whilst there should be confidence in this year’s awarding process and the qualifications gained as a result of it, further assurance will be provided by a free post-results appeal service.

He concluded that the appeals process was “an integral part” of the awarding process this year and that it is now open for schools or colleges to lodge appeals on behalf of pupils “where they believe there is appropriate and robust evidence to support the original grade estimate.”

In terms of local results, the Comhairle confirmed that pass rates for those achieving A-C passes at National 5 in S4 had increased by 1.4 per-cent to 89.2 per-cent, 8.1 per-cent higher than the national level.

A-C grade passes at Higher for S5 and S6 pupils also increased significantly, the Comhairle confirmed, up 2 per-cent to 80.6 per-cent. Presentations at Higher were up 6 per-cent  this year and A-C passes at Higher level were 1.7 per-cent above the national rate.

For Advanced Highers the Comhairle stated that after a small decrease in awards at Advanced Higher last year, an increase of 13 per-cent was recorded this year, with A-C passes jumping to nearly 93 per-cent - 8 per--cent higher than the national pass rate.