The balance of assessment used for senior phase pupils in
Scotland will change, with greater use of internal and continuous
assessment to award final grades.
Education Secretary announced the shift as part
of the Scottish Government's response to an independent Review of
Qualifications and Assessment (IRQA), which was led by Professor
Louise Hayward and published in June 2023.
In a statement to Parliament, Ms Gilruth confirmed that exams
will remain part of the overall approach to assessment, including
at National 5, while some more practical courses may not have
written exams in future.
The Education Secretary committed to ensuring that qualifications
reform is done in full partnership with teachers, pupils and
other professional bodies, with a secondary Headteacher to be
seconded to the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA), and its
replacement Qualifications Scotland (QS), to oversee that.
Ms Gilruth also confirmed that she will set out a renewed
national approach to improvement later this year, setting out
short, medium and longer term improvements for Scottish
education.
Ms Gilruth said:
"While exams will remain part of our approach, I have accepted
the independent review's recommendation that the balance of
assessment methods in the senior phase should change so there is
less reliance on high stakes final exams and internal and
continuous assessment contributing to a greater percentage of a
final grade.
"The actions on qualifications reform I am setting out seek to
achieve a balance between ambition and pragmatic action. Any
change needs to be focussed and deliverable given the resources
available to national and local government and to schools
themselves. This will build directly on the hard work, success
and creativity already evident in Scotland's schools.
"This pragmatic approach to evolving qualifications and
assessment will deliver a fair and credible system to enhance
learning and teaching and support better outcomes for young
people."
Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA) General
Secretary, Seamus Searson, said:
“The SSTA welcomes the Cabinet Secretary's statement on the
Government's response to the Hayward Review. The statement maps a
way forward in making the cultural changes required in secondary
schools in regard national qualifications and a teacher led
continuous assessment. Many SSTA members will be pleased to hear
there will be an element of external assessment at Nat 5 in the
short-term and that any future developments will be trialled and
piloted before implementation. The SSTA equally welcomes the
importance placed by the Cabinet Secretary on schoolteachers at
the centre and leading the changes necessary for creating an
education system for the future.”
Background
The Education Secretary's Parliamentary statement was delivered
in response to the Independent Review of
Qualifications and Assessment (IRQA) by Professor Louise
Hayward.
Scottish Government
Response To The Final Report Of The Independent Review of
Qualifications and Assessment – 'It's Our Future' - gov.scot
(www.gov.scot)
The SQA is consulting on whether written external examinations
should remain part of course assessment in more practical
subjects, such as National 5 Practical Woodworking and Fashion
and Textile Technology, with a view to any changes being brought
in for 2025/26.
