Pupil exam results downgraded despite appeal bids

Thirteen pupils in Scotland had their exam results downgraded last year after submitting an appeal.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority confirmed that 3,483 appeals were submitted for Higher and National 5 results.

But it confirmed only 44 upgrades were awarded for 2020/21.

Grades were based on teacher judgements after exams were cancelled for the second year running due to the Covid pandemic.

In June, education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told MSPs downgrading was "exceptionally rare".

Only one person had their result downgraded in 2019 from 11,138 appeals - more than treble the total submitted last year.

This compares with seven from 13,063 appeals in 2018 and eight in 2017 from 13,998 submissions.

SQA chief executive Fiona Robertson said: "This was another very challenging year for the whole Scottish education system, who together with learners, parents and carers, worked hard to ensure the Alternative Certification Model was credible and fair and enabled learners to receive the qualifications they deserved."

Ms Robertson, who is also the country's chief examining officer, said the vast majority of students did not challenge their grades.

But she added: "It was important that a free, direct right of appeal was made available to learners as the final essential part of the alternative certification model.

"This was a major change from previous years and a direct response to the national consultation we conducted."

In an interview with BBC Scotland in August Ms Robertson defended the replacement system.

She also insisted teachers had flexibility about how assessment evidence was gathered and in determining grades.

The SQA said the appeals came from a total of 519,429 entries and the vast majority, 3,265, were made on the grounds of academic judgement.

The others were made on the grounds of discrimination (188) or an unresolved administrative error (30).

The authority said 15 appeals on the grounds of discrimination were still under consideration and had not been included in the figures.

Students were permitted to submit a free appeal from 25 June and they were processed with the support of schools, colleges and training providers after results were received in August.

As there were no exams, any evidence supplied in support of an appeal request was considered closely by SQA-appointed teachers and lecturers who reviewed materials against the broad assessment requirements of the course.

The starting point for the review was that the judgements of schools, colleges, and training providers were "fair and within acceptable tolerances".

Only where there was deemed to be a "significant and material difference" was a change in grade recommended.

In June it was announced the SQA is to be replaced as part of a "substantial" overhaul of education following an independent review.

And in October the Scottish government confirmed it would reform the system of school assessments - but would not be scrapping traditional exams altogether.