Scottish National 5 exams will be now CANCELLED in 2021 due to Covid – with teachers set to award grades for thousands of pupils instead
- Education Secretary John Swinney said ‘it would not be fair’ to press ahead
- The Scottish Government said the changes will halve the amount of exams
- It will also create space to push back Higher and Advanced Higher exams
Scotland’s National 5 exams have been scrapped for 2021 and will be replaced with coursework and teacher assessments.
Education Secretary John Swinney said ‘it would not be fair’ to press ahead with the exams because of the disruption to learning during the pandemic.
He also said that axing the tests would halve the amount of exams taking place and help to ‘lower public health risks’.
It will also create space in the timetable to push back Higher and Advanced Higher exams, which will now begin two weeks later on May 13.
His announcement came shortly after Nicola Sturgeon’s decree for all pubs and restaurants across the country’s central belt to shut from Friday as she ramps up her war on the resurgent virus.
Education Secretary John Swinney (pictured today with Nicola Sturgeon) said ‘it would not be fair’ to press ahead with the exams because of the disruption to learning by the pandemic
John Swinney (pictured in Holyrood yesterday) insisted an algorithm would not be used in the pupils’ assessment
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney said: ‘Due to the level of disruption already caused by Covid, and due to the likely disruption faced by some or all pupils and students this academic year, a full exam diet is simply too big a risk. It would not be fair.’
He added: ‘Given the real risk of further disruption to education, it would not be sensible or fair to plan for a full exam diet in 2021. Coronavirus has not gone away. If anything, it is making a comeback.’
The Scottish Education Secretary insisted an algorithm would not be used in the pupils’ assessment.
Instead National 5 awards will be based on up to four pieces of work per subject that will be formally graded by teachers.
Mr Swinney said: ‘By replacing National 5 exams, we can hold an exam diet for Highers and Advanced Highers if public health guidance allows – these are the qualifications most pupils leave schools with that determine paths into work, college, or university.
‘None of us can predict the coming weeks and months, so clear contingency plans are being developed should, for public health reasons, the exams have to be replaced.
‘In those circumstances and only if necessary, we will award Higher and Advanced Higher grades based on teacher judgement, supported by SQA quality assurance, taking account of assessment evidence.’