The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is considering a return to the exam appeals process in place before the Covid pandemic, after an evaluation revealed the process for challenging grades in 2022 increased teacher workload “substantially”, led to more assessment and was widely perceived as unfair.
However, the SQA has also highlighted feedback calling for the old service - known as the post-results service - to be “enhanced” to address concerns raised in the past about access to it.
The SQA said the final decision on what shape the 2023 appeals process will take would be announced “later this week”.
Since the coronavirus pandemic led to changes in the way pupils have been assessed - including the cancellation of national exams in 2020 and 2021 - different models for appealing results have been put in place in a bid to reflect the changing circumstances, with differing levels of success.
Before the pandemic, schools could request a clerical check or a marking review of a student’s exam papers to ensure marks were added up correctly and that marking was in line with the national standard. However, if the request resulted in no change in grade there was a charge and requests had to be made by schools.
Last year, that model was replaced and appeals were free, with assessment evidence collected by teachers throughout the year used to make the case for a grade change. Students also had a direct right of appeal instead of having to go through their schools.
The SQA, however, said in an update today that an evaluation of the success of the 2022 exam diet - which also looked at the success of the appeals process - has found the appeals service that was put in place last year increased teacher workload “substantially...owing to the need to gather and submit alternative evidence to SQA”.
It also said there was evidence that last year’s appeals process “led to an increase in the overall amount of assessment for learners” and “perceptions of unfairness, as it was not clear to practitioners or learners why evidence submitted to SQA did not lead to an improved grade”.
In 2022, students and schools were only able to make an appeal if the teacher estimate was higher than the final grade. Ultimately, 11 per cent of grades were queried but most appeals - around 70 per cent - were unsuccessful.
According to the SQA, the evaluation found “mixed views” about the preferred approach to appeals this year. One suggestion was that “the previous post-results service could be ‘enhanced’ to address some of the concerns raised in the past about access, by making it free and giving learners direct access”.
The SQA added: “Participants highlighted that the exceptional circumstances service could continue to provide an alternative evidence route for learners facing extenuating circumstances who require that option.”
SQA chief executive, Fiona Robertson, said: “Scotland has historically had services for learners who didn’t receive the results they were expecting. These services vary across different countries. In Scotland, as elsewhere, services have evolved over time in response to our experience.
“SQA is committed to taking an evidence-based approach to decision making. The views and experiences of learners, teachers, lecturers and parents and carers, captured through the 2022 evaluation, are supporting discussions about the system we put in place for 2023.”
Ms Robertson added: “At the heart of the plans will be the principles of fairness to all learners, safe and secure certification of qualifications while following the latest public health advice, and maintaining the integrity and credibility of the learners’ qualifications.”
According to the SQA, more than 3,500 students, teachers, lecturers, parents and carers have reflected on their experiences of national qualifications in a large-scale evaluation of the approach taken to awarding in 2022.
While some findings on appeals have been shared today, the full findings will not be published until the spring.
