The Children and Education Minister promised in a parliamentary written answer that the review would cover “the impact of Higher Still on teaching and learning, on the curriculum, on the workloads of teaching staff and students, on assessment both internal and external, and staff development and other support provided to schools and colleges”.

The content would not be fixed because the Executive wanted feedback from those affected.

“This review provides us with the opportunity to learn the lessons from the past year, to identify those areas where improvement is required, and to ensure that the Higher Still programme goes from strength to strength.”

Although he wants the report published in the autumn, Mr Galbraith unusually committed himself in advance to extend the deadline “in order to conduct this important survey and ensure that the review is comprehensive, balanced, representative and objective”.

Ministers have acknowledged the teething problems by agreeing to postpone the full introduction of the new Higher English courses for a second year.

Letters, page 2