As fifth-year students at Elgin High School, we would like to register our disappointment at the decision to discontinue the winter diet of examinations.We are all appalled to hear that the two-year pilot has been cancelled after only one year. With only one year’s trial, there has not been enough time to allow the diet to succeed or fail.
We, along with many other pupils in our school year, felt this exam was ideal for ourselves and other students in the same situation. We have planned to continue with Higher English next year, and we believe it is unnecessary and inconvenient to repeat a whole course and units in which we have already achieved Higher grades.
We have planned our 2002-2003 course to suit the winter exams which we were informed would be available to us. Now to be told that the goalposts have been moved is very disappointing, as our course intentions are disrupted.
With the premature abandonment after only one year of testing, having been promised a minimum of two, we believe that the Scottish Executive has cheated current fifth - year students of the chance to take the winter diet, and denied us around four months to focus on other subjects.We hope the Executive re-evaluates its decision.
Nina Roberts and 20 students Elgin High
