SQA exam plans may be illegal
Scotland’s equality regulator has raised concerns with the SQA’s proposals to 'moderate' pupil's grades based on their school’s previous performance, prompting fears the plans could be illegal.
Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson Ross Greer MSP challenged the SQA on the issue at Parliament’s Education Committee, highlighting the exam body’s failure to adequately asses the equality impact of its proposal.
Ross Greer MSP said:
"The SQA told me, on the record, that they were working with the EHRC to ensure this year's grading system is fair. Now we know that's far from the real story. The EHRC were actually so concerned the SQA were failing to comply with equality law that they had to get in touch, reminding them of their legal obligations.
“The SQA's current plans could see pupils' grades lowered for no other reason than the school they go to. This is clearly an inequality issue, so the SQA is required to thoroughly assess the impact it will have on already disadvantaged young people and fully publish their findings."