SQA revision support is ‘patronising and useless’, say teachers and experts

The newly published guide includes advice such as ‘remember to spell words correctly’.

Fiona Robertson said the support documents for pupils sitting exams were part of a ‘substantial package of additional support for learners’ (Fraser Bremner/Scottish daily Mail/PA) (PA Archive)

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has been accused of another “unacceptable shambles” after the botched release of widely mocked revision support for pupils ahead of their exams.

Revision guidance for National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher exams was made available on Tuesday and was described by SQA boss as the “fairest and best way” to help children in the tests while “maintaining the integrity, credibility and standard of the qualifications”.

But the SQA has apologised after the support, which should have been issued to schools, pupils and teachers on Tuesday, was actually published online on Monday evening.

The content of the support has also faced criticism for being “patronising and useless” by teachers, pupils and politicians, with mockery about some of the basic advice being given to pupils.

We genuinely we may well be at the stage where this compounding collection of disdain for young people, contempt for teachers and sheer outright incompetence means that this is not a problem that can be fixed

James McEnaney, teacher

Exams have been cancelled in each of the previous two years in response to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but the SQA has said there is a “clear intention” for exams to take place from April to June.

In subjects where pupils will sit tests, the support includes some detail of content that will or will not be in the exam and details of “significant modifications” to exams and assessments.

Exam technique advice includes suggestions such as “follow the instructions in the question paper carefully”, “you should spend more time on a 12-mark question than you do on an eight-mark one” and “think before you start writing”.

Physics pupils preparing for their Higher exams have been told: “It’s always a good idea to spell words correctly. An incorrectly spelled word may make your answer unclear or ambiguous.”

Fiona Robertson, SQA chief executive, said: “These revision materials and guidance are part of SQA’s commitment to providing a substantial package of additional support for learners, which includes significant modifications to this year’s exams and assessments, as they make the final preparations for their exams.

“The measures are the fairest and best way we can help support all learners, while also maintaining the integrity, credibility and standard of the qualifications.”

Scottish Labour’s education spokesman, Michael Marra, is calling for Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, to respond to questions about the situation at Holyrood on Tuesday.

He tweeted: “I have submitted an Urgent Question today regarding the latest unacceptable shambles from the @sqanews.

Pupils and teachers deserve answers from the Government and @S_A_Somerville must take responsibility.

“Once more, the SQA shows contempt for those it is meant to serve.”

Education author and former secondary school teacher, James McEnaney, who now teaches English to college students, said the support was “another complete and abject failure” by the SQA.

“What they have managed to release is something even worse than anyone was expected. It’s astonishing,” he said.

Criticising the appeals process that prevents pupils from challenging grades if they get their predicted grade, Mr James McEnaney told the PA news agency: “The best thing that could probably happen now would be the restrictions around the appeals process to be removed so that genuinely anybody can appeal.

“Another thing would be to produce proper exam support material – the kind of thing that was promised.

“A couple of subjects – maths and business studies – have got lots of detail. Everybody else has basically got nothing.

“Maybe the thing to do is try try to equalise that, but that would involve trusting the SQA doing their job and they have demonstrated that they are not a competent organisation.

“We genuinely we may well be at the stage where this compounding collection of disdain for young people, contempt for teachers and sheer outright incompetence means that this is not a problem that can be fixed.

“I hate it because I’m a teacher and want to help students, but I I don’t see any way to make exams this year fair.”

Science teacher, Paul Walker, tweeted: “Ok, on a scale of 0-10, when 10 was a massively helpful document with swathes of perfectly worded definitions and examples, and 0 was the least helpful document I imagined getting, the SQA support document for Physics is -3.

“There is *nothing* in it which is of use. NOTHING.”

Scottish Conservative education spokesman, Oliver Mundell, said: “Pupils and parents have been left feeling patronised by the SQA’s so-called revision guides.

“These were meant to help kids after months of missed learning, and two years of botched exams by the SQA – but it’s little wonder some have branded them useless, when some of the advice is so basic.

“Suggestions that pupils check their spelling is not what the SNP promised would be in these guides, and will not help those struggling with their revision.

“Our schoolkids have lost trust in the exams board after suffering at the hands of the SQA for so long. It is time the SNP took responsibility for the SQA’s catalogue of catastrophes and reformed their failing quango.”

Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer said: “This support from the SQA is woefully inadequate. The documents should be withdrawn and immediately revised. It is insulting to issue senior pupils with advice as meaningless as ‘try to answer every question you are asked’.

“After so much disruption throughout this term, these study guides should have made clear which topic areas would and would not come up in exams.

“Students should have been given the information required to focus both their revision and any catch-up learning still needed after periods of Covid-related absence.

“Instead, many of these guides are full of bland platitudes and the kind of basic advice already being issued by schools and colleges. Extra support was needed, extra support was promised but that is not what the qualifications agency has delivered.”