Teachers have made a plea for more time to process the expected “tsunami” of appeals following the return to normal National and Higher exams.
West Lothian Council is backing teaching union calls with exams due to start in April for pupils.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has decided to press ahead with exams starting in just over a month, despite schools seeing a surge in Covid cases, with pupils and teachers absent.
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Heather Hughes, the local secretary of the EIS Scotland’s largest teaching union, won agreement from the council’s education executive to write to the Scottish Government making a case to give staff extra time.
The EIS has already written with its demands to the Scottish Government.
Mrs Hughes asked the executive to back the union and submit its own plea.
She said: “With the spike we have in Covid cases just now hitting the schools we are expecting a real tsunami of appeals. Teachers will not have time to process these appeals in the very short window given.”
Interim head of secondary schools Catrina Hatch said: “We would be happy to do that if the education executive wishes to take that forward. There is a definite possibility for an increase in appeals.”
It was one of several concerns the union aired as the SQA revealed an exams timetable that will run from 26 April to 1 June 2022.
Pupils will receive their results on Tuesday 9 August 2022.
A range of support measures have also been put in place to help pupils affected by Covid, including revision materials and classes and a framework for a broader scope for appeals.
Plans are in place for Easter revision in schools during the holidays in the first two weeks of April.
Schools are planning for the majority of sessions in person, in response to pupil feedback. Some virtual sessions will also run where appropriate, which will complement the national e-learning supports available. Schools will also record sessions, where possible, and make these available afterwards to pupils as a revision resource.
Transport will be laid on to take pupils to and from schools for these holiday classes.
A report to the executive stressed: “If changes to public health advice mean that exams can no longer be safely held, SQA will ask teachers and lecturers to use their professional judgement of assessment evidence to determine pupils' grades. This professional judgement would be based on ongoing evidence gathered over the course of the school year.”
The EIS raised questions about the Easter programme as well as the appeals process. Specifically Mrs Hughes was concerned about the range of support in subjects available across the 11 high schools in West Lothian.
Mrs Hatch assured the EIS that : “At the moment our schools are not reporting that they have any concerns. We have been very very pleased with the commitment of our staff.”
Mrs Hughes asked if the numbers of pupils who had missed classes because of Covid could be accommodated with places for the Easter revision process.
Education officer, Ali Lewis, who delivered the report, said anyone who signs up will be able to get access to revision spaces.
Mrs Hughes said: “ Additional support in some subjects has been absolutely excellent. Has West Lothian indicated to the SQA that in some subjects it is absolutely not appropriate, actually insulting to the profession. Not what we were promised, or expected, in some areas of the curriculum?”
Ms Lewis said : “We have ongoing dialogue with the SQA. There are some positive but also as you’ve indicated, some concerns about the quality of support that has been put forward by the SQA and that has been communicated to them on behalf of West Lothian Council. “
Dr Elaine Cook, depute chief executive responsible for education said that she and fellow directors from other local authorities had had a “ very robust conversation” with the Scottish Government with exactly similar thoughts to those raised by the EIS regarding how inconsistent and poor some of the extra information given to schools had been.
