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From YouTube: Ministerial Statement: Assessment of SQA National Qualifications in 2020-21 - BSL - 7 October 2020
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Ministerial Statement: Assessment of SQA National Qualifications in 2020-21 - BSL
A
B
President
officer,
as
we've
just
heard
from
the
first
minister,
further
restrictions
are
now
necessary
in
order
to
bring
our
back
below
one,
stop
the
virus
running
out
of
control
and
to
save
lives.
This
is
not,
however,
a
return
to
the
spring.
We
are
not
closing
schools
instead.
Keeping
them
open
is
the
priority.
B
We
all
know
just
how
disruptive
covert
19
is
to
the
awarding
of
national
qualifications.
We
found
ourselves
in
a
position
where
schools
had
closed
with
very
little
time
to
prepare
coursework
was
either
incomplete
or
inaccessible
and,
of
course,
the
exams
could
not
go
ahead.
There
was
no
ready-made
solution.
We
saw
that
from
the
fact
that
the
rest
of
the
united
kingdom
faced
similar
difficulties,
but
in
setting
out
our
solution,
the
fact
is
that
we
did
not
get
it
right
for
all
young
people
we
apologized
and
we
acted
to
fix
the
situation
this
year.
B
B
Finally,
we
simply
don't
know
what
spring
and
summer
will
look
like
in
terms
of
the
public
health
position.
But
what
we
can
do
is
three
things
we
can
learn
from
last
year.
We
can
consult
our
teachers
and
educationalists
and
we
can
listen
to
the
experts
in
the
design
of
awarding
systems
and
every
decision
we
take.
We
can
hold
fast
our
shared
aim
to
build
an
approach
that
recognises
the
hard
work
of
individual
pupils
fairly
and
consistently.
B
It
must
be
an
approach
that
does
not
place
undue
burdens
on
them
or
in
scotland's
teachers,
and
it
has
to
be
an
approach
that
has
the
confidence
of
the
public
of
employers
and
of
the
rest
of
the
education
system.
That
is
what
we've
been
doing
over
recent
weeks
and
I
can
now
set
out
to
parliament
the
progress
we
have
made
and
the
conclusions
that
we
have
reached.
B
We
have
sought
to
learn
from
last
year,
as
I
set
out
previously
to
parliament.
I
commissioned
two
key
pieces
of
work.
I
asked
the
oecd
to
extend
the
scope
of
their
review,
of
curriculum
for
excellence
to
include
the
question
of
the
role
exams
should
play
in
a
modern
educational
system
that
what
will
go
forward
in
the
coming
months,
but
to
con
inform
the
coming
year.
I
asked
professor
mark
prieste
to
carry
out
an
independent
review.
B
Looking
at
events
following
the
cancellation
of
the
examination
diet,
professor
priestley
has
submitted
his
report
and
recommendations,
and
I
want
to
thank
him
and
his
team
at
stirling
university
for
their
excellent
work
and
in
particular
for
the
pace
at
which
they
have
completed
it.
We
have
also
consulted
widely
presenting
officer
the
sq
set
out
its
initial
proposals
on
modifications
to
assessments
in
2021.
B
It
is
fair
to
say
they
have
never
seen
a
more
extensive
response.
Thousands
of
individual
submissions
were
received,
and
I
want
to
thank
everyone
who
took
the
time
to
engage
with
that
work.
I
have
personally
consulted
with
young
people,
including
with
pupils
in
the
senior
phase,
who
I
spent
valuable
time
in
discussion.
B
Despite
the
virus,
attendance
remains
around
93
for
pupils,
the
additional
safety
measures
and
mitigations,
which
we
recommended,
and
teachers
and
staff
of
work,
so
hard
to
put
in
place,
are
working
well.
This
has
been
confirmed
by
the
health
and
safety
executive
who
have
now
engaged
with
more
than
500
schools
on
the
implementation
of
the
covert
19
guidance.
B
My
thanks
go
to
everyone
for
their
exceptional
efforts
to
reopen
schools
and
to
deliver
face-to-face
education
safely.
However,
despite
this
progress,
the
virus
remains
the
same,
and
the
risk
remains
that
there
may
be
further
disruptions
for
individual
pupils,
schools,
colleges
or
more
widely
across
the
country
during
the
course
of
this
academic
year.
B
It
is
in
this
context
that
I
have
found
the
clear
recommendations.
Professor
priestley
makes
regarding
the
approach
to
awarding
in
2021
of
great
assistance
to
me
in
making
these
decisions
due
to
the
level
of
disruption
already
caused
by
covered
and
due
to
the
likely
disruption
faced
by
some
or
all
of
our
pupils
and
students
this
academic
year.
A
full
exam
diet
is
simply
too
big
a
risk
to
take.
It
would
not
be
fair.
B
B
B
The
sq
will
today
publish
broad
guidance
on
evidence,
gathering
and
estimation,
with
a
clear
focus
on
quality,
rather
than
quantity.
Of
that
evidence
that
will
be
followed
after
the
october
break
by
subject-specific
guidance
on
the
the
key
pieces
of
work
that
young
people
will
need
to
complete
and
to
support
the
process.
The
sqa
will
work
with
education,
scotland,
local
authorities,
regional
improvement,
collaboratives
and
others
to
support
a
local
and
national
approach
to
moderation
and
quality
assurance,
including
the
provision
of
assessment
resources.
B
Obviously,
we
must
seek
to
maintain
standards.
Therefore,
the
sqa
will
work
with
colleges
and
schools
during
the
year
on
the
quality
assurance
of
their
pupils
work.
This
will
include
the
ska
looking
at
a
sample
of
work
within
each
school
and
college
and
feeding
back
to
the
teachers
and
lecturers
to
ensure
standards
are
maintained.
B
B
B
In
taking
this
decision
on
national
five
exams,
we
also
need
to
think
about
highers
and
advanced
hires.
In
a
standard
exam
year,
the
national
fives
constitute
more
than
half
of
all
exams
taken
from
a
public
health
point
of
view
not
having
these
exams
significantly
reduces
the
risk
of
the
exams
as
a
whole.
B
It
means
that
we
can
build
an
exam
diet
for
hires
and
advanced
tires
that
is
as
safe
as
it
possibly
can
be,
using
all
the
coronavirus
mitigations.
We
have
sadly
become
so
familiar
with,
including
physical,
distancing
and
enhanced
cleaning.
That
means
that
the
exam
is
determining
the
results
that
most
pupils
leave.
Schools,
schools
with
the
exams
that
determine
most
people's
future
path
into
work,
college
or
university
can
go
ahead
as
long
as
the
public
health
guidance
allows
it.
B
This
additional
time
and
conduct
in
conjunction
with
the
course
assessment,
modifications
that
the
sqa
have
made,
following
its
consultation,
give
the
greatest
chances
of
these
exams
being
implemented
fairly
presenting
officer,
while
I'm
taking
steps
that
make
space
for
higher
and
advanced
higher
exams
this
next
year.
I'm
acutely
aware
that
there
is
no
way
of
knowing
what
circumstances
we
will
face
at
that
point.
B
Coronavirus
has
not
gone
away.
If
anything,
it
is
making
a
comeback.
Our
task
is
to
build
a
system
of
awards
that
can
be
delivered
despite
coronavirus,
and
I
believe
the
plan
that
we
have
developed
does
that
it
has
evidence
at
its
heart.
It
puts
a
robust
system
of
quality
assurance
in
place
and
it
works
with
teachers
to
award
on
the
basis
of
their
professional
judgment.
I
believe
it
is
fair.
I
believe
it
is
rigorous
and
of
greatest
importance.
It
gives
us
the
opportunity
to
recognize
the
achievements
of
young
people
in
scotland
in
these
challenging
days.
A
Thank
you
very
much.
The
cabinet
secretary
will
now
take
questions
on
the
issues
raised
in
his
statement.
I
intend
to
allow
around
20
minutes
for
questions,
after
which
we
will
move
on
to
the
next
item
of
business.
It
would
be
helpful
if
members
who
wish
to
ask
questions
or
to
press
the
request
to
speak
buttons
or
press
r
in
the
chat
box
of
asking
remotely,
and
I
called
jamie
green.
C
Thank
you,
deputy
starring
officer.
Can
I
also
thank
the
government
secretary
for
advanced
site
of
a
statement.
This,
of
course,
has
been
an
incredibly
difficult
time
for
teachers
and
young
people,
and
I
think
we
all
thank
them
for
their
forbearance,
but
we
in
these
bunches
believe
that
a
full
exam
died
could
and
should
have
taken
place
next
year
and
that
the
onus
was
on
the
education
secretary
to
make
that
happen
or
instead
justify
why
that
cannot
be
achieved
under
his
watch.
C
I'm
not
convinced
that
field
justification
has
been
offered
in
today's
statement
for
the
cancellation
of
national
fives.
It
does
feel
starting
also
like
the
towel
has
been
thrown
in
already,
but
nonetheless
I
welcome
that
a
decision
has
been
made.
Questions
still
remain,
however,
so
let
me
ask
three:
as
national
fighters
will
now
be
reliant
on
teacher
judgment,
how
will
national
moderation
actually
be
applied
by
the
sqa
to
teacher
estimates
so
as
to
avoid
them
being
downgraded
by
the
sqa
or
overruled
by
ministers
in
the
same
chaotic
way
they
were
this
year?
C
Can
ask
of
the
cabinet
secretary
can
guarantee
that
teachers
will
receive
full
guidance
as
soon
as
possible.
On
how
to
assess
the
progress
of
national
five
pupils
throughout
the
year
and
finally,
if
there
is-
and
I
hope
there
isn't-
but
if
there
is
disruption
to
next
year's
exams
and
hires
or
advanced
hires-
are
unable
to
be
sat.
How
can
teachers
assess
progress
if
contingency
plans
are
not
announced
or
put
in
place
until
february
of
next
year?
C
B
Observes
I
I,
as
I
indicated
my
statement,
I
echo
the
comments
that
mr
green
has
made
in
relation
to
the
contribution
of
teachers,
which
I
think
has
been
outstanding
in
restoring
the
full-time
education
of
children,
young
people
in
scotland
and
also
in
sustaining
education
during
really
difficult
times
since
lockdown
in
march,
and
mr
greene
is
obviously
holds
his
opinion
about
the
the
sustainability
of
a
full
exam
diet.
Next
spring
I've
looked
very
carefully
at
the
public
health
evidence.
B
I've
looked
very
carefully
at
the
degree
of
risk
that
we
would
be
taking
where
we
to
allow
that
to
take
its
course.
My
judgment-
and
it
is
my
judgment-
is
that
the
risks
are
too
great
and
coming
to
that
judgment,
I
have
consulted
extensively
within
the
education
system
and
the
concerns
that
I
have
have
been
very
clearly
expressed
to
me
by
local
authorities,
by
head
teachers
and
by
pupils
around
the
country
about
the
risks
that
are
implicit.
B
You
know.
What
I
said
in
my
statement
is
that
the
approach
that
we
are
taking
on
national
five
provides
us
with
a
foundation
for
assessment
in
the
should
there
be
any
disruption
to
the
highest
advanced
hires.
I
stress
that
is
not
what
I
want
to
be
case.
I
want
a
full
higher
and
advanced
higher
diet
to
be
undertaken
and
I'm
creating
more
space
for
that
to
be
enabled.
I'm
de-risking
it
to
enable
that
diet
to
take
its
course,
but
should
it
be
required?
B
D
Thank
you,
president
officer,
and
thanks
to
the
deputy
first
minister
for
early
sight
of
his
statement,
say
early,
but
the
truth
is
the
statement
is
very
very
late.
Teachers
are
months
into
teaching
courses
without
knowing
exactly
what
they
should
be
teaching
how
pupils
will
be
assessed
and
what
evidence
they
should
have
been
gathering
they
were
told
exams
would
go
ahead,
but
then
that
final
decision
had
not
been
reached,
they
were
told
courses
would
be
amended
to
account
for
lost
time,
but
not
how
well
days
weeks
and
months
passed
by
now
we
do
have
a
decision.
D
D
Secondly,
can
he
promise
that
next
year,
no
people
will
be
judged
on
anything
except
their
own
performance
and
ability?
And
finally,
will
the
deputy
first
minister
even
now
revisit
this
year's
appeals
for
those
pupils
who
do
not
accept
their
school's
assessment
and
are
still
denied
the
right
to
appeal.
B
Officer
the
the
circumstances
that
ian
grey
recounts,
in
which
a
young
person's
individual
educational
year
was
disrupted
by
several
periods
of
self-isolation,
for
example,
would
be,
in
my
judgment,
at
the
basis
of
a
case,
to
be
made
to
the
sqa
around
exceptional
circumstances,
for
which
there
is
a
well-established
process
for
that
to
be
undertaken
in
relation.
Obviously,
we
want
to
try
to
minimize
that,
and
there
is
other
support
in
place
through
digital
learning
through
the
e-school,
which
is
available
now
to
support
the
learning
of
young
people,
should
their
education
be
disrupted.
E
Thank
you
very
much
presiding
officer,
and
I
thank
the
deputy
first
minister
for
his
statement
and
his
thank
professor
priestley,
also
for
contributing
and
in
the
publication
of
his
report.
I
noticed
that
the
the
issue
of
assessment
and
estimation
has
been
key
and
the
deputy
freshman
minister
has
mentioned
that
there
will
be
guidance
produced
by
the
sqa
in
these
areas,
but
we
know
from
before
covidon
before
the
the
crisis
that
we
have,
that
there
were
concerns
about
the
assess
estimation
process
in
certain
areas.
B
It
is
a
fundamental
skill
that
that
our
pupils
rely
upon
and
to
assess
their
performance
and
over
the
course
of
the
next
few
months
there
will
be
extensive
engagement
involving
all
of
these
different
players.
I
have
consulted
widely
with
local
authorities
about
the
steps
that
need
to
be
taken
here
to
make
sure
that
teachers
are
well
supported
to
be
able
to
undertake
this
task
and
with
the
the
direction
and
the
guidance
that
will
be
offered
by
the
sqa
as
part
of
this
process.
F
Thank
you.
The
cabinet
secretary
will
be
aware
of
the
unprecedented
pressures
faced
by
the
further
in
higher
education
sectors
at
this
time,
sexes
which,
throughout
the
pandemic,
have
faced
a
lack
of
clarity
from
this
government
and
which
were
significantly
impacted
by
the
mess
the
government
made
of
this
year's
exam
grade.
So
could
the
cabinet
secretary
outline
what
discussions
he
has
had
with
representatives
from
the
universities
and
colleges
sectors
on
the
subject
specific
to
today's
statement
and
what
concerns
or
issues
they
raised
with
him.
B
I
I
I
really
don't
recognize
the
the
picture
that
mr
harker
johnson
paints.
I
would
have
thought
it
might
have
been
something
to
celebrate
that
we
had
an
absolutely
outstanding
record
number
of
young
people
going
to
higher
education
in
scotland
today.
Where
was
that
in
mr
harker
johnson's
statement?
Maybe
it
was
as
prominent
as
the
conservative
u-turn
on
tuition
fees.
Maybe
that's
why
liz
smith?
Isn't
the
education
spokesperson
any
longer
that
she
couldn't
bear
the
the
policy
position
that
was
about
to
be
arrived
at?
B
So
I
don't
recognize
the
world
that
jamie
halker
johnson
is
talking
about.
We've
had
extensive
discussion
with
the
college
and
university
sector
throughout
all
of
these
issues
about
assessment,
and
I
have
to
complement
the
university
and
college
sectors
for
their
willingness
to
engage
constructively
in
finding
solutions
at
a
very
difficult
time.
G
Thank
you,
exciting
officer.
Can
I
ask
the
deputy
first
minister,
what
impact
assessment
the
economic
education
recovery
group
has
carried
out
on
the
assessment
process
for
practical
subjects
such
as
sciences,
home
economics
and
technical
subjects,
which
are
vital
to
the
curriculum,
but
where
we
know
that
social
distancing
is
much
more
difficult.
B
President,
a
very
specific
guidance
has
been
given
on
all
of
these
areas
to
the
education
system.
It's
been
developed
and
collaboratively
to
ensure
that
some
of
the
practical
issues
that
ronald
mckay
raises
it
can
be
properly
addressed
and
that
young
people
are
able
to
have
as
much
of
the
experience
of
these
courses
as
is
possible,
given
the
wider
constraints
that
within
which
we
have
to
operate,
and
the
education
recovery
group
has
been
involved
in
that
discussion.
H
B
Secretary,
no,
it
won't
be
and
we'll
take
it
forward
on
the
basis
of
the
approach
that
would
be
expected
of
us
from
a
government
that
is
currently
legislating
to
implement.
The
united
nations
convention
incorporate
the
united
nations
convention
of
the
rights
of
the
child
into
domestic
legislation
in
scotland,
and
it
will
be
undertaken
consistent
with
those
principles.
I
Thank
you.
I
welcome
the
responsible
decision
to
cancel
and
replace
the
national
five
exams.
I
can't
work
out,
though,
why
that
logic
applies
to
the
national
fives,
but
not
to
hires.
So
can
the
deputy
first
minister
explain
his
statement
that
cancelling
that
five
exams
frees
up
capacity
for
hires
when
those
exams
don't
normally
take
place
at
the
same
time?
Each
prior
exam,
of
course,
can't
be
staggered,
given
every
people
must
take
it.
I
At
the
same
time,
and
in
response
to
that
question,
I
asked
a
few
weeks
ago,
the
deputy
first
minister
said
it
wanted
to
avoid
all
costs
and
increase
in
teacher
work
code,
given
teachers
will
need
to
simultaneously
prepare
higher
pupils
for
exams
and
the
contingency
plan.
I
can't
see
how
that's
the
case,
but
for
national
fives.
Can
the
deputy
first
minister
at
least
reassure
me
that
the
assessment
system
being
developed
will
be
based
on
what
teachers
and
pupils
are
already
doing,
not
adding
something
new?
On
top
of
that,
john
swinney.
B
On
the
last
point
that
mr
gear
raises
with
me:
yes,
that
will
be
the
case,
and
the
approach
that
will
be
taken
is
designed
to
to
be
entirely
consistent
with
what
that
would
ordinarily
be
undertaken
within
the
within
each
subject.
Curriculum
in
relation
to
the
the
point
on
the
maintenance
of
the
higher
diet,
my
judgment
and
given
the
significant
weight
that
is
attached
to
higher
qualifications,
as
essentially
the
key
pathway
to
the
next
stage
in
the
educational
journey
of
young
people.
B
Is
that
if
it
is
possible
for
us
to
sustain
that
diet,
we
should
endeavor
to
do
so.
And
that
is
what
has
underpinned
the
decision
making
that
I
have
taken.
And
I
have
tried
to
de-risk
that
situation
by
removing
the
national
five
exams
from
the
exam
diet,
creating
more
time
for
learning
and
teaching
than
would
ordinarily
be
the
case
at
that
time
of
the
year
and
providing
the
opportunity
for
further
progress
to
be
made.
B
In
that
respect,
and
I
am
very
very
keen
to
ensure
that
this
approach
does
not
in
any
way
add
to
teacher
workloads.
So
the
point
that
mr
greer
made
about
the
importance
of
this
work.
Being
consistent
with
the
ordinary
content
of
the
curriculum
is
a
key
guide
for
the
education
system
and
how
young
people
should
be
prepared
for
assessment
and,
in
some
circumstances,
examination.
J
B
I
think
a
combination
of
that
and
the
fact
that
the
sqa
will
make
other
changes
to
the
examinations
which
will
increase,
for
example,
the
optionality
that
within
individual
courses
and
therefore
not
require
every
aspect
of
the
course
to
be
undertaken
by
young
people.
I
think,
will
create
the
circumstances
in
which
the
full
opportunity
for
learning
and
teaching
can
be
undertaken
by
young
people
within
that
context.
B
Now,
of
course,
some
of
the
we
will
still
be
wrestling
with
issues
about
the
potential
disruption
to
to
the
school
year
in
either
individually
or
collectively
at
local
level,
and
the
digital
learning
approaches
that
were
taken
are
designed
to
try
to
provide
some
further
reassurance
in
that
respect.
On
that
particular
issue,.
K
B
I
I
should
also
add
that
there
are
a
further
reinforcement
opportunities
that
are
available
for
a
senior
face
pupils
to
sign
up
to,
and
this
adds
to
the
point
that
in
mars,
wants
to
beat
us
worship
and
where
there
are
after-school
sessions
that
pupils
the
length
and
breadth
of
the
country
can
sign
up
to
if
they
wish
to.
These
have
been
very
well
subscribed
to
by
young
people
and
they
provide
another
opportunity
to
reinforce
the
learning
that
young
people
are
undertaking
within
our
schools.
L
M
N
Thank
you.
The
cabinet
secretary
highlighted
that
precious
teaching
time
had
been
lost
due
to
the
lockdown
and
then
practice
will
have
on
fires,
and
that's
where
the
decision
has
been
taken
of
later
dates
for
the
higher
exam
diet.
And
can
I
ask
what
measures
will
be
taken
to
ensure
that
the
national
five
cohort
aren't
disadvantaged
by
the
time
that
was
lost
through
the
school
lockdown
period?.
B
The
the
the
young
people
who
would
be
traditionally
sitting
national
fives
and
will
obviously
have
more
time
because
they
would
ordinarily
have
seen
the
end
of
their
learning
and
teaching
at
the
easter
break,
and
then
they
would
have
gone
on
to
study
leave.
They
will
obviously
have
access
to
further
learning
opportunities
after
the
easter
break
and
what
there
will
be
obviously
for
individual
schools
to
make
a
judgment.
B
Some
schools
change
their
the
curriculum
during
may
and
into
june
to
move
up
to
move
on
to
another
year.
Group
and
it'll
be
up
to
individual
schools
to
determine
what
is
the
optimal
moment
to
do
that,
and
I
would
think
one
of
the
key
factors
in
that
judgment
should
be
whether
young
people
who
are
presenting
for
national
five
have
had
the
adequate
opportunity
to
maximize
their
potential
in
the
estimating
process
that
teachers
will
make
in
advance
of
submission
of
the
final
estimates
to
the
sqa
at
that
particular
stage.
In
the
spring.
O
B
Our
education
system,
ordinarily
presiding
officer,
must
ensure
that
the
needs
of
every
young
person
are
met
and
that
every
young
person
has
the
opportunity
to
fulfill
their
potential.
That
lies
at
the
heart
of
the
answer
to
the
question
from
mr
mcmillan,
which
is
which
relies
upon
the
extent
to
which
the
education
system
can
fully
meet
all
of
those
needs,
and
I
give
stupid
million
the
assurance
that
that
consideration
is
uppermost
in
the
thinking
of
local
authorities
and
of
the
government.
In
this
respect.