Scotland’s education system stands at a crossroads. The newly launched Qualifications Scotland has confirmed a root-and-branch review of exams and qualifications that could reshape how young people are assessed for a generation.
The most significant review in decades will question everything from exam length to whether some subjects should even have national qualifications. Changes won’t hit classrooms until 2031 at the earliest, but interim reforms could shorten some exams much sooner.
Chief Examining Officer Donna Stewart told BBC Scotland the goal is simple: make sure qualifications are “absolutely fit for purpose” in 2025 and beyond.
Why the Old System Had to Go
The Scottish Qualifications Authority lasted 27 years before being scrapped. Its final years were marred by repeated crises.
The 2020 Covid algorithm scandal proved the breaking point. When schools closed, teachers submitted estimated grades. The SQA then downgraded nearly 124,000 results, disproportionately hitting pupils from deprived areas. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon eventually apologised and reverted to teacher estimates.
Marking controversies followed almost yearly. In 2023, appeals soared after thousands of students received lower grades than expected. Parents and teachers accused the SQA of poor communication and lack of transparency.
By the time the Scottish government abolished it last year, trust in the organisation had collapsed.
A Genuine Fresh Start or Just a Rebrand?
Many feared Qualifications Scotland would simply be the SQA with a new logo, especially since hundreds of staff transferred across.
Chief executive Nick Page insists that’s not the case.
“We have a completely new board,” he said on Monday as the organisation officially began operations. “Only three or four members came from the old SQA board. We now have five serving teachers on the board for the first time.”
The governance structure has been rebuilt from scratch, with new accountability measures and a legal duty to put learners first.
What Could Actually Change
The review launches this autumn and will examine every aspect of the current system.
Key questions include:
- Should some exams be shortened immediately while the full review continues?
- Do we still need national qualifications for subjects with tiny numbers of candidates?
- How can assessment better reflect modern skills rather than just memorisation?
- Could digital exams finally replace pen-and-paper tests in some subjects?
Donna Stewart stressed that Gaelic qualifications are safe regardless of uptake numbers, recognising their cultural importance.
Perhaps the biggest shift is the timeline itself. Unlike previous reviews that promised quick fixes, Qualifications Scotland admits meaningful change takes time. Nothing will change for current S4-S6 pupils, giving schools and teachers years to prepare.
What Students and Teachers Are Saying
Early reaction has been cautiously positive.
“Anything that reduces exam stress without lowering standards would be welcome,” said Keira McGrandie, 17, from Inverness, who sat six Highers last year. “Three-hour exams back-to-back in May are brutal.”
Larry Flanagan, former general secretary of the EIS teaching union, called it “the first genuine opportunity in a generation to build an assessment system that actually works for Scotland’s young people.”
Some teachers worry about workload during the transition period. Others fear that cutting low-uptake subjects could limit options in rural schools.
The review will include extensive consultation with students, parents, teachers, colleges, universities and employers over the next five years.
Qualifications Scotland has promised to publish initial findings in 2026, with detailed proposals following in 2028-29 before any changes are phased in from 2031.
For the first time in decades, Scotland has a chance to build an exams system designed for the 21st century rather than the 1990s. Whether Qualifications Scotland can restore trust and deliver meaningful reform will define Scottish education for years to come.
The young people sitting exams in 2031 haven’t even started secondary school yet. What kind of assessment system do we want waiting for them?
