Rethink on Standard approach

There will be widespread consultation on the plans, which could see changes made to what Fiona Hyslop, the Education Secretary, outlined to the Scottish Parliament yesterday morning.

However, at the heart of her announcement is the long-anticipated proposal to scrap both Standard Grades and Intermediate exams and draw up a new qualification for pupils in S4 along current subject boundaries.

The problem stems from the introduction of earlier reforms to the education system, drawn up in 1994 and known as Higher Still, which introduced Intermediate exams as an alternative to Highers for those not suited to the more academic qualification in S5.

While this was a laudable aim, a subsequent relaxation of when pupils could sit exams meant increasing numbers of schools began using Intermediate qualifications as an alternative to Standard Grades - effectively creating a confusing twin-track system in S4.

While it is still by far the most popular exam for pupils, numbers sitting Standard Grades have been dwindling and some authorities such as East Renfrewshire have scrapped Standard Grades altogether.

The exam still has its supporters, but opposition was bolstered by a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which argued that the qualification should be phased out because of the lack of status it carries "at the lower level of grades" and because it hinders the development of vocational education in schools.

Simplification of the system in this way will be broadly welcomed by those working in education, but what is to replace Standard Grades will be more controversial.

Unions such as the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said yesterday they "remain to be convinced" of the value of another qualification.

Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the EIS, said: "Standard Grade is a well-recognised qualification, which is valued by employers, teachers and parents and which provides a valuable exit qualification for those pupils who elect to leave school following fourth year.

"We need to be careful not to lose the many positive benefits it currently offers to pupils."

And David Eaglesham, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, agreed, stating: "Any replacement needs to be joined up with other levels of exams. Standard Grade was designed to feed into the Higher and the replacement needs to link up with it too."

Another development of the new qualification will be that some pupils will no longer sit it. It has been argued that there is little point in a pupil who will excel at Highers and Advanced Highers spending part of their time in secondary passing Standard Grades that they don't need for entry to higher education.

If the Scottish Government proposals are approved, pupils who get to S4 and are academic enough to begin studying for their Highers will now be allowed to do so. The other advantage to this is that it removes the need for the so-called "two-term dash" for Higher which schools have criticised because such an important qualification is taught in a very short space of time in S5.

There will also be greater flexibility in the system for other pupils. Those who opt for the new qualifications in S4 could still progress to Highers at a later date, or could sit a range of existing vocational qualifications. A new winter exams diet is being considered to add flexibility.

Perhaps the most eye-catching of the announcements made yesterday by Ms Hyslop is the proposals for compulsory literacy and numeracy exams - known as Scottish Certificates - to address concerns from business that too many pupils are leaving school without basic standards.

On the face of it, adding two additional exams appears to run counter to the intention to simplify qualifications.

However, current estimates suggest 25% of the primary school population goes on to secondary without achieving basic literacy requirements - some 15,000 pupils. In addition, a report by schools inspectors in 2003 found only one in three second-year pupils in secondary school had reached required standards in writing.

Improving literacy and numeracy has also been a hot topic politically, with Jack McConnell, the former First Minister, promising the introduction of similar tests in the run-up to the last Scottish Parliament election.

As anticipated, business welcomed the move with Iain Ferguson, policy executive for CBI Scotland, saying: "This is an extremely welcome announcement. Scottish businesses need access to a literate and numerate workforce and begrudge the fact they spend too much of training budgets getting school-leavers up to an acceptable standard."

However, there were warnings too, with Bill McGregor, general secretary of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland, stating that the basic certificates "might not be worth the effort".

"We have a great concern about the concept because we think literacy and numeracy are embedded in existing qualifications and that is already measured. There seems to be little point in simply measuring it again in another form," he said.

A further additional qualification which has been proposed is for pupils who successfully complete a clutch of Highers and Advanced Highers in languages or sciences to be awarded a new Scottish Baccalaureate.

The move is designed to raise the profile of sciences and languages, which have seen a drop-off in numbers in recent years, but some simply see it as "window-dressing".

The overall underpinning of many of the proposed changes is the desire to match the qualifications system with the new reformed Curriculum for Excellence, which seeks to give teachers greater freedom over how they teach rather than simply following the requirements for a particular exam.

The old and the new: changing times in classrooms

Current system

• S1 All pupils study the same subjects.

• S2 All pupils study the same subjects. At the end of S2, pupils decide what subjects to take at Standard Grade or Intermediate level in S3.

• S3 Pupils begin to study for Standard Grade or Intermediate exams.

• S4 Pupils sit Standard Grade or Intermediate exams. At end of S4 pupils decide on what subjects they want to take at Higher.

• S5 Pupils study and sit Higher exams.

• S6 Pupils study more Highers or Advanced Highers.

Proposed system

• S1, S2 & S3 All pupils study the same subjects. At the end of S3 pupils decide subjects to take in S4 and the level of exams. Some will choose the new exam; others will opt for Highers.

• S4 All pupils take standalone literacy and numeracy certificates. Pupils taking new qualifications are assessed throughout the year and then take exam.

• S5: Pupils who opted for Highers take exam. Those who took the new qualification move to Higher or take more exams at the lower level.

• S6 Pupils study Highers or sit Advanced Highers. Those taking language and science exams may qualify for Scottish Baccalaureate.

Pupils give their reaction

by Julia Horton

Few pupils at St Thomas of Aquins High School mourned the loss of Standard Grades yesterday as the Scottish Government announced plans to scrap them.

But there was a mixed reaction to getting rid of Intermediates and replacing both with a new, more general qualification.

Many at the Edinburgh school welcomed the renewed focus on a basic literacy and numeracy test in S4, which they felt was lacking in the current system.

Higher geography pupil Yohanna Alem, 16, said: "It's a good idea to get rid of Standard Grades because there is too much of a jump between them and Highers."

Fellow geography Higher student Heather McMahon, 17, agreed: "There is too much of a leap, especially in English. I didn't do Standard geography and I am doing as well as friends who did."

But Damien Cifelli, 16, said: "I thought Standards were quite good. If there was no Standard Grade people who leave school at that stage would not have any qualifications at all, so if you are somebody leaving at that time it's probably a bad thing to scrap them."

Head boy Liam MacPherson, 17, said: "Streamlining Standards and Intermediates could be a positive thing if it gives you a longer time to learn subjects rather than just memorising information."