Access to Scripts

Date published: 18/03/2025

We will have a few questions regarding this year’s Higher exams. Namely,

1)       Why are pupils unable to obtain complete access to their marked Higher examinations in core subjects including English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry? This inquiry seeks to understand the limitations placed on students' access to their assessed academic work and the rationale behind such restrictions.

2)       On what legal grounds does the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) base its decision to deny a student's request for access to and review of their examination scripts from Higher exams?

3)       Will next year’s (2025) Higher exams be permitted to review/request full access to?

4)       Will pupils who participated in this year's Higher examinations (2024) be entitled to request unrestricted access to their exams next year? This query relates to the anticipated restructuring of the SQA and the commitment to enhanced transparency.

5)       For what duration are Higher examination records retained? Please specify the number of years.

6)       What are the essential qualifications and experience needed to become an SQA assessor tasked with evaluating Higher examinations? Are there specific regulations governing this, or can exceptions be made?

7)       In the context of Higher examinations, what categories of personal data are accessible to evaluators? Specifically, are assessors privy to details such as the examinee's full name, residential address, nationality or ethnic background, school, religious affiliation, and gender identity?

8)       Do Higher grades solely depend on the outcomes of Higher exams, or do additional elements also influence the final grade?

9)       In the evaluation of this year's Higher examinations, did the assessors employ any form of Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithms, or other technological means that empower computers to execute a range of sophisticated tasks, including marking?

10)     In the evaluation of this year's Higher examinations, could there have been any possibility of assessors being influenced by internal or external pressure?

Why are pupils unable to obtain complete access to their marked Higher examinations in core subjects including English, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry? This inquiry seeks to understand the limitations placed on students' access to their assessed academic work and the rationale behind such restrictions.

Components for the Access to Marked Exam Papers (AtMEP) are determined by the ongoing AtMEP project. They were selected to include a variety of higher uptake subjects and include subjects with a variety of marking annotations. We have been clear that this is a trial and not a full service. The purpose of the trial is to help inform any policy and processes which would support a future service.

On what legal grounds does the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) base its decision to deny a student's request for access to and review of their examination scripts from Higher exams?  

The Data Protection Act 2018, schedule 2, part 4, paragraph 25 Exam Scripts and exam marks states that the listed GDPR provisions do not apply to personal data consisting of information recorded by candidates during an exam. The listed GDPR provisions include, in this case, Article 15(1) and (3) which relate to confirmation of processing and access to personal data.

Will next year’s (2025) Higher exams be permitted to review/request full access to?

No - the last two years have been a pilot. A full evaluation will be carried out to determine next steps for any work in the AtMEP space.

Will pupils who participated in this year's Higher examinations (2024) be entitled to request unrestricted access to their exams next year? This query relates to the anticipated restructuring of the SQA and the commitment to enhanced transparency.

No, a full evaluation is being carried out and will determine next steps for any work in the AtMEP space.

For what duration are Higher examination records retained? Please specify the number of years.

Regardless of level of NQ Course with external assessments, exam scripts which are marked from paper (MFP) or marked traditionally (Trad marking) are disposed of in the January following the previous year’s diet of examinations. Scripts which are fully emarked, known as Marking from Image (MFI) are deleted one year after the diet. All scripts used in appeals and exceptional circumstances (EC) (if the learner has attempted the exam) are held for one year after the appeal or its consideration under the Exams Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service.

What are the essential qualifications and experience needed to become an SQA assessor tasked with evaluating Higher examinations? Are there specific regulations governing this, or can exceptions be made?

Markers must:

Have a minimum of 2 years current teaching experience in delivering the qualifications at the level they wish to mark.
Be able to demonstrate excellence in assessing to the national standard.
Be able to work professionally and co-operatively with other appointees and SQA staff.
Be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and administrative skills with an ability to meet deadlines.

In the context of Higher examinations, what categories of personal data are accessible to evaluators? Specifically, are assessors privy to details such as the examinee's full name, residential address, nationality or ethnic background, school, religious affiliation, and gender identity?

Assuming this question relates to appointees (assessor)  and learners (examinees), for MFP / Trad, appointees can see a Learner’s Name, SCN and Centre. For MFI, this information is restricted, and scripts are marked anonymously.

Do Higher grades solely depend on the outcomes of Higher exams, or do additional elements also influence the final grade?

It depends on the course and there can be a mixture of internal assessment contributing to the grade, external coursework (an investigation in the sciences, a written piece of work in English) and folios of work (for example, Art and Design, Photography) marked by SQA, a performance by the learner (for example, in Drama, PE, Music) and exam scripts marked by SQA. The approach to assessment very much depends upon the course.

In the evaluation of this year's Higher examinations, did the assessors employ any form of Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithms, or other technological means that empower computers to execute a range of sophisticated tasks, including marking?

No, we use markers.

In the evaluation of this year's Higher examinations, could there have been any possibility of assessors being influenced by internal or external pressure?

No – all markers are trained by SQA using a set of marking instructions. Markers then get to practice applying the standard to pre-marked practice scripts, they then have to qualify to mark by marking to national standard the qualification scripts. Once they have qualified, they start marking under the supervision of a senior appointee and we also include a pre-marked script periodically within their allocation of scripts. For information, they will not know which has been pre-marked. If the marker is on standard, they proceed with their marking. If they are no longer applying the marking standard, they will be stopped marking until the senior appointee speaks to them to get them back on standard. If they continue not to meet the standard after this intervention, we will terminate the contract to mark.