FOI20/21 161 ACM Costs

In 2020 the exams did not go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic and they were replaced with the alternative certificate model (ACM). I'm looking to understand how much the ACM cost and how that compared to the costs SQA would have incurred if it had run a traditional exam diet.

 Therefore could you please:

 -            Outline how much the 2020 exam diet was expected to cost (before the exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic)- breaking this figure down into the key costs the SQA expected to incur, including the money it expected to spend on markers and invigilators?

-             How much of these costs were covered by the fees schools and colleges pay for their pupils and students to sit SQA qualifications?

-             Please then outline how much was spent on the alternative certification model - breaking this figure down into the key costs?

-             The final stage of the alternative certification model - the appeals process - did not go ahead. How many appeals was the SQA geared up to receive, and how much was this final stage of the ACM expected to cost?

-             How many appeals did the SQA receive in the end (please breakdown into the three categories of appeal that were available) and how much did the SQA actually spend?

-             In total how much did the alternative certification model cost? Was this more or less than the traditional exam diet was expected to cost?

-             If the ACM cost less, what happened to the money SQA saved?

-             How much does the SQA expect it will cost to certificate school qualifications in 2020-21 - is this more or less than it would expect a traditional exam diet to cost? By how much?

-             If it is more please state the key reason for the increase in cost; if it is less please state the key reasons for the decrease in costs.

FOI 161 Response (144 KB)