School pupils to be able to directly appeal exam marks, SQA confirms

School pupils will be able to request a direct appeal of their marked exam papers, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has confirmed.

The 2023 appeals process has been changed since last year’s method following an extensive consultation.

The requirement for alternative assessment evidence has been removed, with learners now able to request a review if they believe their final grade is incorrect.

Priority appeals for learners who need their results to confirm conditional offers for further or higher education, training or employment, will also be provided free of charge.

Exceptional circumstances, where a pupil is unable to sit an exam or their performance is impacted by personal issues, will also be considered.

Fiona Robertson, chief executive of the SQA, said: “The vast majority of learners get the right results first time.

“However, it is important that we offer a service for learners to appeal their results. We also want to ensure that those learners who have faced exceptional circumstances are supported.”

She added: “I would like to thank the thousands of learners, teachers, lecturers, principal assessors, parents and carers who have shared their views about awarding in 2022 as part of our extensive evaluation.”