How does the SQA exam appeals system work?

On Tuesday, thousands of young people across the country have been receiving their exam results.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority opened its helpline from 9am to help pupils with questions about their results certificates and those who may wish to appeal their grade.

Last year, the SQA announced a change to the appeals system, with alternative assessment evidence no longer being considered.

STV News has broken down exactly how the SQA appeals system works in 2024.

Who can appeal?

On Tuesday morning, students will receive a set of National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher grades that could fall short or be better that what they had hoped for.

Any pupil concerned about their grade can launch an appeal – but typically this will only happen after being discussed with a teacher, lecturer or staff member to decide if it is in the best interest.

Pupils are encouraged to consider if the grade reflects predictions or if it is unexpected.

There is a free appeals system to support all those affected, and it can be accessed by any student who feels the need.

The SQA website confirms that students can apply to this service directly, and that it opens at 9am on results day.

Who can’t appeal?

The appeals process is open to many, but there are few circumstances where pupils will not be able to appeal.

If the grade received is an A, if a course has been cancelled due to malpractice, or if a pupil has been through the Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service – which is aimed at young people who could not sit exams due to personal circumstances.

The following courses are also exempt from the appeals process: National 5 Practical Electronics; National 5 Practical Metalworking and National 5 Practical Woodworking.

What happens in the appeal process?

Up until 2022, an appeal meant asking for a final grade to be reconsidered based on alternative evidence.

For example, if a pupil’s grade was significantly lower than what was expected, their teacher could send in evidence from completed coursework throughout the year and – if accepted – the grade could be changed to reflect that student’s perceived abilities.

However – following a change in the service announced in 2023 – an SQA appeal now doesn’t involve any additional evidence being considered.

The process will now simply address any possible mistake in the marking of a National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher exam paper.

During this process, a senior marker will check that all the questions have been marked, that the marks have been added up properly, and that the correct total has been entered into the SQA system.

Basically, the process is an administration check to ensure that no mistakes have been made in the original marking.

From the official SQA website, the appeal process will check:

All parts of the SQA assessments have been marked
The marking is in line with national standards
The marks given for each answer have been added up correctly
The correct result has been recorded in the system

Important dates for our Appeals service. 📅👀

Everything you need to know ahead of #SQAresults Day is on our website – https://t.co/jogsmaXKMv pic.twitter.com/xofh0CTB30
— SQA (@sqanews) August 3, 2024

SQA appeal deadline

If you are submitting an appeal, the deadline for a priority appeal is 11.59pm on Tuesday, August 13.

Appeals can be withdrawn within the deadline.

If a school, college or training provider is submitting an appeal, priority appeals must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday, August 21. All other appeals must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, August 30.

What happens after an appeal?

If an appeal is submitted, the grade can go up, down or stay the same.

The outcome of an appeal will not be sent directly to the candidate, instead it will be sent to a school, college or training provider.

If the grade is changed a new certificate will be sent out.

How long will the SQA appeal take?

Decisions on priority appeals will be sent to schools on Monday, September 2.

For any other appeals, the majority of decisions will be issued in October.

Depending on how many appeals were submitted there could be delays.

How to contact the SQA about an appeal

If you need to contact the SQA regarding an appeal, you can do so on 0345 279 1000 from 9am on Tuesday.

Otherwise, more information can be found in the SQA support pack.

An SQA spokesperson: “The appeals system in 2024 is not new. It is the same approach used in 2023, which was a return to the well-established approach prior to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic.

“Our ‘marking review’ approach to appeals is in line with every other awarding body in the United Kingdom. It is also the standard approach in almost every country that uses an exam-based qualifications system.

“Learners can have confidence that their appeals will receive a comprehensive marking review, led by a senior marker.

“This ensures that all parts of the assessment have been marked, that those marks are in line with the national standard, and that the marks have been totalled and entered correctly.”