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More than 7,000 students received ‘blank’ emails without their 2024 exam grades on results day - The Scottish Qualifications Authority said it was ‘working urgently to resolve the issue’
- The SQA said around 58,000 students signed up to be notified of their grades via text or email
- Candidates report receiving UCAS confirmation of results before official SQA notification
Students across Scotland received “blank” emails without their 2024 exam grades on results day.
About 145,000 pupils across the country were due to receive their marks for National, Higher and Advanced Higher exams on Tuesday.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said it had been “working urgently to resolve the issue”.
Results should be received by post, and by email or text for pupils who have signed up for a MySQA account from 8am but concerned parents have reported emails coming through that are blank.
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Result day: ‘blank’ emails with no exam grades explained
The SQA said around 58,000 students signed up to be notified of their grades via text or email as well as post.
Over 7,000 pupils were impacted by the error on Tuesday who had signed up for email only.
One parent took to X to say: “Stressful enough for kids waiting on exam results only to get the email and there’s absolutely nothing on it…phoned for help only to be told you’ll have to wait on the post being delivered! Useful!”
Another added: “My son received an email from the SQA but the results are missing!
“He didn’t sign up for the text message so he’ll have to wait for the post, which won’t be until this afternoon.”
Another parent said: “Have any other families awaiting SQA results by email received this blank email instead of results? Can someone sort this?
“Thinking of all the folks on holiday who won’t get their post. It’s makes a stressful experience really stressful for people.”
Others reported finding out their results via confirmation from UCAS that their university or college place was secured before they official received word from SQA.
Responding to a query of results not being received, the SQA said on X: “While MySQA texts and emails are being sent from 8am onwards, you might not receive your text or email until later in the day depending on your service provider – please try to be patient.
“You should also check your spam or junk folder in case.”
A SQA spokesperson said: “We know there is an issue impacting candidates who signed up to receive their results by email only.
“We are working urgently to resolve the issue.
We are working urgently to resolve an issue impacting candidates who signed up to receive their results by email only. #SQAresults pic.twitter.com/VCcSUyDdZm
— SQA (@sqanews) August 6, 2024
“Texts are not impacted and the vast majority of learners who signed up to MySQA are receiving their results as expected.
“All learners across Scotland will also receive their physical certificate today via port.”
Sue Webber MSP, convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: “I am upset for pupils, and their teachers, that emails without results on them were issued.
“While we understand the issue has now been resolved, our Committee, like the thousands of pupils affected, will be keen to know what happened and ensure that it is not repeated.”
Staff at a dedicated helpline were already gearing up for calls after the results, with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) setting up a special results helpline.
The results helpline can be contacted on 0808 100 8000 and will be open from 8am until 8pm on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and then from 9am to 5pm on Thursday and Friday.
The SQA has had a team of 7,400 markers grading about two million exam papers and more than 1.3m items of course work submitted as part of the process.
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