What further details it can provide in relation to its plans for an independent panel of subject experts to review all exam appeals which c…

The Scottish Executive wrote to Directors of Education, College Principals and other heads of centres on 18 December inviting them to identify candidates whose appeal results continue to give serious grounds for concern and to submit details of these on a proforma to the Appeals Review Team by 10 January. These will be cases, primarily at Higher, where there is a major discrepancy between the centre's estimate and the final award, where a result is very significant for the individual and the centre finds the award very hard to understand, or where there is an apparent significant inconsistency in the results received within a centre.For every subject, a review team will be established. Each team will be made up of at least three experienced, good quality markers who did not serve on Examining Teams this year.Each team will be briefed by the Principal Assessor and given a copy of the marking instructions used in the summer. For each case, the team will review the candidate's examination script, and the evidence submitted by the presenting centre. The teams will write a report on each case. Where the team agrees with the original decision to reject the appeal, the report will explain the reasons for that decision. In cases where the review team disagrees with the original decision, the Principal Assessor will be asked to reconsider that decision. If the Principal Assessor agrees to change the original decision, a report will be prepared by the review team explaining why the grade was increased. If the Principal Assessor disagrees with the review team, the case will be decided by an Adjudication Panel.The adjudication panel will consist of three independent members. It will act as follows.Where the original appeal result is confirmed, the adjudication panel will send the report to the centre, and confirm the original result.Where it is agreed to change the original result, the adjudicators will request that SQA confirm that new result and send a report to the centre explaining the change.Where the Principal Assessor and the review team fail to agree, the adjudicators will make a final recommendation of award to SQA, who will be asked to confirm any new result. The adjudication panel will also report the outcome, with explanation, to the centre. The adjudication panel will also provide a report on each subject to the SQA Chief Executive, summarising the outcomes of all reviews in that subject, and making any general recommendations, or raising any issues that have emerged.The intended sequence of events is as follows. It is hoped to conclude the process quickly, but this is dependent on the number of cases that have to be reviewedStage 1 | Cases to be submitted to Appeals Review Team using the supplied proforma by Directors of Education on behalf of local authority schools, and by College Principals and heads of other centres directly. Nil returns required.Identification of individuals for subject review teams.
Stage 2 | Appeals Review Team acknowledges receipt of cases and assemble "evidence pack". Subject review teams set up.Subject review teams briefed by Principal Assessor.
Stage 3 | Subject review teams examine cases. Write report for each case either agreeing or disagreeing with original decision.Where teams disagree with original decision, Principal Assessor provides a report.