Created on: 13 Mar 2024 | Last modified: 24 Sep 2024
SQA examination data for 2023 revealed a significant increase in the numbers of candidates being dual presented for both National 4 and National 5 in the same subject and showed this was due to whole cohorts being dual presented.
This is despite national guidance, first issued by the Scottish Government in 2017, which stated that dual presentation should be by individual exception.
Dual presentation is a significant driver of excess workload for teachers and contributes to the over-assessment of learners. The EIS has therefore called for the 2017 guidance to be re-issued.
A joint letter, signed by the Chief Examiner, the Chief HM Inspector and the Cabinet Secretary for Education has been issued to local authorities, and states that:
• Under no circumstances should large numbers of candidates be dual presented;
• Presentation decisions must be informed by effective tracking and monitoring of learners’ progress through the Broad General Education;
• Dual presentation would only be appropriate be in a “very limited number of exceptional circumstances,” and should involve dialogue with young people and their parents/carers.
The EIS encourages our branches to engage in discussions at departmental and school level on senior phase presentation policy to ensure that it aligns with the national position set out in the joint letter.
If presentation policy is misaligned with the national guidance, raise this with school management in the first instance and seek advice from your Local Association Secretary if necessary. We also Remind members that all SQA-related workload must be accounted for in Working Time Agreements.