Pupils shun new Higher exams

All secondaries were supposed to be moving to the new Higher this summer as part of a national roll-out, but Michael Russell, the former Education Secretary, bowed to pressure from teaching unions after they warned schools were not ready.

The move was only supposed to be adopted in exceptional circumstances, but figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show more than 97,000 entries for Highers this summer are for the old qualification - which is being run in tandem with the revised exam this year, but will be phased out in 2016.

Some new Highers have been particularly unpopular, with 49 per cent of entries for maths and 65 per cent of entries for science subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics choosing the old Higher.

Overall, there are 217,976 provisional Higher entries this year in both S5 and S6 - five per cent up on the corresponding figure from this time last year.

Liam McArthur, education spokesman for the Scottish Liberal Democrats, called for an investigation into the roll-out.

He said: "Teachers are the best people to ascertain if their classes are sufficiently prepared for the new tests, but it is vital schools are provided with the materials and support needed to give teachers confidence over the new qualifications and investigations must be made into these figures.

"With as many as two thirds of schools yet to participate in the new Higher in sciences and only one year until all schools have to adopt them the Education Secretary should update parliament on the status of the new curriculum."

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union, said the "significant" numbers delaying was proof many schools were not ready.

He said: "The facility for schools or departments to opt out of the new Higher was only delivered after much lobbying by the EIS and the very high take up demonstrates the wisdom of pursuing this option.

"Schools and teachers know what is best for their pupils and it is clear that, for this year, many believe that the existing Higher is the preferable choice."

Mr Flanagan blamed the substantial additional workload burden placed on teachers by the introduction of new qualifications further down the school system last year when Standard Grades were phased out.

Eileen Prior, executive director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said she was "surprised and disappointed" at the significant numbers putting off the new exams.

She added: "Parents are aware the new qualifications that replaced Standard Grade are not designed to articulate with the old Higher and struggle to see how this can be the best option for all those young people in that position.

"There will also be issues with pupils who have studied for the old Higher this year, but who will be going on to study the new revised Advanced Highers next year because those qualifications, again, were not designed to articulate. There is an argument they will be disadvantaged."

However, Angela Constance, the Education Secretary, welcomed the fact the majority of entries were for the new qualifications.

During a visit to Craigroyston Community High School, in Edinburgh, she said: "We listened to schools who requested flexibility and we acted. I have seen how schools are making good use of this flexibility to phase in the new qualifications in a sensible way.

"In August last year we saw a substantial increase in the number of both Higher entries and Higher passes and I am very pleased that we are again seeing a substantial interest in provisional entries for Higher. It is very positive to see greater numbers of young people aspiring to higher levels of qualifications in our schools."