A NATIONAL audit of Scottish secondary schools is to be carried out to assess how prepared they are for controversial new exams.

Michael Russell, the Education Secretary, said schools inspectorate officials will visit every council over the next month to assess their readiness.

He told Holyrood's education committee schools and subject departments not ready will be given extra support – with a deadline on whether they need to delay to be made by the summer.

The move follows mounting concerns over the introduction of new National 4 and 5 exams, being brought in as part of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), to replace Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications from 2013/14.

That process was seriously undermined when East Renfrewshire Council – the top performing education authority in Scotland – said last month that none of its schools were ready.

A number of leading private schools have also decided to delay for a year.

Last week, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) called for all schools to be allowed to delay.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association said it was "hugely concerned" that things were not going to be ready in time.

Mr Russell told MSPs: "The majority of teachers are telling me not to delay and not to disrupt our pupils' learning. But some are saying they need more support to be ready, and I understand that."

Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said Mr Russell had been "forced into a position where he has had to acknowledge there may be several other schools and departments which are not ready to implement the new exams".