Chamber and committees

I have no registered interest to declare, but it is important that the committee, any witnesses and anyone watching knows that my wife is an additional support needs teacher in an Aberdeen school.

I understand.

That makes sense. I am grateful for—

I want to close out the issue of the appeals process. You have pointed out that there was a pre-pandemic system and a during-pandemic system and that we now have—if you like—a post-pandemic system. What is your early thinking on what the future system will be? Is this year’s system now the standard for the appeals structure, or will there be further revisions?

How did the SQA evaluate and quantify the impact of the pandemic before setting grade boundaries?

I am grateful, convener.

I would like to continue the line of questioning on grade boundaries and the sensitive approach. I appreciate that people who are watching will have heard you using terms such as “grade boundaries”, “-2” and so on. In your submission, you say that grade boundaries are “not pre-determined” and are “based on evidence”, and you have said that the median grade boundary adjustment is zero. Are you able to set out concisely what you mean by “grade boundaries”, what is being adjusted and what evidence you use to do that?

I am very grateful, convener.

Do you believe that the new body will be in place by the time of the exam diet in 2026?

That is really helpful. I have a question about the adjustments. In your submission, you say that, when you looked at setting grade boundaries, the SQA took into account

“the legacy impact of the pandemic upon learning and teaching.”

I am very grateful. That makes it clear. It begs one final question. Is it your intention to take the sensitive approach next year? If not, is that because you have concluded that there is no longer a legacy impact from the pandemic?

If I may, convener.