SQA Appeals Process 2022

SQA has provided the following update regarding the Appeals process for 2022.  

Appeals 2022 will provide learners with the opportunity to have their certificated grade reviewed if they have not achieved the exam result that they expected.

The appeals service will again be free of charge and will open for learners to appeal directly or through their school, college or training provider (centre) on Tuesday 9 August at 9 am.

We understand that you may have further questions about appeals and will publish full guidance by the end of May. This guidance will include detailed information on the approach to, and operation of Appeals 2022. We will also publish information for parents, carers and learners.

Eligibility

We are conscious that, as a result of the pandemic, this may be the first time a learner has sat national exams and we recognise that they may be anxious. We know centres are supporting learners in making the most of the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in their exams. The appeals service will be available to learners who feel they have under-performed on the day.

Eligibility criteria for Appeals 2022 are in place to support fairness and to ensure that learners are accessing the service on an equitable basis. Therefore, the following criteria must be met:

• Learner’s estimate is greater than their certificated grade. For example, if the learner’s exam result is a grade C but their estimate was a grade B.
• All centres must submit an estimate to SQA for each learner per subject/level. Estimated bands of zero or blank will not be eligible.
• Learners must have taken and/or submitted all coursework and formal assessments including exams.
• At least one component of the course assessment must be marked by SQA. Fully internally assessed courses are not eligible for appeals.

If a centre has submitted an Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (EECCS) request, which has been accepted, reviewed and an award made (A,B,C,D or No Award), the learner is not eligible to use the Appeals 2022 service. There is a separate process to appeal a result awarded through EECCS. Centres can find full information about how to appeal an EECCS result within the EECCS guidance on SQA Connect.

Estimates

Decisions on estimates should be made in relation to the consistency of a learner’s performance across assessments, which have been measured against key aspects of the skills, knowledge and understanding of the course.  Reviewing a range of evidence enables estimates to be determined on the performance of a learner. Assessment judgements should be cross-checked against national standards as exemplified in SQA Understanding Standards materials.

Estimates form an important part of the criteria to appeal, and we published refreshed guidance in October 2021. It is therefore important that centres ensure that learners are informed of the estimates that have been submitted to SQA and understand the basis on which these estimates were arrived at. Any questions or queries regarding estimates – including the use of assessment arrangements – must be discussed and resolved with learners before the end of term to ensure they are not disadvantaged in accessing Appeals 2022. Submission deadlines for estimates are either 22 April or 30 May depending on the subject.

Appeals process

After receiving their results on Tuesday 9 August, learners are advised to speak to their school, college or training provider if they have any questions about their results or think they may be eligible for an appeal. A learner or their representative may submit an appeal direct to SQA or ask their teacher or lecturer to submit on their behalf.

Once an eligible appeal is submitted, we will carry out a clerical check on the exam script(s) and coursework where applicable. We will also review the assessment evidence – gathered throughout the year to determine the estimate – that is submitted by the centre to support the learner’s appeal and determine the final grade. Learners will be awarded the higher of the two grades based on either:

• the clerical check of the exam script and coursework or
• the grade based on the review of the assessment evidence submitted by their centre and coursework.

The grade awarded following the completion of the appeals service will be final and there will be no further means to appeal the result.

Priority appeals

A priority appeals service will operate for those requiring the outcome of an appeal(s) for immediate progression to university, college, training or employment. Centres must validate priority appeals requests.

The deadlines for submitting a priority appeal are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 16 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres - Friday 19 August at 5 pm

Following the closure of the learner direct priority appeals service, eligible learners can still submit an appeal through their centre up to Friday 19 August at 5 pm.

Results of all priority appeals will be released to centres on Monday 5 September and sent to UCAS on Tuesday 6 September.

All other appeals 

The deadlines for submitting all other appeals are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 30 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres – Friday 2 September at 5 pm

Eligible learners can submit an appeal through their centre up to Friday 2 September at 5 pm.

Roles and responsibilities for Appeals 2022

We have published the roles and responsibilities of SQA, centres and learners for both pre- and post-certification on the SQA website.

Throughout the course of the exam diet we will update the SQA website with the latest information on Appeals 2022.

Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring that the hard work of Scotland’s learners is recognised through our qualifications system.