The Sunday Times - ‘Easier Tests’ Skew Higher Results, Says Education Expert

I spotted this article (one of a few today) in The Sunday Times and felt it was worth sharing. 

Unfortunately it has a paywall attached. If you have a The Times subscription, it is worth reading the full article.

Scottish children perform better in their Higher exams because the tests are easier, according to a top educationalist. Lindsay Paterson, professor of education at Edinburgh university, accused the Scottish government of a “disengagement from reality” after it hailed last week’s results a success.

The proportion of the age group passing at least one Higher increased from a third a decade ago to well over 40% now. He said there was no plausible explanation for the striking change other than the tests being easier.

He said: “We no longer expect the same rigour as we did in the past and the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s obsession with pass rates, which have broadly remained the same over the past decade, has led to a decline in standards.”

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