PUPILS at schools in East Renfrewshire could still be asked to sit prelim exams this winter...despite a decision to scrap next year’s Highers.

The 2021 diet of Higher and Advanced Higher exams has been ditched over concerns that children who have to repeatedly self-isolate would be at a disadvantage.

Youngsters across Scotland will instead be graded by assessments and coursework submitted by their teachers.

Normally, pupils are put through prelims in December or January to prepare them for their Higher exams in the spring.

However, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has told schools they don’t have to undertake prelims as part of their Higher entry this year.

In response, East Renfrewshire Council has said it will be up to the headteacher at each of the area’s secondary schools to decide whether or not to include prelims as part of the submission.

Higher pupils at Eastwood High, in Newton Mearns, had already sat prelim-type exams before the announcement was made.

A council spokesman told the Barrhead News: “Following the Scottish Government’s announcement about the cancellation of Higher and Advanced Higher exams, our schools will now work closely with pupils to ensure we have the correct procedures in place to rigorously assess performance.

“In line with the national guidance, schools will need to provide evidence-based judgements when determining pupils’ estimated grades.

“Individual schools will determine the type and length of assessments to support the provisional estimates, ensuring that the hard work of all our young people will be rightly and fairly recognised.”