The video will start in 8 Cancel

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Scotland's school exams are cancelled due to the coronavirus breakout.

Education Secretary John Swinney made the unprecedented announcement at the Scottish Parliament today.

Swinney said: "This is the first time this has happened since 1888.

"Through two world wars, we have never had to cancel exams before.

"The 2020 cohort can hold their heads high but I do understand that they will be very worried.

(Image: Ken Jack/Getty Images)

"A certification model will be based on course work, assessment of estimated grades and prior attainment so that pupils are not disadvantaged going forward.

"This shows the unprecedented nature of what we are facing."

It comes as coronavirus deaths doubled overnight, from three to six.

The number of positive cases in Scotland spiked to 266, an increase of 39.

Swinney said children of “key workers”, including emergency services, will still have access to learning or childcare.

Councils are taking measures to protect vulnerable children who rely on schools for hot meals or a “safe and supportive environment”.

At Holyrood, Swinney said: “Teaching, learning and support will continue - albeit in different ways for different groups of children.

“For the majority, this will be through distance learning and online learning, with different forms of on-going contact with teachers rather than in-school, face-to-face. Teachers and other staff who are well will continue to be working.

“For vulnerable children and those who have parents or carers employed as key workers, local authorities are developing approaches to support them. We will not cut adrift vulnerable young people who often rely on school life for hot meals or for a safe, nurturing and supportive environment.”

Swinney tried to reassure anxious parents facing months of home-schooling.

He said: “Parents are not expected to be a teacher or to recreate the school day - your school will be giving you some resources and suggestions as your first port of call.

“It is a measure of the gravity of the challenge we now face that the exams will not go ahead this year.

“With the support of the wider education system, a credible certification model can be put in place in the that can command confidence in the absence of the exam diet – to ensure that young people in our schools and colleges who through no fault of their own are unable to sit exams, are not disadvantaged.”

The Scottish Government published details of the changes at the time of Swinney’s statement:

> Pupils in S4-S6 with coursework for national qualifications will be informed by their schools how to complete it.

> Councils will make “appropriate arrangements” to support vulnerable children and those who have parents or carers employed as key workers – this may include exceptional provision to continue to attend school or local childcare that the local authority put in place.

> Children with complex needs in residential special schools will continue to receive care they require.

> Councils are encouraged to work with childcare providers to maintain provision.

> Funding worth £220 million will continue to allow contractual payments to private and third sector providers, including child-minders, for statutory early learning and childcare hours to continue.

> A £70 million food fund from the support package for communities, announced yesterday, will support access to free school meals.

Fiona Robertson, Scotland's chief examining officer and chief executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), said teachers will give estimated grades to pupils, based on "the available evidence gathered throughout the year" and previous scores.

Pupils are still expected to receive their results no later than August 4.

Announcing a free post-results service to review grades, Robertson added: "I fully appreciate that this will be an uncertain time for learners who have worked hard throughout the year and will now, with their families, be worried about what this means for them.

"Everyone here at SQA will do their utmost, with the support of the education system, to ensure that their hard work is rightly and fairly recognised, and allows them to proceed to further learning or work."

To keep updated follow our coronavirus in Scotland live blog.