ALMOST two thirds of pupils at Dumbarton Academy were successful in appealing their Highers results last year, new figures show.

It's the first time detailed school-level appeals data has been available but shows wild variations between institutions.

Dumbarton Academy had 10 successes out of 16 appeals from the 290 exams sat last year.

There were 476 exams sat at Our Lady and St Patrick's High and 86 appeals there. A total of 47 were successful, or 55 per cent.

But of the 447 exams at Vale of Leven Academy, there were just seven successful appeals out of 41 filed.

OLSP had the most appeals of Nat 5 results of about one in 10 of the 1,009 exams sat.

At Advance Highers level, Almost a third of OLSP results were appealed but only a quarter successfully.

Vale of Leven Academy had no appeals of their 19 Advance Highers results, in figures obtained by reporter James McEnaney.

But the figures have emerged as critics questioned the SQA's unwillingness to explain their reasoning for the marks they awarded.

And an entirely new system of qualifications has been proposed after years of concern about how the SQA runs exams, particularly during the pandemic.

Last year, pupils sitting exams for the first time since Covid had an appeals system where teachers sent in predicted grades based on in-school assessments and class work.

If an exam result was below expectations, they could appeal with the school giving evidence, such as prelim papers.

The SQA rejected more than two thirds of more than 58,000 appeals across Scotland.

Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton constituency MSP, said: “The process around exam appeals must be transparent. Pupils and their teachers deserve to know why an appeal has not been granted if they request this information.

“The SQA has had a poor track record for a number of years yet the SNP Government has dragged its heels in overhauling the qualifications body with students still having to wait until 2024 for this reform.

“I hope that the new organisation will be fully transparent and intent on bettering the opportunities of our young people who have been failed by the Scottish Government.”

Bruce Adamson, children and young people’s commissioner for Scotland, told our sister title The Herald that the SQA should engage with pupils in full and to ensure that their rights are respected.

He said: “Any indication of disparity in the appeals process for young people across Scotland is worrying. The SQA should be transparent about their decision making and any request from a pupil to understand the reason for an appeal being declined should be responded to in full. A rights compliant appeals process must have the child’s best interests as its primary consideration.”

The SQA told the paper: “Because each appeal was based on an individual review of a learner’s alternative evidence, and due to the volume of appeals (over 60,000), it was agreed with partners from across the education community that providing detailed individual feedback would not be possible.”

On Friday, the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment published their interim report suggested a new "Scottish Diploma of Achievement".

A final report is due in May.