Exams for 15 and 16-year-old in Scotland are to be scrapped in a major shakeup to the education system across the country.

Currently, teenagers are required to sit graded exams when they enter the fourth, fifth and sixth year of secondary school.

But a review of the grading process was launched and is expected to recommend scrapping the exam programme required to achieve the National 5 qualifications.

The independent review commissioned by the Scottish Government is expected to instead propose that pupils have their coursework assessed as well as a 'Scottish diploma' which factors in extracurricular activities like the Scouts or Girl Guides, playing sports or undertaking voluntary work.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter: (PA) Exams for Scottish 15 and 16 year-olds is expected to be replaced by coursework (PA) Exams for Scottish 15 and 16 year-olds is expected to be replaced by coursework (Image: PA)

The Times reported that the recommendations from the review, which is led by Louise Hayward from the University of Edinburgh, will be released in the next two weeks.

However, it is expected that this move will divide opinions as it could pile more coursework onto teachers and disadvantaged teenagers.

Higher and advanced higher exams for fifth and sixth-year students interested in applying to university are expected to remain in place.

Teachers Union warns new plans could leave Scottish pupils unprepared for exams

Recently, a teachers union advised caution of the new plans for students in Scotland, arguing that some school pupils would not be prepared for the exams.

Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter: (David Jones/PA Wire) A teacher's union warned that the changes could have 'danger' (David Jones/PA Wire) A teacher's union warned that the changes could have 'danger' (Image: David Jones/PA Wire)

Mike Corbett from the NASUWT said: "They want to move towards more of an exit type of exam.

"Because most kids no longer leave in S4, most of them would not do exams unless they were leaving.

"If you only have exams in S6, that has a lot of danger.

"It becomes very, very high stakes because you only ever sit one set of exams just before you leave and you have not had any practice.”

Despite this, Emeritus professor of education policy, Lindsay Paterson said these plans would represent an "absolute revolution".

They added that many parents were "sceptical" of reforms to the National 4s which does not have exams but stressed that coursework is "unfairly influenced by conditions in people's homes".