SQA 2025 exam timetable changes as Scots school pupils set to start crucial tests earlier

Eilidh Farquhar
·3-min read
The SQA have confirmed a change to this year's exam timetable
-Credit:David Davies/PA Wire


The Scottish Qualification Authority has announced that they have pushed forward the exam period for Scottish students amid rising concerns that the previous timetable was putting too much pressure on the youngsters.

For young people who are sitting their National 5, Higher, or Advanced Higher qualifications this year, the exam diet will now start on Friday, April 25, instead of Monday, April 28.

The initial date was decided so pupils could have a full week back at work school after the Easter holidays and more time to study. However, this plan led to "coincident and consecutive" exams that in turn added extra pressure to learners as they did not have an adequate amount of space between exams to focus on the separate subjects.

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Some students had some exams scheduled for the same day and while others were expected to sit one exam directly after another. The SQA say they have reflected on this feedback from learners, parents and schools and have expanded the exam timetable by a day to solve these issues.

The qualifications body said: "This new timetable will ease pressure for many learners, giving them a better chance to perform to the best of their abilities on the day of their exam."

Some exams have had their day changed - such as all levels of accounting, computing science, French, psychology and more - while some subjects will still take place on the same day, but the time of the exam has been altered, including National 5 biology, National 5 religious, moral and philosophical studies and Higher Urdu.

The original timetable was said to be putting extra pressure on pupils
The original timetable was said to be putting extra pressure on pupils -Credit:Getty Images

The end date of the exams will still be on Monday, June 2, and pupils will receive their results on Tuesday, August 5.

What SQA exam dates have changed?

According to the SQA website, the date of the following exams has changed:

  • Accounting – all levels

  • Classical Studies – all levels

  • Computing Science – all levels

  • Dance – all levels

  • Engineering Science – all levels

  • English for Speakers of Other Languages – Higher

  • French – all levels

  • German – Higher

  • Media – Higher

  • Modern Studies – all levels

  • Nuadh-eòlas – all levels

  • Practical Metalworking – National 5

  • Practical Woodworking – National 5

  • Psychology – all levels

What SQA exam times have changed?

These exams remain on the same date but we have changed the exam times:

  • Biology – National 5

  • Cantonese (Listening) – Higher

  • Cantonese (Listening and Discursive Writing) – Advanced Higher

  • Care – National 5 and Higher

  • Fashion and Textile Technology – National 5 and Higher

  • Mandarin Simplified and Traditional (Listening) – Higher

  • Mandarin Simplified and Traditional (Listening and Discursive Writing) – Advanced Higher

  • Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies – National 5

  • Urdu – Higher

Jean Blair, director of operations at the SQA, said: "SQA works with external stakeholders when drafting the examination timetable. Our top priority is developing a timetable that allows learners to produce their best work on the day of their exams.

"As the Easter holidays are later this year, we responded to feedback from partners and produced a compressed timetable to allow learners more time to prepare for their exams. This led to a rise in coincident and consecutive exams."

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth is supportive of the change. She said: "I am pleased that the SQA has listened to the concerns raised on behalf of pupils, parents and carers, which means important changes have been made to the 2025 exam timetable.

"This solution significantly reduces the number of coincident and consecutive exams. I hope this will provide some reassurance to pupils who will soon be preparing to sit their exams and I am grateful to all those making accommodations to support this change."

All the timetable changes can be found on the SQA website, with a document detailing the date and time of each exam.

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