SCOTTISH pupils have been left “very worried” after being given “useless” exam prep materials, it has been claimed.

Ryan Macintyre is an S5 pupil who has been left dismayed by study guides handed out by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

School authorities are pressing ahead with exams this year, despite acknowledging the hugely disruptive impact of Covid this year – which they admit has been on a par with that experienced during the height of lockdown.

Macintyre claims to have not had a single week of “normal, uninterrupted” schooling since schools went back in August 2021.

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The 16-year-old, a pupil at Dunoon Grammar, is studying for Highers in Modern Studies, English, Business Management, Computing Science and Maths at National 5 level.

He said some study guides, which the SQA touts as being a “substantial package of support” for those facing crucial exams which will decide their future, are “a complete insult”.

Pupils and teachers had been under the impression the guides would provide revision guides that would outline key topics likely to come up in exams.

But the documents are filled with “meaningless” advice, the Scottish Greens have said, including pointers such as telling pupils to make sure words are spelt correctly, answer all questions and that questions worth 12 marks are worth more than questions worth eight marks.

The SQA has advised pupils what material will come up in exams for some subjects and for others what topics will not feature in exam papers.

Macintyre said: “The Engineering Science one told you that if you’re asked for a bigger response, you need to give a bigger response.

“The Modern Studies one tells you a 12 mark question is worth more than an eight.

“Some of them are not helpful at all – one was a list of words that might come up in the exam to make sure you spell them correctly.”

He noted that some subjects had been given helpful advice – he expects the Business and Maths guides to help “a lot”.

Macintyre, who is a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said fellow pupils have approached him in distress about upcoming exams.

“People are very very worried,” he said. “There’s no hope anyone’s going to get their conditionals sorted.”

Macintyre told the Sunday National pupils want exams to go ahead but they need adequate support to make up for the upset of the past two years.

He added: “People want to get back to some normality.”

The SQA must provide full revision guides for all subjects and provide clarity on what will happen should pupils not achieve the results they need for college or university.

It comes after the Scottish Government this week announced the end of the SQA.

Shirley-Anne Somerville said the exams board and Education Scotland would be replaced by a body called “Qualifications Scotland”.

Ross Greer, the Greens educations spokesperson, welcomed the changes.

He called the SQA “appeared out of touch, hostile to feedback and lacking in transparency”.

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Earlier in the week Greer branded the materials given to pupils was “woefully inadequate”.

He said: “After so much disruption throughout this term, these study guides should have made clear which topic areas would and would not come up in exams.”

An SQA spokesperson said: “The revision support published this week should be seen alongside the significant modifications we made to assessment at the start of the school year.

“This has included removing or reducing elements of exams or coursework, providing more choice in assessments, and removing topics from exams.”