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Scotland's exam board accused of paying invigilators less than living wage Scotland's exam board accused of paying invigilators less than living wage
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Scotland’s examinations board is under investigation after claims it has been paying thousands of exam invigilators less than the living wage, in breach of Scottish government policy.Scotland’s examinations board is under investigation after claims it has been paying thousands of exam invigilators less than the living wage, in breach of Scottish government policy.
Invigilators have complained they receive £27.15 for a morning session that can last up to four hours or more, or £54.30 for a full day of up to eight hours, despite the Scottish Qualification Authority’s status as a living wage employer.Invigilators have complained they receive £27.15 for a morning session that can last up to four hours or more, or £54.30 for a full day of up to eight hours, despite the Scottish Qualification Authority’s status as a living wage employer.
Those fixed fees mean that invigilators should work an average of 3 hours 20 minutes for a morning session, or 6 hours 40 minutes a day, to meet the living wage rate of £8.25 an hour stipulated for all Scottish public sector bodies. Those fixed fees mean that invigilators should work an average of three hours 20 minutes for a morning session, or six hours 40 minutes a day, to meet the living wage rate of £8.25 an hour stipulated for all Scottish public sector bodies.
But in some cases they effectively earn £6 an hour for the longest Higher and Advanced Higher language or science exams, invigilators said. Those examinations can last between three and three-and-an-half hours – excluding the 45 minutes needed to prepare for each exam, collating papers and clearing up, and sometimes helping students.But in some cases they effectively earn £6 an hour for the longest Higher and Advanced Higher language or science exams, invigilators said. Those examinations can last between three and three-and-an-half hours – excluding the 45 minutes needed to prepare for each exam, collating papers and clearing up, and sometimes helping students.
The Poverty Alliance, the charity that polices Scotland’s living wage accreditation scheme, told the Guardian it had launched an investigation after complaints were passed to it by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson.The Poverty Alliance, the charity that polices Scotland’s living wage accreditation scheme, told the Guardian it had launched an investigation after complaints were passed to it by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson.
The claims will unnerve the Scottish government. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, has championed the living wage, with her fellow SNP ministers repeatedly highlighting that strategy at the SNP conference in Glasgow last week.The claims will unnerve the Scottish government. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, has championed the living wage, with her fellow SNP ministers repeatedly highlighting that strategy at the SNP conference in Glasgow last week.
Peter Kelly, chief executive of the Poverty Alliance, said it had asked the Scottish Qualification Authority to prove that it properly monitored the fees earned by its 6,000 invigilators throughout an exam season to ensure each of them received the living wage. He said the SQA faced being stripped of its status as a living wage employer if it failed to do so. Peter Kelly, the chief executive of the Poverty Alliance, said it had asked the Scottish Qualification Authority to prove that it properly monitored the fees earned by its 6,000 invigilators throughout an exam season to ensure each of them received the living wage. He said the SQA faced being stripped of its status as a living wage employer if it failed to do so.
“We take this very seriously,” Kelly said. “Living wage accreditation is a voluntary scheme: employers sign up on a voluntary basis and there’s a lot of good faith involved. We rely a lot on the good faith of employers to do the right thing. There is clearly an issue here.”“We take this very seriously,” Kelly said. “Living wage accreditation is a voluntary scheme: employers sign up on a voluntary basis and there’s a lot of good faith involved. We rely a lot on the good faith of employers to do the right thing. There is clearly an issue here.”
The SQA said it has fixed fees of £27.15 for a morning session and £54.30 for a full day. These were set in 2009 and introduced in 2010, now costing it £1.2m a year, it added. The SQA said it has fixed fees of £27.15 for a morning session and £54.30 for a full day. These were set in 2009 and introduced in 2010, costing it £1.2m a year, it added.
The SQA said it stipulated 15 to 30 minutes of administration time and that almost three-quarters of its exams lasted under two hours, 30 minutes – excluding administration time.The SQA said it stipulated 15 to 30 minutes of administration time and that almost three-quarters of its exams lasted under two hours, 30 minutes – excluding administration time.
It said invigilator fees were paid at the end of each exam season, adding that it applied the same living wage policy to invigilators as it did to its staff. It said it had to intervene in very few cases of underpayment.It said invigilator fees were paid at the end of each exam season, adding that it applied the same living wage policy to invigilators as it did to its staff. It said it had to intervene in very few cases of underpayment.
“At current rates and, on average due to variations in exam duration, SQA invigilators are paid £27.15 for each exam session they conduct, rather than hourly. Exams range from 30 minutes to three hours. Nearly three-quarters of our exams last less than 2.5 hours. This proportionate rate is above the living wage,” it said.“At current rates and, on average due to variations in exam duration, SQA invigilators are paid £27.15 for each exam session they conduct, rather than hourly. Exams range from 30 minutes to three hours. Nearly three-quarters of our exams last less than 2.5 hours. This proportionate rate is above the living wage,” it said.
“Our day rates are not equivalent to an eight-hour day but based on an invigilator conducting a maximum of two sessions on any given day.“Our day rates are not equivalent to an eight-hour day but based on an invigilator conducting a maximum of two sessions on any given day.
“Due to the wide variety of circumstances in individual schools across Scotland, our chief invigilators work closely with their invigilation teams to create balanced schedules. Clear guidance is provided to chief invigilators to ensure that invigilators are assigned to a variety of exam sessions with differing lengths of duration.”“Due to the wide variety of circumstances in individual schools across Scotland, our chief invigilators work closely with their invigilation teams to create balanced schedules. Clear guidance is provided to chief invigilators to ensure that invigilators are assigned to a variety of exam sessions with differing lengths of duration.”
Johnson said there was no evidence the SQA monitored this centrally for every invigilator or had any way of doing so.Johnson said there was no evidence the SQA monitored this centrally for every invigilator or had any way of doing so.
He said he had written to the Scottish education secretary, Angela Constance, and had tabled parliamentary questions at Holyrood asking for evidence the SQA was in compliance with living and minimum wage rules. He said he had written to the Scottish education secretary, Angela Constance, and her successor John Swinney, and had tabled parliamentary questions at Holyrood asking for evidence the SQA was in compliance with living and minimum wage rules.
“The living wage is hugely important campaign; it would be a scandal if after the importance the Scottish government has attached to it, it transpired that a key government agency was in breach of their accreditation.“The living wage is hugely important campaign; it would be a scandal if after the importance the Scottish government has attached to it, it transpired that a key government agency was in breach of their accreditation.
“The SQA is a public body, reporting to ministers and they have a duty to explain their pay practices,” said Johnson, whose small chain of furniture and greetings cards shops were the first independent retailers in Edinburgh to become accredited living wage employers. “The SQA is a public body, reporting to ministers, and they have a duty to explain their pay practices,” said Johnson, whose small chain of furniture and greetings cards shops were the first independent retailers in Edinburgh to become accredited living wage employers.
He added: “The blunt question is why don’t the SQA pay people on a straightforward hourly basis? The SQA seem to be saying it all comes out in the wash, but that’s not good enough. They need a pay scale that is clear and pays people for the hours they work paid at the living wage rate or better.”He added: “The blunt question is why don’t the SQA pay people on a straightforward hourly basis? The SQA seem to be saying it all comes out in the wash, but that’s not good enough. They need a pay scale that is clear and pays people for the hours they work paid at the living wage rate or better.”
The SQA’s exam timetable for 2016 shows that 26 types of exam – chiefly Higher and Advanced Higher languages and science subjects, lasted at least three hours excluding pre-exam and post-exam administration work that invigilators undertake.The SQA’s exam timetable for 2016 shows that 26 types of exam – chiefly Higher and Advanced Higher languages and science subjects, lasted at least three hours excluding pre-exam and post-exam administration work that invigilators undertake.
At least 14 more involved exam sessions lasting for 2.5 hours, again excluding administration work. Some involved two sittings and some of those are offered in Gaelic, involving specialist language knowledge.At least 14 more involved exam sessions lasting for 2.5 hours, again excluding administration work. Some involved two sittings and some of those are offered in Gaelic, involving specialist language knowledge.
The Joint Council for Qualifications, a UK-wide authority which sets standards for examinations of which the SQA is a member, tells exam boards “you may wish for your invigilators to start 30-45 minutes before the start of the examination(s)”. The Joint Council for Qualifications, a UK-wide authority that sets standards for examinations of which the SQA is a member, tells exam boards “you may wish for your invigilators to start 30-45 minutes before the start of the examination(s)”.
According to one invigilator, who did not want to be named, the cumulative hours worked in all those cases would breach the hourly rate for the living wage. The longest sessions breached the legal minimum wage of £7.20, in force since April, and potentially, in rare cases, the minimum rate for last year of £6.70. He said some colleagues had stopped invigilating, citing poor pay.According to one invigilator, who did not want to be named, the cumulative hours worked in all those cases would breach the hourly rate for the living wage. The longest sessions breached the legal minimum wage of £7.20, in force since April, and potentially, in rare cases, the minimum rate for last year of £6.70. He said some colleagues had stopped invigilating, citing poor pay.
He said he routinely arrived 45 minutes in advance each morning to prepare the exam hall and mark off each pupil who arrived. He said he spent at least 15 to 20 minutes after an exam collating exam papers and completing paperwork. In some cases, exams might overrun or he would need to help pupils with additional support needs.He said he routinely arrived 45 minutes in advance each morning to prepare the exam hall and mark off each pupil who arrived. He said he spent at least 15 to 20 minutes after an exam collating exam papers and completing paperwork. In some cases, exams might overrun or he would need to help pupils with additional support needs.
Kelly said the SQA had to show it knew the fees earned by all its 6,000 invigilators during the three-month exam season and that it ensured that each earned the living wage for every hour they worked.Kelly said the SQA had to show it knew the fees earned by all its 6,000 invigilators during the three-month exam season and that it ensured that each earned the living wage for every hour they worked.
He said the Poverty Alliance hoped to resolve the issue through negotiation but added that the SQA might have to increase fees or change how it pays invigilators to remain compliant if its fees system was at fault.He said the Poverty Alliance hoped to resolve the issue through negotiation but added that the SQA might have to increase fees or change how it pays invigilators to remain compliant if its fees system was at fault.
“We will keep investigating this until we are satisfied and if we’re not satisfied we would take action. The ultimate sanction is to remove accreditation from them,” Kelly said. “If there’s evidence of underpayment then the SQA will have to change the systems if they want to remain accredited.”“We will keep investigating this until we are satisfied and if we’re not satisfied we would take action. The ultimate sanction is to remove accreditation from them,” Kelly said. “If there’s evidence of underpayment then the SQA will have to change the systems if they want to remain accredited.”