, and justice caught up with them.

Teaching experts say this will be the first year of "normal" marking since the Covid pandemic.What that means in reality will not be clear until results day.

During Covid-19, exams were cancelled for two years running and there was controversy when teacher estimates, previous coursework and a school's past performance were used to determine the results.The results in 2020 saw the pass rate for Highers jump from 75% to 89%, while the percentage of pupils achieving A grades hit a record high the following year.Since then the marking each year has been described as "generous", "sensitive" and "taking account of any impact on learners".

In a normal year, the pass rate for each grade is adjusted slightly but the average effect is small. In the years since the pandemic the adjustments have been more significant.Despite the claim of consistent marking by the SQA last year, their approach to awarding grades in 2024 involved more significant adjustments to grade boundaries than usual.

Three years ago, in response to a number of concerns over Scottish education, Prof Louise Hayward was asked by the Scottish government to conduct a review of qualifications and assessment.

Her review recommended an end to S4 exams for students who were due to continue with a subject beyond that year."So many people here are traumatised by what has happened," Ms Woodall said.

"Today has been absolutely poignant."She added: "It is important for us to be here to represent all of those faces on the wall and to be among like-minded people, some of whom are very angry and upset."

Well-wishers at the National Memorial Arboretum in Burton-on-Trent heard a new poem from the writer, poet, broadcaster and former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, who spent time in hospital with Covid during the pandemic and"A shadow passed over us and hundreds of thousands of people felt the sudden and unexpected loss of loved ones," he said.