Appeals Information
James Gillespie’s High School — Guidance for Parents/Carers and Learners on the SQA Appeals Service
⏰ Key Dates for 2026
Results released: Tuesday 4 August 2026
School-submitted appeals — priority: Thursday 20 August 2026, 5pm
School-submitted appeals — all other appeals: Friday 28 August 2026, 5pm
Full deadlines, including options for learners submitting directly to SQA, will be confirmed by the school in an August communication.
Overview
SQA offers a free appeals service if you believe a mistake has been made in the marking of a candidate’s work. An appeal is a marking review: a senior marker checks that the marks awarded are in line with the agreed marking standards, that every part of the assessment was marked, that marks were added up correctly, and that the right result was recorded.
An appeal is not the right route simply because a mark is close to a grade boundary. It should only be submitted where there is a genuine reason to believe an error occurred in marking.
Learners must understand that the outcome of a review could mean a grade goes up, stays the same, or goes down.
Step-by-Step Guide
Review the result against prior evidence
Log in to Pupil Tracking and check the prelim result (in the Progress report) and estimate grade against the SQA result. This is the main evidence for deciding whether marking may have gone wrong.
Talk to the subject teacher
A conversation with the teacher is required before any appeal is submitted. Learners can also request their component marks at this stage to help decide whether an appeal is justified.
Check if it qualifies as a priority appeal
Priority appeals are for cases where progression to employment, training or further study depends on the outcome. These must be validated by the school and have earlier deadlines.
Give consent for the school to submit
Learners can submit an appeal themselves directly to SQA, but it is usually easier to ask the school to submit on their behalf. This requires the learner’s explicit consent.
School submits before the deadline
Once agreed, the school handles submission to SQA ahead of the relevant deadline. More detail on the school’s internal process will follow in August.
Timeline
Results Day & Appeals Service Opens
SQA results are released and the appeals service opens for the 2026 diet.
Priority Appeals Deadline (school-submitted)
Deadline for the school to submit priority appeals — where a conditional offer for university, college, training or employment depends on the result.
General Appeals Deadline (school-submitted)
Deadline for the school to submit all other appeals for the 2026 diet.
Should You Appeal?
❓ Ask yourself
- Is the result significantly lower than the prelim result or estimate grade?
- Have you reviewed the component marks with the subject teacher, and is there a specific reason to suspect a marking error?
- Would you still want to appeal even knowing the grade could go down as well as up?
✓ If the answer is yes
Speak to the subject teacher as soon as possible after results day so there is time to decide and, if appropriate, submit before the deadline.
⭐ Important to Remember
- A review can result in a grade going up, staying the same, or going down.
- Being close to a grade boundary is not on its own a valid reason to appeal.
- A conversation with the subject teacher is required, and learner consent is needed for the school to submit on their behalf.
- Priority appeals must be validated by the school and depend on a genuine progression need.
Common Questions
Q: Can a learner submit an appeal themselves, without the school?
A: Yes. Learners can submit directly to SQA, but a conversation with their teacher is still required, and direct-submission deadlines are earlier than school-submitted ones.
Q: What counts as a priority appeal?
A: One where progression to employment, training or further study depends on the outcome — for example, a conditional university or college offer. These need to be validated by the school.
Q: What if the grade goes down after appeal?
A: This can happen. The review is a genuine re-check of marking, not a one-way request — families should go in aware of this before deciding to proceed.
Q: Where can I see prelim results and estimate grades?
A: In Pupil Tracking, under the Progress report. This is usually the best evidence for judging whether a result looks out of line.
Q: Where can I find full details of the process?
A: SQA’s “Your Results” booklet (published on their website each June) explains the process in full. See the links below.
📧 Useful Links & Contacts
cec-jamesgillespies.pupiltracking.com
Report a problem via this form
sqa.org.uk — Results and Certificates
Speak to the subject teacher, or contact your Curriculum Leader / Pupil Support team.