New record for SQA exam results

A new record number of candidates will receive their National Qualifications courses results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) this week.

Altogether 155,893 certificates will be dropping through Scotland’s letterboxes on Tuesday.  Last year saw the 150,000 candidate mark broken for the first time (150,050 in 2006).

However, another significant milestone has been passed for the first time this year.  Because candidates typically sit more than one course, for the first time, over three-quarters of a million entries having been processed this year – the exact figure being 756,364 (744,836 in 2006).

This is also the first August results run in which candidates’ results will be given a rating on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), as well as their regular pass grades.

The SCQF gives all Scottish qualifications – from Standard Grades and National Qualifications all the way to degrees – a credit and level, making comparison of “worth” much easier for students, academic institutions and employers alike.

Aileen Ponton, Chief Executive of the SCQF, said, “I am delighted that SQA has decided to provide information on SCQF level and credit for all of their provision.  We are working with a range of partners to make SCQF a national vocabulary in Scotland and this development is a huge step forward in supporting this”.

In another modernisation step, Scotland’s candidates will be able to access their results online, from Monday morning.  Following two successful limited pilots in Scotland’s further-flung areas such as Orkney and Shetland, this is the first time that SQA’s Results On-Line service has been made generally available.

Further information available from:

Mike Haggerty
SQA Communications
Telephone: 0845 213 5288
Mobile: 07900 678 426
E-mail: mike.haggerty@sqa.org.uk