Induction guide for teachers and lecturers
New teachers and lecturers have a wealth of support and materials at their fingertips and it's important to be aware of what's available to you. Make the most of the information below to help you get started.
Your SQA co-ordinator
Every school and college has an SQA co-ordinator. This person is the main contact between your centre and SQA.
Make sure you know who your co-ordinator is. All SQA correspondence, materials and publications are sent to this person and they are responsible for important operational aspects such as candidate entries.
About us and our qualifications
We work with schools, colleges, universities and training organisations to develop and deliver our qualifications and assessments. Around 15,000 teaching professionals and industry specialists support our operations annually, helping to ensure that SQA qualifications accurately reflect learners' knowledge and skills and provide routes to jobs or further study.
Our qualifications
All of our qualifications are developed in partnership with schools, colleges, training providers, employers and the Scottish Government. SQA qualifications are recognised across the UK and internationally.
Core Skills
Core Skills are the five skills that have been identified by employers as those most likely to be needed in a work environment, ranked between levels 2 and 6. They are built into many SQA courses and units, although the skill level may differ from the qualification level.
The five Core Skills are:
- Communication
- Numeracy
- Problem solving
- Using information technology
- Working with others
- More about Core Skills
Resources
Subject pages
On our subject pages, you will find a wide range of subject-specific support documents, answers to common questions, and links to related information.
Past papers
Teachers and lecturers can view and download past and specimen question papers, as well as marking instructions, for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.
Guide to Assessment
Our Guide to Assessment provides support for everyone who assesses SQA qualifications at any level.
Understanding Standards
Our Understanding Standards programme aims to support teachers and lecturers who are delivering National Qualifications. The courses and materials develop their understanding of the national standards required for assessment and help to build their confidence in preparing and assessing learners.
The Understanding Standards programme consists of:
- Nominee training events
- Understanding Standards Course events for teachers and lecturers
- Understanding Standards materials
- Visit the Understanding Standards website
Professional Development
We have a number of professional development opportunities available to teachers and lecturers.
The Scottish Qualifications Certificate
All candidates receive a Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) on successful completion of their qualifications. A series of short videos and web pages are available to help you understand what candidates receive in their envelope.
- Find out more about the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC)
MyAlerts
Register for MyAlerts to be notified by e-mail whenever content relevant to you is updated or added to our website. You can choose whether to receive updates weekly, monthly or quarterly, and the areas you have subscribed to can be revised at any time.
Ushare
Ushare hosts an extensive collection of open learning resources that have been recommended by lecturers, teachers, training providers and learners that support SQA's qualifications. You can submit new resources, rate them and leave comments to help other users.
SQA Academy
SQA Academy offers a wide range of training courses and resources for all those who contribute to SQA assessment.
Quality assurance
All of our qualifications are quality assured to ensure that national standards are being maintained, wherever and however the qualifications are being delivered.
- Find out more about our approach to quality assurance
Further information and support
Results Services
Results Services replaced the appeals service in 2013-14 and offers a wide range of support for candidates and parents. It covers National Qualifications where an externally assessed exam contributes to the candidate's final award.The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is a way of comparing Scottish qualifications through a system of credit points and levels. Its main purpose is to make the relationships between qualifications clearer.
- Find out more about the SCQF
Support from SQA
If you need to speak to someone about any aspect of SQA, call our Business Development & Customer Support Team. They are available Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 5.00pm.
Call 0303 333 0330 or complete our enquiry form.