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Curriculum for Excellence
Launched by the Scottish Executive in November, 2004 Curriculum for Excellence is designed to provide a seamless education from 3 to 18 in Scotland. The Scottish Qualifications Authority is one of the four partner national organisations - SQA, the Scottish Government, Learning and Teaching Scotland, and HMIe - involved in the Curriculum for Excellence programme of work.
We are involved in all strands of activity, including work with partners to draft curriculum outcomes, and to review performance and accountability measures. Our principal role is to contribute to work on qualifications and assessment, a key strand of the programme
Review of qualifications at SCQF levels 4 and 5
National Qualifications have a key role to play in helping to deliver Curriculum for Excellence. The content of National Qualifications at all levels will be revised over time to reflect the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence. However, Scottish Government Ministers believe that there are particular issues to be resolved over National Qualifications at SCQF levels 4 and 5 (Standard Grade Credit and General/Intermediate 1 and 2.
The Scottish Government and SQA has been carrying out some initial engagement activity with schools, colleges and other stakeholders over the last year to discuss the issues involved. The Scottish Government will launch a formal consultation exercise on future arrangements for National Qualifications at SCQF levels 4 and 5 in the Spring of 2008.
Qualifications and assessment action research projects
In September 2007, SQA and Scottish Government approved five action research projects designed to give the opportunity to think about ways in which current and future qualifications and assessment can support and enable Curriculum for Excellence aims, values and principles.
The five teacher/lecturer led projects, situated in Anniesland College; Dollar Academy; St Luke's High School, Barrhead; St Margaret's Academy, Livingston; and Trinity Academy, Edinburgh, have given the opportunity to explore approaches to learning,
assessment and qualifications across the curriculum. The projects explore ways of developing the 4 capacities and include approaches to the delivery of Core Skills, National Courses at Intermediate 2 and interdisciplinary curriculum programmes. Cross cutting themes include More Choices, More Chances, environmental sustainability and citizenship.
Existing qualifications and Curriculum for Excellence
We are increasingly asked about the extent to which existing qualifications support Curriculum for Excellence aims, values and principles and a further strand of work is looking at
- the contribution which existing qualifications make to the development of the four capacities, helping to ensure that learners are well on the way to becoming confident individuals, responsible citizens, effective contributors and successful learners;
- the extent to which the SQA course specifications reflect the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, eg progression, personalisation and choice, depth, challenge and enjoyment;
- the impact of the Courses on learning: Do they facilitate experiential learning? Is there an appropriate balance of knowledge, skills, processes and contexts? Do they promote independent learning? In short, do they put the learner at the centre?
- the relationship between assessment and learning in the Course. Do the Courses allow teachers and lecturers to combine formative and summative assessment in effective and efficient ways? Do they leave scope for practices such as peer and self-assessment, personal learning planning and comment-based marking which are becoming more established features of learning at earlier stages of school education?
- value added, for example, the extent to which Core Skills and essential skills and skills for life and work are integrated with qualifications
SQA Academy
The Qualifications for the Future virtual space at SQA Academy is a resource for colleagues from schools, colleges, ETPs, the workplace and in the community seeking information on developments and latest thinking about qualifications and assessment. The virtual space includes DVD clips, on-line questionnaires, papers, think-pieces and letters, all of which provide ideas about the future of qualifications and assessment.
Information-giving is, however, only one purpose of this virtual space, albeit an important one. A further purpose is to encourage self-reflection and professional debate through an on-line forum which colleagues are encouraged to use to reflect on current practice and their hopes and wishes for future qualifications.
Access to SQA Academy is available by clicking the link:
Masterclasses, Research Seminars and Shareholder Workshops
To date the team has held several Masterclass Events, Research Seminars and Stakeholder Workshops. This programme is designed to support understanding of trends in learning, assessment, technology, education and training.
Research Seminars are based on academic, guidance or policy papers and allow for debate, discussion and exploration through activity. Like masterclasses and workshops they are designed to help us think about future qualifications and assessment.
For further information on Curriculum for Excellence please use the links below which will take you to the Scottish Government, Learning and Teaching Scotland and HMIE websites.
