Understand Standards

It is important to have clear and agreed standards, not only for ease of delivery but to provide learners with the most appropriate qualifications. It is critical that vulnerable, disengaged and hard-to-reach learners do not see their achievements being lessened or negated due to a misperception that standards are being lowered or altered.

SQA’s Understanding Standards website will help you understand standards of assessment as they are applied by SQA. It should be particularly useful for organisations and agencies who are not traditionally regarded as learning providers but who are considering becoming approved SQA centres to deliver SQA qualifications.

The Understanding Standards website demonstrates the flexibility that exists within the assessment process and indicates how to differentiate between SCQF levels by showing what to expect from candidates at each level for a subject.

The section on Core Skills explains the Core Skill components and the five levels they can be assessed at. This will be relevant if you are considering offering qualifications such as Personal Development as a stepping-on point for vulnerable, disengaged or hard-to-reach learners.