SCQF Credit Points - Grade 'D'

There has been some press coverage recently about the number of SCQF credit points awarded to Grade 'D' at Higher. Here is the official position.
 
What is the change?

SQA have made a change to the number of Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit points which are accrued by candidates who achieve a Grade 'D' at Higher.
 
A Higher is the equivalent of 160 hours of study. This equals 24 points on the SCQF framework. It has nothing at all to do with the Grade result a candidate achieves.
 
Previously, candidates who passed the Higher at grades A-C were awarded 24 SCQF points which is equivalent to the 160 hours of the course. However, candidates who got a Grade 'D' were awarded just 18 points. Because they have covered the same ground as candidates passing at A-C it was felt that they should get the same number of SCQF credit points. Because this anomaly has existed since 2004, when Grade 'D' was first introduced, the decision was taken to backdate the change.

Does this mean that a Grade 'D' will be upgraded to a Grade 'C'?
 
No. This change does not affect the Grade which a candidate achieves in a Higher exam.

Does this mean that a Grade 'D' is now a pass?
 
No. SQA does not recognise a Grade 'D' as a pass and Grades 'D's are not counted as passes in the national statistics which we prepare each year.

Candidates achieving A-C grades have passed and candidates achieving a Grade 'D' have not. The categories of outcome in a Higher continue to be A, B, C (passes) D and No Award.

How will this be implemented?

From August 2011, candidates who achieve a Grade 'D' at Higher will be allocated 24 SCQF credit points for the course. Any candidate who gets an SQA certificate for something else and has got a Grade 'D' in the past will have their SCQF credit points amended accordingly.