Main navigation:
Breadcrumb navigation:

Choose a subject

Sub navigation:

In this section

Course and Unit Support Notes

Course and Unit Support Notes are being developed for each National Course from Access 2 to Advanced Higher and each Unit from Access 1 through to Advanced Higher. The Course and Unit Support Notes should be read alongside the appropriate Course and/or Unit Specification. If a Unit is being done on a free-standing basis, it need only be read along with the Unit Specification. However, unlike the Course and Unit Specifications which contain mandatory information, Course and Unit Support Notes are for advice and guidance relating to delivery and assessment.

The information given in Course and Unit Support Notes is tailored for different subjects. The way in which it is set out and the approach taken may therefore vary from subject to subject. Course and Unit Support Notes are designed to support a variety of learning and teaching approaches, they are not detailed learning and teaching packs.

Find out more about the relationship between SCQF credit points and programmed hours of learning which feature in the Course and Unit Support Notes.

Course Support Notes

Course Support Notes provide additional information on, for example, approaches to the delivery and assessment of a specific Course, and the skills, knowledge and understanding that should be included in the Course. The information provided in Course Support Notes is presented in the following way:

  • General guidance on the Course which may include advice and guidance on:
    • Course aims
    • progression to and from the Course
    • skills, knowledge and understanding
  • Approaches to learning and teaching which may include advice and guidance on:
    • different approaches that can be used to deliver the Course to suit the needs of different learners and to provide personalisation and choice for learners 
    • integrating the delivery of the Units in the Course
    • developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work
    • building in inclusive practices in the approaches to learning and teaching
  • Approaches to assessment which may include advice and guidance on:
    • added value for the Course (Courses at National 4 and above)
    • preparing for Course assessment (Courses at National 5 and above) including suggestions for activities that will help learners to prepare for Course assessment
    • combining assessment across Units
  • Equality and Inclusion which may include advice and guidance on:
    • suggestions and strategies for approaches to making the delivery and assessment of the Course inclusive. It should be noted that often this advice will also be woven through the Course Support Notes.

There is also an appendix which gives a list of other useful reference documents. In addition to this appendix, many Course Support Notes will also provide information about useful resources for delivering the Course.

Unit Support Notes

Unit Support Notes provide additional information on, for example, approaches to the delivery  and assessment of the Unit, approaches to gathering evidence, and the skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work that should be developed in the Unit.  Some Unit Support notes may also give information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that should be included in the Unit but sometimes this information will be in the Course Support Notes and not the Unit Support Notes. The information provided in Unit Support Notes is presented in the following way:

  • General guidance on the Unit which may include advice and guidance on:
    • the aims of the Unit
    • progression to and from the Unit
  • Approaches to learning and teaching which may include advice and guidance on:
    • different approaches that can be used to deliver the Unit to suit the needs of different learners and to provide personalisation and choice for learners
    • integrating the delivery of the Outcomes and assessment standards
    • developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work in the Unit
    • building in inclusive practices to the learning and teaching for the Unit
  • Approaches to assessment and gathering evidence which may include advice and guidance on:
    • strategies and methods for assessment
    • building in personalisation and choice to assessment
    • integrating the assessment of the Outcomes and assessment standards
    • suggestions for different assessment activities
    • building in equality and inclusive principles to assessment activities and approaches for gathering evidence
  • Equality and Inclusion which may include advice and guidance on:
    • suggestions and strategies for approaches to making the delivery and assessment of the Unit inclusive. It should be noted that often this advice will also be woven through the Unit Support Notes

There is also an appendix which gives a list of other useful reference documents. In addition to this appendix, many Unit Support Notes will also provide information about useful resources for delivering the Unit.

View the Course and Unit Support Notes for each qualification using the links below:

Expressive arts

National 4

National 5

Higher

Health and wellbeing

National 4

National 5

Higher

Languages

National 4

National 5

Higher

Mathematics

National 4

National 5

Higher

Religious and moral education

National 4

National 5

Higher

Sciences

National 4

National 5

Higher

Social studies

National 4 (business)

National 4 (society)

National 5 (business)

National 5 (society)

Higher (business)

Higher (society)

Technologies

National 4

National 5

Higher