National 2
National 2 courses and units are set at SCQF level 2.
National 2 courses consist of three units, each of which is internally assessed as pass or fail by the teacher or lecturer. To achieve a National 2 course award, candidates need to pass all three units.
Courses and awards at SCQF level 2
List of National 2 courses
The following courses are available at National 2 level:
- Business in Practice
- Creative Arts
- English and Communication
- Food, Health and Wellbeing
- Information and Communications Technology
- Lifeskills Mathematics
- Modern Languages*
- Performance Arts
- Physical Education
- Practical Craft Skills
- Science in the Environment
- Social Subjects
*Modern Languages covers French, Gaelic (Learners), German, Italian and Spanish
List of awards at SCQF level 2
The following awards are available at SCQF level 2:
National 2 freestanding units
The following units do not form part of National 2 courses, however they can be taught on their own.
Unit Specifications and Unit Support Notes for these units are available below. Unit assessment support packs are available from our secure website and teachers and lecturers can arrange access to them through their SQA Co-ordinator. Unit assessment support packs must be stored securely and treated as confidential.
Unit Specifications
Employment Skills Unit Specifications
- Using Digital Devices for On-screen Meetings (230 KB)
- Employment Skills: Agriculture and Horticulture (National 2) Unit Specification (51 KB)
- Employment Skills: Catering and Food Services (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Construction and Engineering (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: General Car Care and Valeting (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Health and Beauty Treatments and Therapies (National 2) Unit Specification (51 KB)
- Employment Skills: Hospitality Services (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Leisure and Sport (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Manufacturing (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Marketing and Events (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Office Administration (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Preparing for Employment (National 2) Unit Specification (48 KB)
- Employment Skills: Retail and Customer Service (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Employment Skills: Working with Animals (National 2) Unit Specification (53 KB)
Refreshed Unit Specifications
- English: Responding to Fictional Texts (National 2) Unit Specification (49 KB)
- English: Using Information Texts (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Information and Communications Technology: Capturing Digital Images (National 2) Unit Specification (53 KB)
- Independent Living Skills: Personal Organisation (National 2) Unit Specification (48 KB)
- Independent Living Skills: Taking Part in a Residential Experience (National 2) Unit (50 KB)
- Independent Living Skills: Taking Part in Outdoor Activities (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Life in Another Country: Optional Country (National 2) Unit Specification (52 KB)
- Life in Another Country: Optional Language (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Media: Creating Media Products - (Group Activity) (National 2) Unit Specification (52 KB)
- Media: Creating Media Products - (Individual Activity) (National 2) Unit Specification (52 KB)
- Media: Investigating Media Products (National 2) Unit Specification (51 KB)
- RME: Investigating Morality (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- RME: World Religions (National 2) Unit Specification (49 KB)
- Science: Practical Experiments (National 2) Unit Specification (51 KB)
- Self-Awareness: Building Positive Relationships (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
- Self-Awareness: Personal Health and Wellbeing (National 2) Unit Specification (50 KB)
Unit Support Notes
Employment Skills Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Agriculture and Horticulture Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Catering and Food Services Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Construction and Engineering Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: General Car Care and Valeting Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Health and Beauty Treatments and Therapies Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Hospitality Services Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Leisure and Sport Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Manufacturing Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Marketing and Events Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Office Administration Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Preparing for Employment Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Retail and Customer Service Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Employment Skills: Working with Animals Unit Support Notes
Refreshed Unit Support Notes
- National 2 English: Responding to Fictional Texts Unit Support Notes
- National 2 English: Using Information Texts Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Independent Living Skills: Personal Organisation Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Independent Living Skills: Taking Part in Outdoor Activities Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Independent Living Skills: Taking Part Residential Experience Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Life in Another Country: Optional Country Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Life in Another Country: Optional Language Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Media: Creating Media Products (Group Activity) Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Media: Creating Media Products (Individual Activity) Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Media: Investigating Media Products Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Religious and Moral Education: Investigating Morality Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Religious and Moral Education: World Religions Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Science: Practical Experiments Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Self Awareness: Building Positive Relationships Unit Support Notes
- National 2 Self Awareness: Personal Health and Wellbeing Unit Support Notes
Verification
Qualification Verification Summary Reports distil messages from verification activity from a given session. In 2020 not all planned activity took place, so reports have a more limited scope than in previous years.
- National 1 and 2 Qualification Verification Summary Report May 2023
- National 1 and 2 Qualification Verification Summary Report June 2022
- National 1 and 2 Qualification Verification Summary Report July 2020
- National 1 and 2 Qualification Verification Summary Report June 2019
- National 1 and 2 Verification Key Messages Round 2 - June 2018
- National 1 and 2 Verification Key Messages Round 2 - June 2017
- National 1 and 2 Verification Key Messages Round 1 - March 2017
Progression
Learners who achieve National 2 qualifications may progress to other National 2 units or courses, or to National 3 units or courses. They may also study for awards at SCQF levels 2 and 3.