Research archive

2022

Education reform in Scotland

From 2021 onwards, we carried out work to contribute to the national discussion and evidence base around education reform in Scotland.

• Explore the research reports
  Published in 2022 and 2023

2021

Appeals 2021

• Research into international comparators for UNCRC and appeals (470 KB)
• SQA appeals consultation analysis (686 KB)
  Published January 2021

Employers and qualifications

• Research with users of qualifications (employers, HE/ FE) (361 KB)
  Published February 2021

2016-17

National Qualifications evaluation 2017

• Executive summary of SQA initial evaluation of new National Courses (131 KB)

NQ Research Fieldwork

• SQA Fieldwork Report 2016-17: National Course design and assessment (661 KB)
• SQA Fieldwork Report 2015-16: National Course design and assessment (836 KB)

Research and Evidence Report: Internal Unit Assessment in National Courses

This Report looked at the policy and guidance documents that shaped the new Courses.

• Internal Unit Assessment in National Courses Report (184 KB)

2011

• Evaluation of the First Year of Scottish Baccalauretes (447 KB)
• Creating valid assessments for Curriculum for Excellence (158 KB)
• Approaches to internal assessment as part of examination for certification purposes (144 KB)
• Assessing subject-specific skills (88 KB)
• Education assessment standards (129 KB)

2009

• Marks into Grades - A Review of Underlying Issues (313 KB)
• Higher National Certifications and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (1.38 MB)
• The Use and Marking of Extended Writing Tasks (210 KB)

2008

• The Assessment Systems of Finland and Queensland (213 KB)
• National Qualifications: a short history (165 KB)
• Investigating Creativity in SQA Qualifications (120 KB)
• Review of Specifications (179 KB)
• Use of Taxonomies in Assessing Higher-Order Skills (142 KB)
• Just Making Them Think: A tension between teaching and assessment in the high stakes stages (49 KB)
• Just making them think: A tension between teaching and assessment in the high stakes stage (309 KB)
• Core Skills, Past Present and Future (458 KB)
• Less Is More: good Practice in Reducing Assessment Time(116 KB)

2007

• Review of the implications of the Scottish Executive's NEET Strategy for SQA (372 KB)
• Using IT to Facilitate Personalisation and Internal Assessment for National Qualifications (127 KB)
• Internal Assessment, External Assessment, and Assessment for Learning (119 KB)
• Grading: A review of national and international issues (553 KB)
• Assessment: A review of practice (442 KB)

2006

• Recognition of Wider Achievement: Establishing Currency (163 KB)
• Literature review on internal assessment for the National Qualifications for the Future project (120 KB)

2000

• Fair Assessments for Deaf Candidates (2.68 MB)