Latest Understanding Standards materials
Our wide range of Understanding Standards materials explain and illustrate the standards required in SQA assessments.
We regularly review and update these materials to ensure they remain relevant and useful, and we are continuing to publish new materials throughout session 2022–23 where needed.
We have recently published the following new materials:
Art and Design: National 5 expressive portfolio – candidate evidence and commentaries
We have published examples of evidence submitted by candidates for the 2022 National 5 Art and Design expressive portfolio. With these examples, we have published commentaries written by an SQA senior examiner, which explains how many marks were awarded to each candidate and why.
Design and Manufacture: Higher and Advanced Higher assignments – candidate evidence and commentaries (available on SQA Secure)
We have published exemplars of evidence submitted by candidates for the 2022 Higher and Advanced Higher Design and Manufacture assignments. Alongside these exemplars, we have published commentaries written by an SQA senior examiner, which explains how many marks were awarded to each candidate and why.
Italian: National 5 and Higher performance-talking – candidate evidence and commentaries (available on SQA Secure)
We have published candidate evidence and commentary support packs for the National 5 and Higher Italian performance-talking coursework assessments. They are accompanied by audio recordings of candidate performances gathered during the 2022 exam diet. The packs contain a written commentary from an SQA senior verifier and explain how many marks were awarded to each performance and why.
Access these materials
These new materials will help you to strengthen your own understanding of the national standards required in assessments, so you can feel more confident about preparing your learners.
You can access the materials referenced above (with the exception of materials marked as available on SQA Secure) from our Understanding Standards website at www.understandingstandards.org.uk.
View all our latest Understanding Standards resources.
SQA Secure
As identified above, the following materials are only available from the Understanding Standards section of the SQA Secure website:
- Design and Manufacture: Higher assignment – candidate evidence and commentaries
- Design and Manufacture: Advanced Higher assignment – candidate evidence and commentaries
- Italian: National 5 and Higher performance-talking – candidate evidence and commentaries
You can arrange access to these through your SQA co-ordinator. Please store these materials securely (for example, in a password-protected folder) and treat them as confidential.