FOI25/26 Follow Up To FOI25/26 091 Systems Approval and Verification Support Materials

Date published: 26/11/2025

Thank you for your response of 22 August 2025

FOI25/26 091 

and for the documents provided (Malpractice: Information for Centres; Guide to Systems & Qualification Approval; Systems Verification Criteria Guidance; Systems Approval & Verification Support Materials).

To avoid overlap with what you have already answered, I have a small number of clarifications/requests under FOISA:

Document citation
In your email you refer to “section BS” of Malpractice: Information for Centres. Could you confirm this was intended to be Section B3 (Candidate malpractice)?
Centre status
Please confirm whether Aberdeen College of Performing Arts is an SQA-approved centre and provide its centre number.
Notifications under Criterion 1.5
Please provide copies of any notifications to SQA made by Aberdeen College of Performing Arts under Criterion 1.5 (matters that may impact the centre’s or SQA’s reputation/credibility) since 1 January 2024, together with SQA’s acknowledgements and any subsequent correspondence. If no records are held, please confirm.
Verification reports referencing Criteria 1.5 / 3.6 / 4.4
Please provide the most recent Systems Verification and (if applicable) Qualification Verification reports for Aberdeen College of Performing Arts that include findings, observations or actions related to Criterion 1.5 (malpractice procedures), Criterion 3.6 (complaints), and Criterion 4.4 (authenticity/assessment conditions). Where redactions are necessary, please supply redacted copies with the applicable FOISA exemptions cited.
Notification process & timescales
Malpractice: Information for Centres indicates centres should notify SQA “as soon as” an initial screening establishes the nature of a concern. Please provide any standard operating procedure, template/form, or internal guidance SQA uses for these notifications, including how SQA interprets incidents that “may impact the centre’s or SQA’s reputation.”
Publication scheme
If any of the above is routinely published (e.g., centre approval listings, verification summary findings), please direct me to the relevant URLs.

I am seeking only procedural information and records held by SQA. I will approach the centre directly about any non-assessment conduct.

Section 1 – Document citation

We can confirm that this was intended to be Section B3 (Candidate Malpractice).

Section 2 – Centre status

We can confirm that Aberdeen College of Performing Arts is an SQA-approved centre, and the centre no. is 3011852.

Section 3 – Notifications under Criterion 1.5

We do not hold any records. In accordance with Section 17(1)(b) of FOISA, we are obliged to notify you that the information you have requested is not held by SQA.

Section 4 – Verification reports referencing criteria 1.5 / 3.6 / 4.4

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance verification reports are exempt under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA, as disclosure would be likely to prejudice substantially the commercial interests of SQA-approved centres.

When applying a section 33 exemption a public authority is obliged to undertake a public interest test. We recognise that there will be an interest in disclosing information as part of being an open, transparent and accountable public body. There is also a public interest in knowing that audit processes are robustly applied to ensure that learners receive quality led education and training. However, disclosure of information could lead to unintended consequences for centres and put their commercial viability at risk. Information could be disclosed that could be exploited by competitors. Additionally, minor issues in reports could be misinterpreted causing disproportionate reputational damage. On balance, we concluded that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the requested information.

Section 5 – Notification process & timescales

There is no written interpretation for incidents that may impact the centre's or SQA's reputation.  Centres can contact us in a variety of ways, including using the contact form on the SQA website, through their Business Development representative, or via any other SQA team or representative.

Section 6 – Publication Scheme

Centre approval listings can only be found by searching a qualification on our website and then selecting 'Where can you take this course'.  By entering your postcode, the website will list centres approved to deliver that qualification that are closest to you (some centres may choose to opt out of this). An example of this can be seen here

SVQ Dental Nursing SCQF Level 7

Verification summary findings are not published at a centre level.