Archive News

• National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher assessments 2021-22

  Following the decision by Ministers that exams should go ahead in 2022 if it is safe to do so, SQA is continuing to monitor public health advice to prepare for a range of scenarios.

• SQA responds to OECD paper on senior phase assessment in Scotland

  The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has today published its paper on senior phase assessment in Scotland.

• Assessment of National Qualifications in 2021-22

  SQA has today set out the key detail on plans for assessment of National Qualifications in 2021-22. This follows confirmation from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills that exams will be held for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.

• SQA virtual results celebration for care-experienced candidates

  Together with Who Cares? Scotland and MCR Pathways, we have created a video message celebrating the achievements of candidates.

• Scottish Qualifications Authority publishes 2021 results

  SQA announces the results for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers, and other courses, certificates, and awards, for 2021.

• Tireless commitment and professionalism of Scotland's educators has delivered for this year's candidates - Results Day

  Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive, and Scotland's Chief Examining Officer thanks teachers, lecturers, and support staff across Scotland for their dedication ahead of Results Day

• Time to focus on celebrating learners' achievements

  Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group celebrating learners' achievements ahead of Results Day.

• SQA go digital to congratulate care-experienced candidates' results

  SQA staff and their families, and representatives from Who Cares? Scotland and MCR Pathways, have congratulated care-experienced young people on their achievements today

• SQA outlines Results Day support for students

  More than 130,000 young people across Scotland are about to receive the results for their National Qualifications, courses, certificates, and awards.

• Update on appeals process for 2020

  SQA can now confirm that the Deputy First Minister has directed us to provide an appeals process for centres.

   

• SQA response to Scottish Parliament Education & Skills Committee letter of 15 June 2020

  SQA responds to the letter issued Scottish Parliament's Education and Skills Committee, published on 15 June 2020.

• SQA qualifications 2021 - a message for SQA centres

  SQA provides a short update on the work we are doing to make alternative arrangements for the delivery of our qualifications for the 2020-21 session.

• Statement by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Scotland's Chief Examining Officer

  Everyone at SQA fully acknowledges the strength of feeling about last week's results among individual learners, their parents and carers - and among wider colleagues in the education system.

  As the Deputy First Minister has outlined in Parliament today, through a Ministerial direction SQA will change the previous approach to certification this year and instead award candidate results based solely on the estimates provided by schools and colleges. The results of those learners who were awarded a higher grade during the process will also be maintained.

• National Qualifications and Higher National and Vocational Qualifications in session 2021-22

  We want to provide a short update on the work we are doing with our partners to make appropriate arrangements for the delivery of National Qualifications, and Higher National and Vocational Qualifications, in session 2021-22.

• SQA publishes 2019-20 appeal statistics

  SQA has published statistics for the Appeals service following the 2019-20 academic year.

• Alternative Certification Model - thank you from SQA

  Later today, our service for receiving provisional results from schools, colleges and training providers across Scotland will close. This marks stage 4 of the alternative certification model for 2021 and will bring the total number of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher entries to over 520,000.

• SQA responds to OECD findings and Scottish Government announcement

  Fiona Robertson, SQA's Chief Executive, has responded to the publication of the OECD report.

• SQA responds to Scottish Youth Parliament open letter

  SQA response to the open letter received from a range of signatories. 

• Contingency arrangement for incomplete evidence for graded National Courses in 2021

  A contingency arrangement for centres to submit provisional results by noon on 3 September 2021. This arrangement will apply if learners have not been able to complete all the required assessment by 25 June.  

• Qualifications 2020 - Message to College Heads of Centre, and SQA Co-ordinators

  Information on assessment guidance for colleges in Scotland.

• National Qualifications 2020 Awarding - an update for schools and colleges

  Following the receipt of refined estimates for learners from schools and colleges across Scotland, we have issued a further update on our work this year, including details of our free appeals service.

• SQA Coronavirus Update - SQA response to Scottish Parliament Education and Skills Committee

  A copy of the response sent by SQA Chief Executive, and Scotland's Chief Examining Officer Fiona Robertson, to the Scottish Parliament's Education and Skills Committee.

• Awarding 2020 - Thank you from Fiona Robertson

  A thank you message from Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive.

• Awarding 2020 - Post-Certification Review (Appeals) Service - Information for centres

  We have published information for centres regarding the free appeals (post certification review) service we will use this year.

• Joint statement from Colleges Scotland, SQA, Skills Development Scotland and Universities Scotland on Foundation Apprenticeships

  Update from Colleges Scotland, SQA, SDS and Universities Scotland regarding Foundation Apprentices due to complete in 2020.

• SQA Coronavirus Update - Opening Statement from SQA to Scottish Parliament Education and Skills Committee

  A copy of the opening statement given by SQA Chief Executive, and Scotland's Chief Examining Officer Fiona Robertson, to the Scottish Parliament's Education and Skills Committee on Friday 01 May

• 2021 Appeals Service announced

  The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) today announces a free appeals service, available directly to learners for the first time, covering this year's National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher qualifications.

• Our focus remains on helping our young people to succeed

  With the publication of the new appeals process which, for the first time, gives students the right to appeal directly - and for free - to the Scottish Qualifications Authority, our Chief Executive and Scotland's Chief Examiner, Fiona Robertson reflects on this exceptional year in Scottish education.

• National Qualifications 2021 - Important message from organisations working across Scottish education

  The National Qualifications 2021 Group developed the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) and has continued to revise it in light of the  second period of lockdown and remote learning. We want to reassure students that everyone in Scottish education is working hard on their behalf to ensure that the ACM allows learners to achieve fair and credible grades, with every step possible being taken to ensure young people's wellbeing is protected through the process.  

• National Qualifications 2021 Group - Disruption to Learning

  Further to its latest update published on Tuesday 13 April 2021, the National Qualifications 2021 Group* is acutely aware that the extended lockdown between January and March has created a truncated window for the production of evidence to support professional judgement around provisional grades. In some instances, this challenge may be compounded by individual learners being required to self-isolate during the post-Easter period.

• Joint statement from SQA and Colleges Scotland

  SQA and Colleges Scotland thank all staff for their continuing help and support in dealing with the challenges which continue to face us all in session 2020-21.

• National Qualifications 2021 Group update: Alternative Certification Model Stage 2

  The post-Easter term will be a busy and challenging one for everyone as we move into stage two of the alternative certification model and look to gather learner evidence in the classroom environment as fairly and robustly as possible. Many learners, parents and carers will have questions and will be looking for guidance and support. To help with this, we have summarised the key elements of this stage of the model.

• SQA seeks views on 2021 Appeals Process

  SQA has published a consultation on the appeals process for 2021 National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses.

• SQA comments on Deputy First Minister's decision to cancel Higher and Advanced Higher exams

  The Deputy First Minister has announced that the 2021 National Qualifications examination diet has been cancelled.

• SQA National Courses - Delivering Results in 2020

  SQA provides an update on the estimates process it has developed to deliver this year's National Qualifications.

• Coronavirus updates

• Statement by the Chief Executive of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Scotland's Chief Examining Officer

  SQA has been working through a range of scenarios in relation to the exam diet

• SQA update on arrangements for quality assurance and the certification of National Courses and Awards - a message to schools and colleges

• SQA Statement on the Coronavirus, and impact on the National Qualifications 2020 Examinations Timetable

  Possible impact of the Coronavirus on the National Qualifications 2020 Examinations Timetable

• Joint statement from SQA and Colleges Scotland on Higher National certification

• SQA - Coronavirus Update

  Guidance on the completion of coursework and our approach to certification will be available soon

• SQA statement on coursework for National Courses

  Schools and colleges are not required to submit learner coursework for marking, in Higher and Advanced Higher courses

• Scottish Government and SQA joint statement on the Coronavirus, and impact on August 2020 certification

  Impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on the 2020 examination timetable, and wider qualifications certification

• Joint statement from SQA and Colleges Scotland - Update to colleges

  Further joint statement from SQA and Colleges Scotland covering assessing HNC, HND, NC, NPA and NQ units; resulting and certification, and external verification.

• SQA Apprentices log in to new skills

  This Scottish Apprenticeship Week, find out how SQA approached the recruitment of Modern Apprentices over the past year.

• Delivering National 5 results in 2020-21

  Information on the model to support teachers and lecturers in providing provisional results for National 5 candidates in session 2020-21.

• Revised model for delivering National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results in 2021

  Following the First Minister's announcement on 16 February 2021, the National Qualifications Group has shared revised arrangements for the Alternative Certification Model and the timeline for delivering National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results in session 2020-21. Further information about the Appeals service for 2021 will be available following consultation.

• Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group - National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher

  Latest update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group, following the statement given by the First Minister on Monday 4 January.

• Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group: Support and guidance for Higher and Advanced Higher in session 2020-21

  Subject-specific guidance for teachers and lecturers will be published by SQA for all subjects, on a rolling basis, throughout January 2021.

• Changes to Visiting Assessment Arrangements for National Qualifications

  We've published details of the changes to visiting assessment arrangements for Dance, Drama, Gàidhlig, Modern Languages, and Music assessments at Higher, and Advanced Higher level in session 2020-21.

• SQA update to Schools, Colleges, and Local Authorities on arrangements for National Qualifications in 2020-21

  Copy of the update issued to schools, colleges and local authorities (Heads of Centre, SQA Co-ordinators, Directors of Education, Heads of Education and Quality Improvement Officers) on Monday 02 November.

• SQA statement on arrangements for the assessment of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses in the 2020-21 session

  The Deputy First Minister has announced a number of measures for the awarding of National Courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher in 2020-21.

• Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group: National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

  The First Minister's announcement on 19 January 2021 confirmed that remote learning will continue until at least mid-February. Given this announcement the National Qualifications 2021 Group is overseeing changes to the alternative certification model and associated timeline that was announced in December

• Update from the Higher National and Vocational Qualifications 2021 Group

  Information on the approach agreed by the HNVQ 2021 Group for alternative assessment in 2020-21 for Higher National and Vocational Qualifications

• Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group: Assessment approach to National 5

  Update from the National Qualifications 2021 Group which includes the Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES), Colleges Scotland, Education Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), School Leaders Scotland (SLS), the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Scottish Government.

• SQA publishes its response to the letter issued by the Scottish Parliament Education & Skills Committee on 20 August 2020

  SQA responds to the letter issued by the Scottish Parliament's Education & Skills Committee of 20 August 2020.

• National Courses in session 2020-21 - update

  The Deputy First Minister has asked SQA to pause publication of outcomes of our consultations on National Courses in session 2020-21 until after publication of the Priestley Review.

• Scottish Qualifications Authority publishes 2020 Attainment Statistics

  The Scottish Qualifications Authority announces the results for National Courses - National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher and a range of vocational qualifications for 2020.

• Scottish Qualifications Authority publishes revised 2020 Attainment Statistics

  SQA publishes the revised results for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses for 2020, following the Ministerial Direction issued by the Deputy First Minister on Tuesday 11 August.

• Arrangements for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses in the 2020-21 session - joint statement from Scottish Government and SQA

  SQA is launching two consultations to gather feedback on modifications to qualifications and adjustments to the 2021 exam timetable.

• Joint statement from SQA and Skills Development Scotland on Foundation Apprenticeships

  SQA and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) are committed to supporting learners who are undertaking a Foundation Apprenticeship, at this exceptionally difficult time.