Higher ESOL
Alternative certification model
The alternative certification model is how National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses will be resulted this year, following the cancellation of the 2021 exams. It involves five different stages.
View the alternative certification model and see what will happen at each stage.
Course Specification
Explains the structure of the Course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.
- Higher ESOL Course Specification
November 2019
Gathering evidence (Jan 2021)
Past Papers and Marking Instructions
Access all past papers by subject/level
Specimen Question Papers
Illustrates the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers candidates will sit (includes marking instructions).
- Higher ESOL Reading Specimen Question Paper
May 2018 - Higher ESOL Writing Specimen Question Paper
May 2018 - Higher ESOL Listening Specimen Question Paper
May 2018 - Higher ESOL Listening (Recording) Specimen Question Paper
May 2018
Coursework
This section provides information on marking instructions and/or the coursework assessment task(s). It includes information that centres need to administer coursework and must be read in conjunction with the course specification.
For information on marks scaling please see related information.
Information on the production and submission of SQA-assessed coursework for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.
- Coursework for External Assessment (261 KB)
Understanding Standards (Feb 2021)
Additional resources session 2020-21
- Listening, Speaking and Writing webinar recording (This recording can be found on SQA's secure website and you can access via your SQA co-ordinator.)
- Speaking evidence (viideo) and commentaries (These recordings can be found on SQA's secure website and you can access via your SQA co-ordinator.)
- Question paper (writing) candidate evidence and commentaries.
- Assessing ESOL online Webinar recording (1 hour) (182.73 MB)
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Please note: For session 2020-21 there will be no external assessment for this course. The materials below should therefore be viewed along with the National 5 to Advanced Higher Course information for 2020-21.
Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries
More examples of candidate evidence and commentaries can be found on SQA¿s secure website and you can access these through your SQA co-ordinator.
ESOL course assessment overview
- Overview of Course Assessment Presentation with audio (18 minutes)
- Video overview of course assessment from session 2018-19 (55 minutes) (112.63 MB)
- Video overview Q&A (17 KB)
Changes to understanding standards materials
Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.
Course reports
Provides information on the performance of candidates - which is useful to teachers, lecturers and assessors in their preparation of candidates for future assessment.
Course Reports
- 2017 Higher ESOL Course Report
October 2017 - 2019 Higher ESOL Course Report October 2019
- 2018 Higher ESOL Course Report October 2018
- ESOL: Quality Assurance - external verification
Verification Reports
In 2019, a single qualification verification summary report replaced the verification key messages.
CPD
Additional CPD support
Where any particular areas of concern are identified, which are not addressed by our Understanding Standards events or support materials, we will offer free continuing professional development (CPD) training, subject to request. CPD support is subject-specific and can be tailored to cover one or more qualification level. To find out more about this service visit our CPD page.
Support materials
Higher Learning Support Material
Online resources ¿ practice assessments
These materials are intended to support ESOL candidates in improving their skills in reading, listening, speaking and writing. (You are required to have Flash version 12 or above installed to run these assessments).
SQA Academy
Learning support materials and online learning resources
Verification
Evidence for external verification of internally-assessed components of course assessments