National 5 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
This explains the overall structure of the Course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.
- N5 ESOL Course Specification
November 2019
Gathering evidence (Nov 2020)
Past Papers and Marking Instructions
Access all past papers by subject/level
Specimen Question Papers
These illustrate the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers learners will sit. These also include marking instructions.
- ESOL: Reading Specimen Question Paper National 5
- ESOL: Listening Specimen Question Paper National 5
- ESOL: Listening (Recording) Specimen Question Paper National 5
- ESOL: Writing Specimen Question Paper National 5
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
- Webinar recording: speaking, listening and writing (published on the SQA secure site. This can be accessed through your SQA coordinator)
- Candidate evidence and commentaries: Speaking and listening (published on the SQA secure site. These can be accessed through your SQA coordinator)
- Candidate evidence and commentaries: writing
- 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. However, the materials detailed below remain a useful illustration of the standards required. These should be viewed along with the National 5 to Advanced Higher Course information for 2020-21.
Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries
Further examples of candidate evidence and commentaries can be found on SQA¿s secure website and you can access these through your SQA co-ordinator.
Course assessment overview
Changes to understanding standards materials
Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.
Course reports
These reports provide information on the performance of candidates which it is hoped will be useful to teachers, lecturers and assessors in their preparation of candidates for future assessment.
Course Reports
- 2017 National 5 ESOL Course Report
October 2017 - 2019 National 5 ESOL Course Report
October 2019 - 2018 National 5 ESOL Course Report
September 2018
Verification Reports
There was no verification activity at this level in 2017.
In 2019, a single qualification verification summary report replaced the verification key messages.
- ESOL Verification Key Messages Round 2
June 2017 - ESOL Qualification Verification Summary Report June 2019
June 2019 - ESOL Verification Key Messages
October 2016 - 2016 National 5 ESOL Course Report
October 2016 - 2015 National 5 ESOL Course Report
- ESOL Verification Key Message
October 2015 - ESOL Verification Key Message
July 2014 - 2014 National 5 ESOL Course Report
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
National 5 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).
Online resources ¿ practice assessments
SQA Academy
Learning support materials and online learning resources
Verification
Evidence for external verification of internally-assessed components of course assessments (466 KB)
ESOL: Quality Assurance - external verification