National 4 Physics
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.
- N4 Physics Course Specification
Jun 2013
Unit Specifications
These provide an outline of what each Unit will cover within the following Unit Specifications and detail the Outcomes and Assessment Standards.
Added Value Unit Specification
These define the mandatory requirements for the Added Value Unit, including the Outcomes and Assessment Standards.
They also include the further mandatory information on Course coverage for the National 4 Course and include information on the assessment method to be used and the conditions of assessment.
Course and Unit Support Notes
These provide advice and guidance for teachers/lecturers on learning, teaching and assessment within the Course and its Units.
Past Papers and Marking Instructions
Added Value Unit Assessment
The Physics Added Value Unit assessment is an assignment. While describing what candidates must do, the published assessment offers considerable flexibility in the choice of a context for the assessment.
In the assessment, candidates apply skills, knowledge and understanding to investigate a topical issue in physics and its impact on the environment and/or society. The issue should draw on one or more of the key areas of the Course, and should be chosen with guidance from the assessor.
Centres can access the assessment through their SQA Co-ordinator.
Information on suggested topical issues can be found in the National 4 Physics Course and Unit Support Notes. It is not mandatory to use any of the topical issues suggested. A resource pack for one possible context for this assignment is also included in the National 4 Physics Course and Unit Support Notes.
As with all SQA Unit assessments, Added Value Unit assessments must be internally verified by centres.
Unit Assessment Support
These documents contain details of Unit assessment task(s), show approaches to gathering evidence and how the evidence can be judged against the Outcomes and Assessment Standards. Teachers/lecturers can arrange access to these confidential documents through their SQA Co-ordinator.
Verification and Course reports
Qualification Verification Summary Reports distil messages from verification activity from a given session. In 2020 not all planned activity took place, so reports have a more limited scope than in previous years.
- Physics Qualification Verification Summary Report
June 2022 - Physics Verification Key Messages Round 2
June 2017 - Physics Qualication Verification Summary Report June 2019
June 2019 - Physics Qualification Verification Summary Report
June 2020 - Physics Verification Key Messages Round 2
May 2018 - Physics Verification Key Messages Round 1
March 2018
General marking principles
This publication replaces Physics General Marking Instructions (publication code G0924, published July 1999).
Understanding Standards
Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries
Examples of candidate evidence and commentaries for unit assessment can be found on the SQA secure site. You can access these through your SQA Coordinator.
Audio Presentation
Changes to understanding standards materials
Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.