National 5 Administration and IT

Administration and IT National 3 National 4 National 5 Higher

Subject updates

October 2019 subject update (193 KB)
October 2018 subject update (279 KB)

National 5 to Advanced Higher Course information for 2020-21

07-OCT-2020

National Course modification summary: Administration and IT

Information on National Course changes for session 2020/21

National 5 Administration and IT assessment 2020-21

09-OCT-2020

There will be no external assessment for National 5 courses in session 2020-21. Candidates will not be required to sit external exams and SQA will not assess coursework. Instead, we are working with stakeholders to develop an alternative certification model for National 5 that is based on teacher and lecturer estimates.

Practical databases has been removed and assessment evidence of this topic is not required when generating an estimate for candidates.

Subject-specific guidance on the key pieces of evidence to support estimates will be issued on a rolling basis from the end of October.

Course information 2021-22

23-JUN-2021

The following modification decisions are valid regardless of the agreed approach to assessment in session 2021-22.

National 3

We will partially reinstate the databases topic and will publish further information at the beginning of session 2021-22.

National 4

We will partially reinstate the databases topic and will publish further information at the beginning of session 2021-22.

There will be no requirement to complete the added value unit assessment.

National 5

We will partially reinstate the databases topic and the question paper will remain modified at 40 marks. We will publish further information at the beginning of session 2021-22. This will include the areas of the databases topic that will not be assessed in the question paper.

Higher

We will partially reinstate the databases topic and the assignment will remain modified at 60 marks. We will publish further information at the beginning of session 2021-22. This will include the areas of the databases topic that will not be assessed in the assignment.

Manage MyAlerts

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.

2021 Key Messages

The Alternative Certification Model included a national quality assurance activity, carried out in May 2021. SQA appointees reviewed and provided feedback on a selection of assessment evidence from SQA centres. Subject-specific feedback has been provided to those centres for each course and level they were selected for.

The key messages report provides information on any common themes and key points from the evidence submitted and reviewed across all the selections. This report is provided for all delivering centres to reflect upon and make any appropriate adjustments.

National 5 Administration and IT 2020-21 key messages
June 2021

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 Administration and IT Course Specification
August 2019

Gathering evidence (May 2021)

Guidance

National 5 Administration and IT: Guidance on gathering key evidence in session 2020-21 (188 KB)

SQA Academy course

Determining provisional results for session 2020-21

Past Papers and Marking Instructions

Assignment tasks are assessment materials that have been used in previous years. They can be used to help candidates prepare for the assignment Component.

Specimen Question Papers

These illustrate the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers learners will sit. These also include marking instructions.

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.

Specimen coursework assessment task for National 5 Administration and IT
September 2019
Specimen coursework assessment task for National 5 Administration and IT (e-files)
October 2018

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 (Dec 2020)

Additional resources session 2020-21

the following additional materials can be found on SQA's secure website, you can access these through your SQA co-ordinator.

Adapted exemplar question paper
Adapted exemplar question paper marking instructions
Adapted exemplar question paper e-files (excel and word doc)
Exemplar question paper assessment instructions for teachers
Adapted exemplar assignment
Adapted exemplar assignment marking instructions
Adapted exemplar assignment instructions for teachers
Adapted exemplar e-files for assignment
National 5 Admin and IT advice on producing assessments

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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

Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries

Course assessment overview

Overview of Course Assessment Presentation with audio (15 minutes)

Changes to understanding standards materials

Changes to published Understanding Standards materials for all subjects

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

2016 National 5 Administration and IT Course Report
September 2016
2017 National 5 Administration and IT Course Report
October 2017
2018 National 5 Administration and IT Course Report
August 2018
2019 National 5 Administration and IT Course Report
September 2019

Verification Reports

Administration and IT Verification Key Messages Round 1
March 2017

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.