Higher Modern Languages

Course Specification (15/01/2026)

Explains the structure of the course, including its purpose and aims and information on the skills, knowledge and understanding that will be developed.

Past Papers and Marking Instructions

Access all past papers by subject/level


Specimen question paper

Illustrates the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers candidates will sit (includes marking instructions).

Specimen question papers

Cantonese

French

Gaelic (Learners)

German

Italian

Mandarin

Spanish

Urdu

Coursework (02/07/2026)

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.

Versions of the Answer Booklet PDF have been created for electronic completion of these workbooks. Please note, and candidates must be made aware, that the answer text boxes in these PDFs are a fixed size. If these are over-filled with text, the text reduces in size. Movement between pages requires the tab key to be used or by right-clicking on the next page.
Versions of the Answer Booklet PDF have been created for printing. If this is required please print this double sided. 

Cantonese

French

Gaelic (Learners)

German

Italian

Mandarin

Spanish

Urdu

Coursework assessment tasks for Higher Modern Languages

Understanding Standards (06/07/2026)

Examples of candidate evidence with commentaries

Examples of candidate evidence and commentaries for the talking performance assessment can be found on SQA's secure website and you can access these through your SQA co-ordinator.

Webinar (recording)

Question Paper November 2024

Assignment Writing from session 2023-2024

Changes to Understanding Standards materials

Please note: Understanding Standards materials are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain up to date.

Course reports (06/11/2025)

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

Chinese Languages

French

Gaelic (Learners)

German

Italian

Spanish

Urdu

Verification Reports

Chinese Languages

French

Gaelic (Learners)

German

Italian

Spanish

Urdu

Course support (26/03/2024)

Guidance on use of pronouns and gender-neutral language: Modern Languages and Gàidhlig.

We are committed to ensuring our qualifications and assessments are as accessible and inclusive as possible for all learners. The following guidance on candidates’ use of pronouns and gender-neutral language aims to help teachers and lecturers of Modern Languages and Gàidhlig. This includes those delivering National 3 to Advanced Higher Modern Languages and the Modern Languages for Life and Work award.

Productive skills – talking and writing

Pronouns, nouns, adjectives and agreements

Teachers and lecturers should support learners’ ways of referring to themselves and others in the assessment of talking and writing. Using gender-neutral pronouns, nouns and adjectives is now a common feature of inclusive language – whether by creating new forms, adding punctuations, asterisks or using alternative spellings.

A candidate can use masculine, feminine or gender-neutral adjective agreements throughout their writing or performance-talking assessments, where appropriate to the language. However, candidates must use their pronouns and adjectives consistently and stick to the associated conventions of adjectival agreement where appropriate.

For the performance-talking assessment, we have already provided guidance to Advanced Higher visiting assessors and NQ verification teams on the importance of being aware of any potential implicit or unconscious bias towards a candidate’s gender identity.

Before the performance-talking, learners may indicate to the visiting assessor or their teacher or lecturer the pronouns they will use.

Marking of exams

Most exam scripts are anonymised which helps to eliminate any potential implicit or unconscious bias during marking. Markers are not aware of candidates’ gender and are instructed to look for correct and consistent use of pronouns, adjectives and agreements as indicated above.

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