Malpractice

Now more than ever learners need SQA and partners to work well together in the design and delivery of a portfolio of credible qualifications, with a strong, fair and consistent national standard.

Ensuring fairness of assessment, which includes preventing and addressing malpractice in the design and delivery of our qualifications and assessments, is fundamental to our purpose, and is the cornerstone of the qualifications system on which learners depend.

Where concerns of possible malpractice arise, they must be dealt with, by SQA and by others, sensitively, robustly and above all fairly. These can be difficult situations for the individuals involved. SQA is always focused on maintaining the integrity of certification and ensuring fairness for those involved, particularly any candidates affected. All allegations of malpractice must be investigated consistently, fairly and impartially.

Our Information for Centres document:

• explains SQA’s definition of malpractice, giving examples in a range of contexts
• describes the arrangements that we expect our centres to put in place to minimise the risk of malpractice
• explains how we expect concerns of malpractice to be handled, if and when they arise

Malpractice: information for centres (425 KB)