Construction Graded Units: reduction of evidence requirements
We have agreed, along with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), to reduce the evidence requirements for Graded Units in a number of HN and SQA Advanced Qualification Construction qualifications.
In light of the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID restrictions, this will provide centres and candidates with greater flexibility, while maintaining the integrity of the Graded Units.
What is changing?
- The depth of content contained within the Graded Units project can be reduced.
- Practical activities which cannot be undertaken now, such as surveying, can be substituted completely with another activity, or with a report produced by candidates covering the salient points of the practical activity.
What is staying the same?
- The breadth of content contained within the Graded Units project must be maintained.
- The Graded Units must still be delivered and assessment as normal.
- There is no need for centres to re-write their project-based case studies for the Graded Units.
- The three-stage process as outlined in the Graded Unit Specification must be adhered to. This will ensure that candidates are still being assessed on planning, developing, and evaluating the project or case-study.
Which qualifications does this apply to?
This applies to Graded Units in the following HNs and SQA Advanced Qualifications:
- Building Surveying: HNC (GJ5D 15) and HND (GJ5J 16)
- Civil Engineering: HNC (GJ5E 15) and HND (GJ5K 16)
- Construction Management: HNC (GJ5F 15) and HND (GJ5L 16)
- Quantity Surveying: HNC (GJ5G 15) and HND (GJ5M 16)
- Architectural Technology: HNC (GJ5N 15) and (GJ5H 16)
- Built Environment: HNC (GJ5P 15)
- Civil Engineering: SQA Advanced Certificate (GM97 47) and SQA Advanced Diploma (GM95 48)
- Architectural Technology: SQA Advanced Certificate (GN0H 47) and SQA Advanced Diploma (GM8V 48)
- Quantity Surveying: SQA Advanced Certificate (GN0L 47) and SQA Advanced Diploma (GM8N 48)
- Construction Management: SQA Advanced Diploma (GM8D 48)
- Built Environment: SQA Advanced Certificate (GN0G 47)
Support
We will be hosting a mini Quality Network meeting at 4.30 pm - 5.30 pm on Wednesday 10 February to support centres with this change. View details.
Centres can also request a development visit for an external verifier to attend their course team meeting to discuss the approach to delivering and assessing the Graded Unit (or any other SQA unit). To arrange this, please ask your SQA co-ordinator to complete the form on our website and send it to asv@sqa.org.uk.