Curriculum for Excellence:Curriculum for Excellence:

National Qualifications in ScotlandNational Qualifications in Scotland

November 2012 November 2012

Curriculum for Excellence:Curriculum for Excellence:

National Qualifications in ScotlandNational Qualifications in Scotland

November 2012 November 2012 Scott Murphy

CfE Liaison ManagerScottish Qualifications Authority

Scott.murphy@sqa.org.uk07768 083 698@SQAScottM

Purpose of Session Purpose of Session

This session will:• Summarise new National Qualifications including freestanding

Literacy/Numeracy Units• Discuss assessment methods - Added Value components

including controlled assessment and ‘Fallback’• Identify the timescales for future support • Provide detail on proposed QA models – Internal Assessment• Highlight future ‘Appeals’ process (Results Enquiry Service)• Conclude with a Q & A session

New National Courses: DesignNew National Courses: Design• Current Qualifications have been revised – Access 1-3, Higher

and Advanced Higher revised to reflect aims, values, principles of Curriculum for Excellence.

• Aim to provide good progression/articulation to and from National 4 and National 5

• National 3 – replaces Standard Grade (Foundation)• National 4 – replaces Standard Grade (General) and Intermediate

1 • National 5 – replaces Standard Grade (Credit) and Intermediate 2*New/revised NQs are valid from August 2013

Literacy and NumeracyLiteracy and Numeracy

• Freestanding Units available at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5.• A Literacy Unit is included in English Courses at SCQF levels 3

and 4 (National 3 and National 4).• A Numeracy Unit is included in Mathematics Courses at SCQF

levels 3 and 4 (National 3 and National 4).• A Numeracy Unit is included in Lifeskills Mathematics Course

at SCQF levels 4 and 5 (National 4 and 5).• Some, not all, literacy/numeracy skills included in English and

Mathematics at SCQF 5 (National 5) – no certification unless learner also completes freestanding Unit.

National Qualifications

Advanced Higher

Higher

National 5

National 4

National 3

National 2

National 1

AssessmentAssessment

• Courses are Unit based - Units assessed pass/fail within centres – as at present.

• Re-assessment guidance will remain as it currently is.• Assessment will be appropriate to subject and level – 7 methods

– may be a combination of 2 methods. i.e Drama @ National 5 - Performance and Question Paper.

• Exemplification will be provided for practitioners indicating how to combine Unit assessments.

• Practitioners will also be given exemplification that will highlight ways how to assess Unit by Unit. (Assessment Overviews)

Added ValueAdded Value

• Each Course from National 4 to Advanced Higher will be 160 notional hours (includes a 40-hour added value element).

• Added value assessment combines different elements of a Course into overall assessment which learners are required to pass in order to achieve a Course at those levels (SCQF 4 – 7)

• Added value is what makes the Course more than the sum of its parts. It builds on the current Course assessment for Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Higher.

Added ValueAdded Value

• This will sample breadth, challenge and/or application of skills from across the Course.

• National 3 and 4 Courses will not be graded.• National 3 does not have added value element – Units only• For National 4, the added value is in an Added Value Unit. • For National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher, the 160 hours

will include an added value Course assessment. • The Course assessment at these levels will be graded A – D (as

at present).

Added Value – 7 Methods of AssessmentAdded Value – 7 Methods of Assessment• The National 4 Added Value Unit and National 5, Higher and

Advanced Higher Course Assessment will be assessed using one or more of seven agreed methods:

• Assignment• Case study• Practical activity• Performance• Portfolio• Project• Question paper/test

Controlled AssessmentControlled Assessment

•SQA is introducing controlled assessment for the National 4 Added Value Unit and Course assessment at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

•3 stages of assessment:– Setting the assessment, Conducting the assessment,

Marking the assessment

•3 defined levels of control:– SQA-led, shared responsibility, centre-led

National 5 – 4 FallbackNational 5 – 4 Fallback

•Candidates who have achieved all the Unit of a National 5 Course, but receive a 'No Award' (ie Band 8 or 9) for Course Assessment, will be able to get a National 4 Course Award in their August certification if they have already have a 'Pass' entered for the National 4 AV Unit (English and Maths also require Literacy and Numeracy Units). •There will be opportunities for candidates who do not have 'Pass' entry for N4 AV Unit at Certification in August to be certificated at any point in the following Session - up to March.•Centres will have to retain evidence for the National 4 AV Unit for verification purposes (until the end of that academic session)

Timelines - OverviewTimelines - Overview

• 2011 – draft publications, consultation period.• 2012 – publication of new qualifications levels 1 to 6• 2013 – last Standard Grades + current Access 1, 2 & 3;

publication of new qualifications level 7 (Advanced Higher)• 2014 – first new qualifications at levels 1 to 5 (National 1, 2, 3,

4 & 5); dual run’ with existing National Courses • 2015 – first new qualifications at level 6 (Higher); ‘dual run’

with existing National Courses • 2016 – first new qualifications at level 7 (Advanced Higher)

Key 2012 Delivery TimelinesKey 2012 Delivery Timelines Nat 2/3 draft Courses Assessment Specifications Jan 12 Higher draft Courses Assessment Specifications Jan 12 Nat 4/5 draft Courses Support Packs Jan 12 Higher draft Courses Support Packs Feb 12 Adv H draft Rationale and Courses Summary Mar 12 Nat 2/3 draft Courses Support Packs Apr 12 Adv H draft Courses Specifications May 12 Adv H draft Unit Specifications Oct 12• Adv H draft Courses Assessment Specifications Dec 12 Important Dates Publication of formal arrangements and specifications (SCQF Levels 1 – 6) National Implementation events (14th-30th May 2012) National Implementation events (3rd -27th Sept 2012) Regional subject specific events (October 2012 – March 2013)• Further Subject Support Events will be held in sessions 2013/14 and 2014/15

Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13 Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13

3rd – 27th Sep 12 Curriculum Area Events

31st Oct 12 N2 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (package 1)

Oct 12 to Mar 13 Subject Specific Events

28th Feb 13 N2 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (package 2)

28th Feb 13 Publish N5 Specimen Question Paper

30th Apr 13 N2 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (package 3)

30th Apr 13 Publish N5 Specimen Coursework

30th Apr 13 N4 Added Value Assessment Support

Quality Assurance - Key Messages from EngagementQuality Assurance - Key Messages from Engagement

• Need for robust Quality Assurance – credibility

• Approaches need to be developmental – building long-term capacity and confidence

• Approaches need to be inclusive and support collegial working – Partnership approach

• Role of SQA as guardian of national standards

• Constraints – budget, funding and release

Quality Assurance - Key AspectsQuality Assurance - Key Aspects• Verification will take place across levels from National 1 to Advanced

Higher – QA Panel(s) Model.• Both Units and Internally Assessed Course Components will be verified• There will be more intense verification in the first 3 years – schools/

colleges will be verified in all broad subject areas being delivered. Intelligence led approach implemented in later years

• Unit verification will take place in November/December, February and May each session – allows for early identification of issues and support/guidance provided

• There will be a pool of nationally trained practitioners who will share/cascade information about national standards and support schools and their local authority - New ‘Nominee’ role

• Each local authority will be asked to nominate a proportionate number of Nominees to ensure support available across all authorities

QA Panels – CompositionQA Panels – Composition

• Principal Verifier – SQA Appointee (open recruitment): oversees all QA activity in subject area and produces annual National Internal Assessment Report (release between 6 – 12 days plus own time days)

• Team Leaders – nominated subject specialists who receive additional training to work in this role - become SQA Appointees with centre agreement (own time may be required)

• Nominee - QA Panel Members – nominated subject specialists with dual role: within their centres/Local Authority during internal quality assurance and moderation activity, and at QA Panel events

QA - Additional DetailQA - Additional Detail

• Defined criteria for nominations covering SQA and centre/LA/sector requirements

• Larger pool of nominated subject specialists than will need to be deployed in any one year

• Annual process to confirm and refresh QA panels, as required• On-line training and support – available to all practitioners• ‘Live’ exemplification generated through early external QA

activity – available to all practitioners• Support for centres and departments as they develop their

internal QA systems

QA – Implementation TimelineQA – Implementation Timeline

Exceptional Circumstances (Pre-Results)Session 2013/14Exceptional Circumstances (Pre-Results)Session 2013/14

Centre submits exceptional circumstances request

Centre submits exceptional circumstances request

SQA considers request, informs centreSQA considers request, informs centre

Request rejected, case closedRequest rejected, case closedRequest approved, centre submits evidence

Request approved, centre submits evidence

Receive outcomeReceive outcome

Results Enquiry ServiceSession 2013/14Results Enquiry ServiceSession 2013/14

Receive outcomeReceive outcome

Centre requests re-markCentre requests re-mark

Centre still concernedCentre still concerned

Centre receives outcomeCentre receives outcome

Centre requests clerical checkCentre requests clerical check

Centre concerned by candidate’s resultCentre concerned by candidate’s result

Useful LinksUseful Links

Keep Informed - – www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence– www.sqa.org.uk/haveyoursay– www.sqa.org.uk/subjectworkinggroups– www.sqa.org.uk/myalerts– www.sqa.org.uk/cfeteam– www.sqa.org.uk/appointees– www.sqa.org.uk/cfeqa

Questions?Questions?

Thank you for your time...........

Curriculum For ExcellenceLiaison Manager

Scott.Murphy@sqa.org.uk07768 083 698

Twitter - @SQAScottM

Edinburgh City, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian and Scottish Borders