The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Executive responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications, other than academic degrees, in Scotland. It is a non-departmental public body, partly funded by the Scottish Executive Education Department, employing 650 staff, based in Glasgow and Dalkeith. Students receive their results on August 7th 2007. Students using the authority's Results Online system will be able to view their results online, or receive them via SMS, on August 6th 2007. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... An Executive Agency is a British public institution that carries out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... The team qualification may refer to: Certification A process of deciding the running order in many auto racing events This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study. ... This article is about the country. ... Scottish public bodies are a group of organisations that are funded by the Scottish Executive. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... The Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) is the civil service department of the Scottish Executive with responsibility for schooling. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Dalkeith (Scottish Gaelic: Dail Cheith) (pop. ...

SQA is perhaps best known for the delivery of the annual diet of public examinations within Scotland; each year the Authority organises public examinations in a wide range of subjects, at various levels, for school pupils and college students. However, a greater number of candidates of all ages participates in SQA specialist, vocational and higher education qualifications.

The SQA are also known as being one of the 'best' exam boards in the world - performing admirably in the distribution and the marking, and the content of the exams. Their qualifications carry weight all around the world. SQA Higher examinations are the general acceptable level for entry to University. Universities usually request a minimum of 4 Highers, all above C level.

The SQA's functions and responsibilities are laid out in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 as amended by the Scottish Qualifications Act 2002.

National Qualification

National Qualification (NQ) can take the form of Standard Grades or National Courses.

Standard Grades have been in existence before the Higher Still reforms of 1999. There are three Standard Grade Levels: Foundation, General and Credi. They are normally set at age 14-15 (sometimes 16 if birthday is before May). For the main article, see Standard Grade. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

National Courses have been introduced with the Higher Still reforms of 1999. There are seven National Courses: Access 1, Access 2, Access 3, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Higher (normally at age 15-18) and Advanced Higher (normally at age 17-18). Intermediate 1 and 2 and Access 3 are either set at age 16 in place of Standard Grade in some schools or at ages 16-18 in addition to Highers and Advanced Highers. National Courses can be taken in a wide range of subjects, from the purely academic, such as English and Mathematics - to the purely vocational, such as Accounting and Mental Health Care. They combine three National Units, each lasting 40 hours with a Course Assessment, normally taken at the end of a one-year Course in the early summer. Intermediate 1 is an educational qualification in Scotland on the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) achievement ladder similar to General Level at Standard Grades; it is the next step after Access 3. ... Intermediate 2 is an educational qualification in Scotland on the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) achievement ladder similar to General Level at Standard Grades; it is the next step after Intermediate 1. ... In Scotland the Higher is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) offered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority which superseded the old Higher Grade on the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE). ... Advanced Higher Grade, roughly equivalent to Englands A-Levels, is the non-compulsory Scottish examination for students aged about 17-18. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other meanings of mathematics or uses of math and maths, see Mathematics (disambiguation) and Math (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Accounting scholarship be merged into this article or section. ... Mental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional wellbeing or an absence of mental illness. ...

Each of these Courses is awarded on the Scottish Qualifications Certificate. The Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) is the successor to the Scottish Certificate of Education in Scotland, and is the main educational qualification awarded to students in secondary and further education. ...

Many faculties that provide SQA National Courses also provide preliminary examinations, or Prelim Exams. These can be used as evidence in the event of an appeal after the formal sitting. These exams are usually given in January or February, many months before the diet of official examinations. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is the authority which issues examination papers and awards examination results to students in Scotland. ... In Scottish Schools Preliminary Examinations (more commonly known as Prelims) are exams set in Scottish high schools after about two thirds of subjects course being completed, often around December for S4 pupils, and February for S5/ S6 pupils. ...

Other qualifications

National units and programmes

Most important to the integrated Scottish system are the many qualifications often imperfectly referred to as vocational, though these are frequently stepping stones to, or second chances on, a fairly standard academic pathway. The largest group of students at Scottish Colleges of Further Education pursue one- or two- year programmes tailored from a wide ranging catalogue of National Units. The actual programme may be very rigidly prescribed by employers or be entirely freely chosen by the student to meet particular needs. The prescribed programmes may be recognised by a National Certificate or a Scottish Progression Award.

SVQs and modern apprenticeships

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) are an award for vocational education and training awarded by the SQA in conjunction with industry bodies. Scottish National Qualifications and Scottish Progression Awards are often important in a Modern Apprenticeship scheme along with SVQs. SVQs are developed by United Kingdom employers in tandem with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A Scottish Vocational Qualification, or SVQ, is a certificate of vocational education in Scotland. ... A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ... Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are vocational awards in England & Wales (In Scotland they are known as Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ)) that are achieved through assessment and training. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

SVQ are assessed in the workplace (or closely regulated training workshops) by employers, training providers or colleges approved and monitored by the SQA (or other awarding bodies) accredited by its independent Accreditation Unit.

Higher National Certificates and Diplomas

Qualifications aimed at students in their first two years of Higher Education include HNCs (Higher National Certificates)- taken as a one year full-time course or as a two year part-time course - and HNDs (Higher National Diplomas. These qualifications are extremely popular in colleges, workplaces and community education centres in Scotland, the rest of the UK and throughout the world (most recently in China. The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. ... A Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom, and is a BTEC qualification awarded by Edexcel, in England. ... A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. ...

Students with Disabilities and/or Additional Support Needs

These include specific qualifications for those with severe to moderate difficulties (Access), the right to aid in completing assessments (for example, a scribe) and the right to challenge any unfair or artificial barrier in the rules for any qualification

English as a second language

There is a suite of National Units addressing the needs of economic migrants, asylum seekers and (the biggest group) those seeking to master English before returning to their own countries.

British Sign Language

A suite on National Units answers the needs of those who prefer to communicate in British Sign Language British Sign Language (BSL) is the sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK), and is the first or preferred language of an unknown number of Deaf people in the UK (published estimates range from 30,000 to 250,000 but it is likely that the lower figures are more...

Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework

SQA has joined with Universities Scotland, QAA Scotland and the Scottish Executive to create the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework or SCQF. Every Scottish qualification - from the Access level for those with learning difficulties to a Doctorate and including vocational as well as ESOL and BSL qualifications - is allocated a level and credit value within this framework, which all partners have agreed to recognise. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) was established in 1997 to provide an integrated quality assurance service for United Kingdom higher education. ... SCQF Logo The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is the national credit transfer system for all levels of qualifications in Scotland. ... The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is the national credit transfer system for all levels of qualifications in Scotland. ...

Responsibilities

SQA has a statutory responsibility to provide public examinations for Scottish state schools, though these are also used more widely. It has a statutory responsibility to accredit vocational qualifications (that is formally scrutinise them and confirm that they conform to agreed UK criteria). None of its qualifications, still less its vocational qualifications, is protected by statute, but the Authority has a largely dominant position within all sectors of qualifications within Scotland. SQA awards are exported to a number of countries including China, Africa, the Middle East, Russia and former Soviet republics and other countries. SQA also provides the licensing certification for many merchant navies throughout the world.

History

Up until their merger in 1998, the two major Scottish examination authorities were the SEB (Scottish Examination Board) and the Scottish Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC). It is the former of the two that issued the Standard Grade and Higher Grade examinations. The year after Higher Grade was called CSYS (Certificate of Sixth Year Studies) until a reform of Scottish exams (the National Qualifications or Higher Still reforms) replaced it with a broadly equivalent qualification called Advanced Higher. Some curriculum changes were also made to the Higher, but this was not renamed. Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... CSYS - Certificate for Sixth Year studies. ...

A legacy of its two precursor bodies, the Authority's offices remain split over two sites, one in Glasgow and one in Dalkeith. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Dalkeith (Scottish Gaelic: Dail Cheith) (pop. ...

Controversy

The introduction of the reformed examinations system in 2000 was criticised in the press and by the government after a series of administrative and computer errors led to several thousand incorrect Higher and Intermediate certificates being sent out. The crisis took several months to resolve, and several management figures including the Chief Executive Ron Tuck resigned or were fired. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Chief Executive may refer to: Chief Executive of Hong Kong Chief Executive of Macau Chief Executive Officer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

See also

• SQA Exams Fiasco

In 2000, the new Higher Grade examination system in Scotland, through a mixture of incompetence and genuine bad luck, ground to a complete halt resulting in administrative chaos and misery for thousands of students. ...

External links

• Scottish Qualifications Authority - Official website