Pamela McConnell Donna Vivers CfE Support Managers s

PART ONE New National Qualification Update/Certification Support Materials and Mandatory Documents/Website Assessment Materials/Secure site Questions Purpose/Aims

CfE Support Team: – can show you what support is already available as well as what’s coming in session 2014–15 – provide face to face support as you introduce the new Courses Update you on a monthly basis through our e- update which you can now subscribe to directly, visit Keeping you informed-SQA

Advanced Higher will not dual run

SCQF Level Advanced Higher Higher National 5 National 4 National 3 National 2 National 1 Graded A-D Pass/Fail Previous/Existing Replaced by Resulting Advanced Higher Higher SG Credit/Int2 SG General/Int1 Access 3/SG Foundation Access 2 Access

Replacement of existing Units in Group Awards Where existing Units form part of Group Awards such as National Certificates and NPAs the replacement Units will also become part of these Awards Existing Units that are not being replaced will continue to be available until they are either replaced or removed as part of our current portfolio review process

All courses are Unit based All Units are internally assessed as pass or fail Lecturers can use their professional judgement to decide on the assessment method for all units except the N4 Added Value Unit (AVU) which is mandatory for the first 2 years SQA published Unit Assessment Support Packs (UASP’s) for N2 – Higher Courses Assessment Methods – Unit Assessment

Course Structures Course Structures AV=Added Value/CA=Course Assessment

Are examples of the types of assessments which produce work that meets the Outcomes and Assessment Standards for the Unit Contain judging evidence tables which give examples of how to meet the Assessment Standards Can be used, adapted or used as a basis for developing your own assessments – Prior Verification is recommended Unit Assessment Support Packs

Course assessment in National Courses at National 4, 5, Higher and Advanced Higher will focus on the added value of the course: Breadth Challenge Application This is done through sampling the learners’ skills, knowledge and understanding from across the course Course Assessment - Added Value

Course assessment for N5, Higher and AH are externally marked by SQA, or internally marked and quality assured by SQA Grades are awarded based on course assessment marks Assessment will be carried out using one or two of the following assessment methods….. Assessment Methods – Course Assessment

Summary of Methods of Assessments National 4 (38 Courses) National 5 (40 Courses) Higher (36 Courses) Assignment2625 Case Study-11 Performance378 Portfolio-32 Practical Activity66- Project--4 QP/Test23842

Mandatory and Support Documents Mandatory Information Course and Unit Specifications Course Assessment Specification (N5, Higher, AH) Advice and Guidance Course and Unit Support Notes Award Support Notes Assessment Support Unit Assessment Support Packs (UASPs) Specimen Question Paper and Marking Instructions (N5 and H) Coursework Information (N5 and H)

These reports are intended to be constructive and informative and to promote better understanding of the requirements of each Course assessment. Each report will cover all the Components of Course assessment (normally two), including any internally assessed Components, when relevant to the subject. National 5 Assessment Reports

Course comparison tables National 3-Higher Use of past papers to support Course assessment National 5 and Higher Additional example question paper for each relevant new Higher-Jan 2015 Unit Assessment Support Packs refreshed for new Higher Aug 2014 Extra supporting documents

National 5 Specimen Question papers and Marking instructions General assessment information covering Coursework such as Assignment or Practical activity Download these from SQA’s subject pages at click the subject you are interested in and select National 5/Higher. Higher Specimen Question papers available end of February 2014, second paper end of Jan How to prepare candidates?

Questions? Questions?

PART TWO Quality Assurance Approaches Prior Verification Internal Assessment IV Toolkit Understanding Standards Nominees Questions Purpose/Aims

Maintains the credibility of National Qualifications Encourages the partnership approach of Curriculum for Excellence Supports the sharing of knowledge and understanding of National Standards Increases confidence in assessment decisions Supports the flexible delivery of our new National Qualifications Quality Assuring the new NQs

Quality Assurance Approaches A blend of approaches are used to externally verify the new National Qualifications including - Prior Verification Event Verification Visiting Verification

Prior Verification Service Free service offered to centres who: devise their own assessments significantly change SQA’s assessments Provides additional confidence to teachers that a proposed assessment is fit for purpose Does not apply to Added Value Units Shared on SQA Secure

Quality Assurance-Internal Assessment Course and unit verification Verification type depends on evidence type Centres submit candidate evidence from a complete Unit or work in progress, ie interim evidence, where an assessment decision had been made Verification is undertaken by Principal Verifier/Team Leader/Nominees

Nominees for Session 2014/15 June – August 2014 Colleges who put forward Nominees in 2013/14 sent spreadsheet listing details of Nominees from session 2013/14 to: - Confirm who was continuing as a Nominee for session 2014/15 - Inform SQA of anyone who no longer going to be a Nominee and provide details of who will replace them in 2014/15 - Inform SQA of any new Nominations

Key Messages and Reports Selections, Outcome and Centre Reports electronically via NQ QA software on SQA Connect Outcome can feed into the centre’s priority rating for the next year Subject Specific Key Messages - after each round of verification on subject pages Course Assessment Report – annually

Quality Assurance

September 2014 November 2014 February 2015 May 2015* N3 - N5 Understanding Standards events for Nominees Higher/N1/N2: Understanding Standards events for Nominees Round 1 Verification: National 1 to Higher Unit Assessments Round 2 Verification: National 5 and Higher Course Component assessments and National 4 Added Value Unit assessments Verification Timeline 2014/15 * for subjects that require it, visiting verification activities will take place during March/April/May

First package of our Understanding Standards material is now available and a second is underway A further two packages will be released this session Further Understanding Standards events on Course assessment were delivered for National 5, which were open to all subject specialists Check monthly and weekly centre news for updates Understanding Standards

Web-based resource to support schools/colleges through internal verification processes Aim is to have IV processes which add value and support Explains the wider aspects of the process of internal verification Gives practical advice to schools/colleges on how to implement and record internal verification IV Toolkit Support new NQ’s

All presentations and workshop tasks available to all on SQA open website: Understanding Standards- All supporting candidate evidence material currently held on SQA secure website: SQA Secure Understanding Standards

New Quality Assurance Arrangements Information for Lecturers/Colleges IV Toolkit Subject Pages Understanding Standards 2014/15 Useful Links

Questions? Questions?