College Coordinators’ Event Security of Assessments Workshop Fiona Gunn, Quality Strategy Manager Michelle Sharpe, Senior Operations Manager

Why security of assessments? Recommendations and required actions from college systems development and verification visits Sharing of practice and pilot on access to SQA’s secure site Common issues across HN and NQ Opportunity to discuss how to deal with a range of scenarios

SQA Quality Criterion 4.5 Under Category 4, Internal Assessment (separate criterion for external examination security): Assessment materials and candidate evidence (including examination question papers, scripts and electronically-stored evidence) must be stored and transported securely.

Systems development visits 2015 25 colleges visits (mock verification visits) Criterion 4.5 – 12 Green, 11 Amber, 1 Red rating (1 not verified) No written procedures in some cases Some procedures missing certain requirements Enhanced guidance to centres on writing security of assessments procedures produced as a result

Systems verification visits 2017 14 colleges visits completed by July Criterion 4.5 – 7 Green, 7 Amber ratings All the required action points included notifying SQA of breaches of security to SQA. Next most common action related to clearer guidance to teaching staff on their responsibilities for secure storage, transport, use and disposal of assessment materials.

Coverage of Procedures SQA assessment materials published on secure site: HN assessments exemplars, NQ Unit Assessment Support Packs (UASPs), TAPS Centre-devised assessment materials which are to be used under controlled conditions

Access to Secure Site Variety of approaches in colleges to managing single log-in to secure site to access materials John Redman (West College Scotland) collated information from colleges on their approaches SQA pilot underway with UHI to try out multiple log-ins to secure site allocated to named individuals SQA/College Focus Group will received report on the pilot

1. Reporting breaches of security Centres must make all staff aware that any breach in the security of the assessment materials published on the secure site must be reported immediately to SQA. See scenario 1 in workshop tasks

2. Assessment security after use Assessments handed out to candidates to use must be collected back in and either shredded, put into confidential waste or stored securely again (this would include assessment papers or booklets with the questions embedded in them) See scenario 2 in workshop tasks

3. Transport of assessments Transport arrangements within and between assessment sites must also ensure the security of the materials. See scenario 3 in workshop tasks