2. Quality Assurance of Assessment Arrangements
Annette Foulcer
Research Policy Standards & Statistics

3. No change to the key principles which underpin SQA’s policy on assessment arrangements
No change to either the key principles that underpin assessment arrangements or the policy itself.

4. The integrity of the qualification must be maintained
Candidates for whom assessment arrangements are requested or provided should be able to achieve the national standards but be unable to do so through the published assessment procedures
The integrity of the qualification must be maintained
Assessment Arrangements are about access, candidates are still expected to demonstrate the same standard – they just have to access the assessment in a slightly different manner.
AAs are about disability/ Additional support needs not lack of ability
This is vital in ensuring that the end-user of the certificate is not misled and public confidence in the qualification must be maintained

5. Arrangements tailored to meet particular needs of candidates, subjects and assessments
Arrangements reflect, as far as possible, the candidate’s normal way of learning and producing work
Appropriate arrangements are not just based on nature of difficulty but also more importantly how the difficulty impacts on candidate’s normal way of working. What support has been put in place to overcome difficulties? and what effect these ongoing arrangements have on their ability to demonstrate attainment?

6. Main SQA responsibilities
to maintain the credibility of all awards
to operate effective quality assurance procedures for assessment arrangements
provide guidance and support to centres to facilitate the fair operation of the system to promote an inclusive approach to provision and ensure compliance under existing policy and legislation
Credibility = integrity of assessments
Assessment Arrangements audit process ensures fair and consistent implementation of AAs based on evidence which justifies the provision of the particular assessment arrangement
SQA provides web guidance and exemplification, guidance on designing inclusive assessments and equality review of qualifications

7. Main school responsibilities
identifying those candidates who need Assessment Arrangements
ensuring that the Assessment Arrangements requested are the most appropriate to meet the candidate’s assessment need
ensuring that there are effective internal quality assurance system for identifying and verifying candidates’ need for assessment arrangements
The devolved model of decision making means that school has critical role in ensuring that system operates fairly and with integrity, main responsibilities are:
Eligibility of candidate because SQA does not know the candidates, we do not know how they access the curriculum or how they work in class or in internal assessments
impact of difficulty in subject and assessment concerned
in line with the key principles

8. identify a candidate’s assessment need
This means that:
identify a candidate’s assessment need
determine the most appropriate assessment arrangement
verify the candidate’s need for the assessment arrangement in an external assessment
authorise the submission of a request for an assessment arrangement in an external assessment
All of which must be documented, implemented and monitored to meet SQA requirements

9. Quality Assurance 2017-2018 QA Events September 2017
Audit visits Jan – Feb 2018
Developmental Approach
hold three quality assurance of assessment arrangements information/training events for Principal Teachers of Learning Support
QEMs carry out a small selection of ‘double-banked’ audit visits (numbers to be agreed) to take place in January, February and March These might be based on current evidence

10. Assessment Arrangements System
Donna Vivers-SQA Liaison Manager

11. Accessing the system See handout with instructions
Assessment Arrangements Request System (AAR)
2016–17 –A guide for centres
As we have a limited amount of time in our session, I felt it was better to get to the actual system and let you see the screens that you will be using rather than spend time going through how to log on etc SO I have put this into a handout for you to use when back at your centres. Alternatively, we send you out a copy of the AAR system guide each year and this also have the log in requirements step by step. If you have had trouble logging in in the past then please let me know at the end of the session.
SQA send the SQA Coordinator the log in details every October. You are a new user every year and have to start afresh, every exam diet.
So let’s get started…after you have logged in.

12. Main Menu From here, you can:  create new requests
 update existing requests
 submit requests by uploading files from Management Information Software (MIS)
 update your user profile (eg re-setting the password)
 run reports
 log out of AAR

13. Creating new Assessment Arrangement requests
When you select the Create Arrangement menu option, you will have the option of creating requests in either candidate or product/level order (which really means which qualification and level!)
Click on the Create Arrangement option on the Main Menu then select By Candidate.

14. Creating new Assessment Arrangement requests
You are then able to input the candidate’s SCN. Then, click on the arrow (after SCN) which will prompt the AAR system to look up the candidate’s details. If the system recognises the candidate, the Candidate Name and Date of Birth fields will be filled in automatically.
If the candidate’s date of birth is different from what appears automatically, please contact us to confirm the correct candidate details.
Then the Lookup Entries button will now be available. When this button is selected, the candidate’s current live entries for external assessments will be displayed.

15. Create by Candidate
You can now choose which subject the candidate requires the request for. When you check the box (in the Select column) for an individual entry, the standard arrangements that are available for request are grouped in tabs.
Submitting requests
The Submit Arrangements button at the top of the screen should only be clicked once you have finished selecting all your required arrangements from all tabs for each live entry. Do not click on this button on a tab by tab basis.

16. Difficulty Codes Tabs Arrangements
Difficulties & Certs Difficulty Codes and Adapted Certificate.
Adapted Papers Adapted Print, Braille, Coloured Paper, Modified Contents, Optionality and Digital Papers.
Arrangements 1 Calculator and Extra Time.
Arrangements 2 ICT, PA Referral, Prompter, Reader, Breaks, Scribe, Separate Accommodation, Signed Assessment, Signed Response, Taped Transcription (Live Presentation), Transcription with correction, Transcription without correction.
Additional Other Arrangements and Additional Comments.
At least one difficulty code must be selected from the drop down menu on the Difficulties & Cert tab. You can also add a secondary reason, if required.
An Adapted or Braille certificate, if required, should also be selected from this screen. So now I will take you through each tab.

17. Adapted papers
Adapted papers are produced by SQA’s Question Paper Quality Assurance & Logistics team. To make the required adaptations, this team needs detailed information.
Adapted question papers are produced single-sided and unless requested in magazine format, will be collated using a staple (up to approximately 50 sheets) or a Treasury Tag (greater than approximately 50 sheets) in the top left corner. Please note that as adapted QPs are single-sided, this will effectively double the page extent and any request for increased font size and/or double spacing will significantly increase the page extent compare to the mainstream paper.
Adapted papers including digital papers must be submitted by 27 January 2017 at the latest.
NB — If a candidate is sitting at another SQA approved centre and requires adapted papers, please type the alternative centre details in the ‘Additional Comments’ box in the AAR System to ensure the adapted papers are issued to the alternative centre.

18. Adapted papers-Sub menu
Adapted Print — where Adapted Print is required, select the check box. Note that the Font Size, Font Type, Paper Size and Paper Orientation are already filled in with SQA’s standard enlarged print (18pt, Standard SQA Font on A3 Portrait). You can select additional options from the drop down menus, if necessary.
If none of the available options are suitable, select ‘Other’. A text box will appear for details of the candidate’s requirements. The reason why none of the available options are suitable must be given in the Additional Comments box by selecting the Additional tab and inserting the reason (eg ‘none of the listed options are suitable because...’). A message reminding you to do this will be displayed.
For details of the other options see page 5 (last page) of your handout. (take them through this page)

19. Arrangements 1 example
Arrangements 1 you can see that there are drop down menus available for some arrangements, this one eg for Extra Time and under the Arrangements 2 tab you have the option of requesting breaks.

20. Arrangements 2 example
If the duration of breaks required is more than 25% of examination time, you need to provide further details about this in the Additional Comments on the Additional tab. If the duration of the break is less than 25% there is no need to give any further information.
It is important that the Other Arrangement and Additional Comments boxes are not used for general comments, notes or queries. Only insert information that is relevant to the requested assessment arrangement into these fields.
Non-standard arrangements
Where a candidate requires a non-standard arrangement (ie one not offered in our standard suite of arrangements available in the AAR system), you should submit your request in writing for consideration to the Assessment Arrangements team at with full candidate/subject details. Once approval has been given the request should be submitted on the AAR system by filling in the Other Arrangement field on the Additional tab.
Coloured Overlay/Tinted Glasses — it is not necessary to enter requests for the use of coloured overlays or tinted glasses on the AAR system. However you should continue to inform the Invigilator of the use of coloured overlays in timetabled examinations.
Additional Comments — requests are submitted at assessment level rather than by paper. If your candidate requires different arrangements in different papers (eg a scribe in paper 1, extra time in paper 2), please select all the arrangements required across the entire assessment and tell us in the Additional Comments box which arrangements relate to which papers.
In some cases, the automatic validation feature that is built into the system may prevent you from selecting certain combinations of arrangements. For example, a candidate may require a scribe in paper 1 and transcription with correction in paper 2 — but Scribe and Transcription cannot be selected for the same qualification. In this case, please select scribe in the Arrangements 2 tab, and in the Additional tab insert transcription with correction in the Other Arrangement box. Remember to indicate clearly in the Additional Comments box which arrangement relates to which paper.

21. Product/Level+ Updating requests
If you choose to input via Product/Level then you need the course codes. Enter these then selecting the arrow will automatically populate the screen with the qualification name and level name associated with the codes you have entered
When you have completed both the code fields, the Lookup Entries button will become available on the right-hand side of the screen. Select this button, and a list will appear showing all the candidates currently entered for that product/level at your centre. You can then follow the same screens for each candidate that you have a request for. This may be helpful if there is a particular subject that happens to have a larger number of candidates that require assessment arrangements.
Updating arrangements can be used to make a change to any requests you have sent. You can remove part of a request, you can delete it completely or you can add to it. Remember, where there are drop downs, you must go in and deselect etc the specifics if removing part of the request.
I have added a note in your hand out about changing entry level. This will be automatic, if they move from N5 to Higher then the request will remain, however if they move from N5 to N4 then the request may not be valid and the Assessment arrangements team will contact you to discuss. You can of course update the system yourself and you may find that moving level means extra assessment arrangements that you will now have to input.

22. File upload
This facility will allow centres with MIS systems (eg Seemis/Phoenix) to upload a file containing assessment arrangement requests directly from the MIS to AAR. You will also be able to monitor its status. You should refer to your software supplier for instructions on how to generate this request file.
When you click on the Browse button, you can select the relevant file from your network and click on Upload File. The status of the file will be displayed on screen and you will be able to see that it has been sent and received. After passing validation, the requests will update the Assessment Arrangements system.

23. Reports-Detail Report
The AAR System has a reporting facility which allows you to produce two different types of reports depending on your needs. From the Reports option on the Main Menu, you can produce either a PDF Detail Report or an Excel Detail Extract. If you submit requests by uploading files from Management Information Software (MIS), you must also produce a final report from the AAR System to ensure all your requests have been submitted and processed.
A copy of the AAR report showing the specific arrangements approved by SQA for the candidate must be given to the Invigilator prior to the examination.
Users of these reports must be made aware of the confidentiality of the content.
When the Detail Report option is selected, this screen will be displayed. You can input any combination of parameters (SCN, Product Code or Product Level, Difficulty Reason) if specific details are required, or leave all parameters blank if you prefer to see all the requests you have submitted to date. For example, if you wish to see all the arrangements requested for candidates entered for National 5 French, leave the SCN and Date of Birth fields blank, and enter X730 into the Product Code field and 75 in the Product Level field. An option on the right of the screen allows you to choose the format you would prefer to see the report in — either HTML or PDF.
These reports detail the status of the request (either In Progress or Complete).
Complete — please note that only requests which are at status Complete can be implemented for SQA external examinations
In progress — those that are In Progress are either under consideration by the Assessment Arrangements team, or are currently having an adapted paper produced.
Requests for adapted papers will only move to Complete when the paper has been physically produced/printed, so these will remain as In Progress for longer than other requests.
These reports contain two pages per candidate.

24. Reports-Detail Extract
Again, you can also choose to input a combination of parameters before requesting a Detail Extract. For example, if you want to see all candidates at your centre who currently have requests submitted for Use of ICT in Higher English, you would follow this procedure:
 Enter X724 into the Product Code field and 76 into the Product Level field.
 Click on the De-Select All box.
 Click on Use of ICT box.
 Click on the Excel icon button on the right-hand side of the screen — see below.
The Detail Extract facility also reports the status of your requests (either In Progress or Complete).

25. QUESTIONS