2. Quality Assurance of Assessment Arrangements
Patricia McDonald

3. The aim of this session is
to clarify the key principles underpinning the SQA policy in relation to assessment arrangements
to outline SQA and college Quality Assurance responsibilities arising from key principles
to consider SQA’s Quality Assurance evidence requirements
to provide an opportunity for you to raise and discuss issues

4. Policy on Equality of Access to SQA Qualifications
‘Provide assessment arrangements to allow disabled candidates and/or those with additional support needs to access the assessment without compromising its integrity. For disabled candidates, we will make reasonable adjustments in accordance with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010’

5. Key principles which underpin SQA’s policy on assessment arrangements
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
(AAs are about access, candidate still expected to demonstrate the same standard - disability not lack of ability)
The integrity of the qualification must be maintained
(important that user of the certificate is not misled/public confidence in the qualification must be maintained)

6. Key principles which underpin SQA’s policy on assessment arrangements cont…………
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, not just based on nature of difficulty but also on how difficulty impacts on normal way of working, what support has been put in place to overcome difficulties and what effect these ongoing arrangements have on ability to demonstrate attainment)

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

8. Main college responsibilities (devolved model of decision making means that college has critical role in ensuring that system operates fairly and with integrity)
identifying those candidates who need Assessment Arrangements (eligibility)
ensuring that the Assessment Arrangements requested are the most appropriate to meet the candidate’s assessment need (impact of difficulty in subject and assessment concerned)
ensuring that there is an effective internal quality assurance system for identifying and verifying candidates’ need for assessment arrangements (in line with the key principles))

9. This means that your college’s quality assurance system should include processes to:
♦ identify a candidate’s assessment need
♦ determine the most appropriate assessment arrangement
♦ verify the candidate’s need for the assessment arrangement in an internal or external assessment
♦ authorise the assessment arrangement
All of which must be documented, implemented and monitored to meet SQA requirements