2. Quality Assurance 2013/14 Round 1 and 2 verification is complete. SQA is supporting schools and colleges with any outstanding ‘Not Accepted’ decisions Round 3 verification events are now taking place. Verification activity includes National 4 Added Value Units and National 5 Internally Assessed Course Component Assessments only. No change to Visiting Verification activities Round 3 verification outcomes which are ‘Not Accepted’ decisions – support in place to help centres achieve August certification

3. QA 2013/14 – The National Picture Clear evidence across many subjects demonstrated:  Sound understanding and application of national standards  Good assessment practices Issues in some subject areas or centres which SQA have identified:  Support requirements for these subjects or centres  Reasons behind the issues

4. QA 2013/14 – Feedback Positive feedback from :  Nominees who valued the developmental impact of their participation in Verification activities  Wider stakeholders who appreciated the approach to supportive/partnership Aspects identified which will be addressed for 2014/15:  Capacity issue for teachers and centres  The need for greater emphasis on developing an understanding of standards rather than applying a mechanistic approach to assessment standards

5. QA 2014/15 – Changes to the Approach  CPD (September/November 2014) Verification activity will be replaced by Understanding Standards Events for Nominees  Verification Round 1 (February 2015) Will focus on the verification of Unit assessment – the number of selections will be reduced in line with intelligence gained from 2013/14 activity  Verification Round 2 (May 2015) Will focus on the verification of Internally Assessed Components of Course Assessment and Added Value Units – again the number of selections reduced

6. Understanding Standards – Materials SQA will provide resources to support and promote Understanding Standards from N1 to Higher for Nominees and wider audience: Candidate evidence for Units with commentary which can be used for training and benchmarking purposes Candidate evidence from Course assessment with commentary which can be used for training and benchmarking purposes Training materials which can be used by Nominees to support colleagues in their school, college and local authority Case studies

7. Understanding Standards - Events A variety of Understanding Standards Events will be delivered from 2014 – 2016 which will include: Events for Nominees focusing on Unit assessment Events for subject specialists focusing on course assessment Tailored events where specific needs are identified

8. Nominees for Session 2014/15 Mid June 2014: - Local Authorities will be sent a spreadsheet listing details of Nominees from session 2013/14 Local authorities should take the following action: - Confirm who is continuing as a Nominee - Inform us of anyone who is no longer going to be a Nominee and provide details of who will replace them

9. Nominees for Session 2014/15 Local authorities will have the opportunity to add or fill the quota of Nominees allocated for each subject in session 2013/14 For example: - 2013/14 – Authority A is allocated 10 Nominees for English - They make 7 nominations - 2014/15 – Authority A can make 3 new nominations for session 2014/15