22nd June 2023
The report of Professor Hayward’s Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessments, ‘It’s Our Future: Report of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment,’ has been published. You can read the full report here, a summary of the review’s findings and recommendations here, and the analysis of the consultation here.
Connect welcomes the publication of the Report and we would like to thank the parents and carers who took the time to participate in the Review led by Professor Louise Hayward.
As part of the Qualifications and Assessment Review Group, Connect and the National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) shared news about the work of the review, conducted surveys and focus groups and worked hard to make sure the widest possible range of parents and carers had their voices heard. As you might imagine, parents and carers hold many and diverse views on assessment and qualifications. Our earlier parent/carer survey, for the review led by Professor Ken Muir, found that parents do want a system that works for all people, and they recognise that different assessment methods work for different young people.
With this in mind, we urge the Scottish Government to continue to seek the views of parents and carers, devising a dedicated communications plan for and with parents and use their views to inform any proposed changes, keeping them informed as changes are agreed and the timescales involved, in jargon-free and parent friendly language.
Young people are of course at the heart of the education system and should be at the heart of assessment and qualification reform. However, their parents and carers stand by their sides. The vital role of parents and carers as key stakeholders in any reforms to the qualifications and assessment system must continue to be recognised.
It is also essential for any reforms to be properly funded and resourced in schools and in the wider community.