Updated 22 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, the analysis of the consultation here, and Connect's statement here.
Updated 18 April 2023: The Phase 3 consultation has now closed. You can read Connect's response here.
Updated 14 March 2023: The Review's survey of parents and carers is now live! You can submit your views on the proposals for a Scottish Diploma of Achievement here. The survey closes 6 April 2023.
Updated 3 March 2023: The interim report of the review has been published. You can read it here, and our summary of the proposals below:
Proposals for a New Model for Qualifications and Assessment
The following four suggestions have come out of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment. This Review has been looking at, and consulting on, ways to improve qualifications and assessment in Scotland over the last year.
There should be a better balance between internal evidence (gathered in schools/colleges) and external assessment (eg exams) in National Qualifications, and the number of exams taken across the Senior Phase should be reduced. Currently, many learners take three consecutive years of exams in the same subject, usually at the end of S4, S5 and S6. Instead, learners would take an exam when they exit a subject. For example, if a learner at the beginning of S4 is planning to go on to take a Higher in a subject, they would only take an external exam at the end of S5, while gathering evidence of achievement (eg collected by schools/colleges) across the two years.
Better integration of both academic and vocational qualifications. At present, there are different types of qualifications (eg SVQs, NCs, National Qualifications) which sit on the same Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level. The complexity of qualification names can mean that qualifications at the same level may not be valued equally. This needs to change.
Make better use of digital, eg using digital technology for assessments and gather evidence as well as collecting and presenting achievements on a digital learner profile.
Broaden the evidence of achievement collected during the Senior Phase to include skills and other abilities and achievements, not just subjects. This will be done through the creation of a Scottish Diploma of Achievement. This would be a Senior Phase Leaving Certificate which would pull together:
Subjects or curricular areas: this would show progress in individual subjects, curricular areas, or programmes of study. In National Qualifications, most learners would accumulate credits throughout the two-year programme and take an external examination at the end of the second year. Credits would be accumulated throughout the course and programme providing learners with evidence of achievement should they not complete the course.
Learning in context: this would be a project which would show knowledge, skills, abilities and competences in action across different subjects eg project work on topics such as global issues (climate change, social justice, or migration) or it might involve a local community task or involvement. Learners would be able to demonstrate their ability to collaborate, to problem solve, to manage time and resources, showing the skills that will be useful for the real-life challenges they will face beyond school.
Personal pathways: learners can record their personal interests, commitments and activities, the contributions they make to society and their career aspirations:
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Social eg contribution to school or to wider communities or caring responsibilities, volunteering
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Cultural eg, engagement in cultural activities like dance, music, art, drama, Gaelic culture, sport, wider culture
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Work-related eg part-time employment, careers including enterprise, voluntary work, Foundation Apprenticeships.
Background
Scotland's qualifications (including exams and the ways young people are assessed) are under review!
Connect and the National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) have been asked to be part of the Qualifications and Assessment Review Group, led by Professor Louise Hayward of the University of Glasgow, along with representatives from all the main stakeholders in Scottish education. Louise is committed to making sure that young people themselves and their parents/carers have a key role in the review – which is where you come in! Over the coming months, we will be gathering parents' views about qualifications, and about how young people are recognised and rewarded for their achievements.
Together, NPFS and Connect will be supporting and organising surveys and focus groups, sharing news about the work of the review (which will be influenced by what you tell us), and generally working hard to make sure the widest possible range of parents and carers have their voices heard.
There will be other ways to be involved over the next six months as proposals take shape.
Review Timetable
February 2023: Professor Hayward will provide an interim report to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.
March 2023: Phase 3 Consultation.
May 2023: Final report to be published.
You can read an overview of the Review Phases here.
Consultations
The Phase Three ran until 7 April 2023. You can read the briefing paper and full questions here, and Connect's response here.
The review's Phase Two public consultation closed on 13 January 2023. Connect submitted a response, which you can read here. The analysis report for the Phase 2 consultation can be found here.
Keep Informed
The summary report of the Phase One survey is now available.
Sign up for more information about the Hayward Review here. You can join the closed Facebook group for the Hayward Review, Qualifications and Assessment - Parent Voices here.