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New Courses and Qualifications The new qualifications Nationals 1-

5, Highers and Advanced Highers, are being introduced in Scotland between 2013 and 2016.

They replace Access, Standard Grade, Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.

SCQF Level New National Qualifications Replaces Previous/ Current National Qualifications

1 and 2 National 1 and National 2 > Access 1 and Access 2

3 National 3 > Access 3 Standard Grade (Foundation level)

4 National 4 > Standard Grade (General level) Intermediate 1

5 National 5 > Standard Grade (Credit level) Intermediate 2

6 Higher (new) > Higher

7 Advanced Higher (new) > Advanced Higher

Assessment National 1, National 2, National 3 and National 4 are marked and assessed

by school teaching staff. The SQA will check assessments to ensure that assessment judgements are consistent and meet national standards

National 4 Courses will be made up of Units, including an Added Value Unit. In order to achieve a Course award at National 4, learners will need to pass all Units plus an Added Value Unit assessment

Assessment National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Courses will also include Units

that are assessed and marked by the school. In order to achieve a Course award at National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher, learners must pass all Units plus a Course assessment

For all courses with Units if a pupil fails the Unit assessment they do have a second chance to pass. Only in exceptional circumstances would pupils who fail a second time be allowed to have a third attempt.

Course assessments will continue to be externally marked by SQA. The Course assessment consists of a question paper (exam) and/or coursework (assignments, portfolios, practical activities etc)

Verification by SQA Marking of internal units will be verified by the SQA at several key times

in the year

If the SQA does not agree with assessment standards then potentially assessments will need to be completed again

How are Courses Graded Courses will continue to contain Units that are marked throughout the

year by teachers. These Units will be assessed as 'pass' or 'fail' as is the case with current qualifications

Courses at National 2, National 3 and National 4 will not be graded, but assessed as 'pass' or 'fail‘

Courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher will be graded A to D, or 'No Award'

Exceptional Circumstances In ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ if a pupil is unable to sit the exam the

school can apply for this consideration and send evidence which the SQA will consider for a course award.

Post Result Service Clerical Check – checking of marks only (e.g. collation and addition of

marks)

Marker Review – not a full remark but a consideration of the quality of the marking that has already been carried out by the SQA marking team

Priority Marker Review – for those who need a response urgently for University applications

There are costs associated with each of these if results are unchanged

It is the school who should decide if appropriate to request any of these services with the pupil and parents agreement marks can go down as well as up!

Further Information for Parents http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone/cfe

http://www.sqa.org.uk

http://www.npfs.org.uk/tag/cfe/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2-8tT4PH8g&x-yt-cl=84838260&x-yt-ts=1422327029&feature=player_embedded