Qualifications Update:National 5

Music

Qualifications Update:National 5

Music

Developing qualifications Developing qualifications - drivers- drivers• Progression – provide progression from Es & Os and maximise

continuity between levels • More open and flexible requirements – fewer, broader

outcomes, more focus on skills• Assessment which supports learning - open evidence

requirements – choice of assessment approaches – opportunities for combined assessment

• Refreshed and relevant contexts for learning, providing challenge and enjoyment

• Personalisation and Choice – in content/contexts for Units - Added Value Unit at National 4 – coursework assessment at National 5

• Robust and credible – current high standards in qualifications will be maintained

• has a hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 3 to Higher

• provides broad practical experience of performing and creating music and develops related knowledge and understanding of music

• has Units that offer many opportunities for skills to be developed and integrated throughout the Course

• provides opportunities for learners to develop composing skills and broaden their understanding of music concepts and styles

• has added value assessments that provide personalisation and choice in performances at National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher. Question papers also provide added value at National 5 and Higher

• A revised music concept list has been produced for the Courses from National 3 to Higher.

Key pointsKey points

Course StructureCourse Structure

National 3 National 4 National 5

Music: Performing Skills Unit

Music: Performing Skills Unit

Music: Performing Skills Unit

Music: Composing Skills Unit

Music: Composing Skills Unit

Music: Composing Skills Unit

Understanding Music Unit

Understanding Music Unit

Understanding Music Unit

Added Value Unit Music Performance

Component 1 — performance 60 marksComponent 2 — question paper 40 marksTotal marks 100 marks

New Quality Assurance arrangementsNew Quality Assurance arrangements• Will cover new National 1 to National 5 from 2013/14

• New arrangements will promote shared understanding of national standards through a collaborative and partnership approach

• New ‘Nominee’ role - provides a pool of nationally trained experts

• Intense verification in the first 3 years, then an intelligence led approach will be adopted

• Verification in Nov/Dec, Feb and Apr/May - allows for early identification of issues and support/guidance to be given

Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13 Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13

Oct 12 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)

Feb 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)

Feb 13 N5 Specimen Question Paper

Apr 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)

Apr 13 N5 Specimen Coursework

Apr 13 N4 Added Value Assessment Support

Music Unit Assessment

National 3 to National 5

Music Unit Assessment

National 3 to National 5

Unit assessmentUnit assessment• Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence

Requirements in Units

• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages

• Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments

• More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support Unit Assessment Support packages – purpose packages – purpose

Assessment support packages will be provided which you can use to:

•Assess your candidates

•Adapt for your own assessment programmes

•Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support Unit Assessment Support packages – key featurespackages – key features

• Valid from August 2013

• Designed to encourage professional judgement

• Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence

• Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence

• Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered and how this is to be judged against Assessment Standards

Unit assessment support Unit assessment support packages - approachespackages - approaches

Package 1 (Oct 2012)Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks

for each UnitPackage 2 (Feb 2013)Combined approach – groups Outcomes and

Assessment Standards from two different UnitsPackage 3 (April 2013)Portfolio approach – naturally occurring evidence

Assessment Package 1Assessment Package 1Music: Composing Skills/Performing Skills/Understanding Music•Unit by Unit approach•independent work, with support appropriate to the SQCF level•describes appropriate evidence and success criteria for each Outcome/assessment standard•re-assessment by assessment standard is possible•exemplar task(s) and recording documentation

Assessment Package 1Assessment Package 1

• key issues for the subject - practical applied skills supported by developing the

candidate’s understanding of music- qualitative assessment focus using naturally

occurring evidence where appropriate- standards comparable/aligned to existing Music

qualifications and approach- reasonable assistance/support – reflecting on their

performing and composing skills

MusicAdded Value Assessments:

- National 5 Course Assessment- National 4 Added Value Unit

MusicAdded Value Assessments:

- National 5 Course Assessment- National 4 Added Value Unit

Adding Value – National 4, Adding Value – National 4, National 5National 5

• Each Course at National 4 and National 5 includes assessment of Added Value

• For National 4, the added value is in an Added Value Unit - not graded

• For National 5, the added value is in the Course Assessment - graded A - D (as at present)

Added ValueAdded Value• Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts• Builds on current Course assessment and Group

Award approaches • Defined as breadth, challenge and/or application as

outlined in Building the Curriculum 5• May involve accumulation, assimilation, integration

and/or application of skills, knowledge and understanding

• Uses 7 defined assessment methods (there usually two of these)

Controlled AssessmentControlled Assessment• Where the assessment method is not a question paper,

SQA has introduced the concept of controlled assessment to ensure fairness and reliability

• 3 stages of assessment: Setting, Conducting, Marking the assessment

• Each will have a defined level of control: SQA-led activity, Shared responsibility between SQA and centres, Centre-led

• Subject-specific decisions, but mostly SQA-led activity in initial years

MusicMusicNational 5•Performance (60 marks) + Question paper (40 marks)

National 4•Performance (pass/fail)

National 5 – National 5 – Performance

• set by centres within SQA guidelines• conducted under a high degree of

supervision and control• marked by an SQA Visiting Examiner• 60 marks (60% of award)

National 5 - PerformanceNational 5 - Performance

• 8 minute overall programme of music• two contrasting pieces of music on either

two selected instruments/one instrument and voice

• solo/group performance

National 5 – National 5 – Question Paper• set and marked by SQA• conducted in centres under conditions

specified for external examinations by SQA• listening paper - responding to questions

based on excerpts of music• assesses conceptual knowledge and

understanding of music and music literacy• uses a variety of familiar/new question types • 40 marks (40% of award)

National 4 Added Value UnitNational 4 Added Value Unit

• A performance of an agreed programme of music on two selected instruments/one instrument and voice– set by centres within SQA guidelines – conducted under some supervision and control – evidence will be internally marked by centre staff

in line with SQA guidelines. – assessment subject to quality assurance by SQA.

National 4 Added Value Unit National 4 Added Value Unit Music PerformanceMusic Performance

• application of learning and applied skills from across the Course

• similar to N5 Performance, but less musically/technically challenging and with more structured support

• marking based on the approach used at N5 level

• 8 minute programme of level appropriate music