Scotland’s new exam body fully takes over from the Scottish Qualifications Authority today - marking the end of nearly 30 years of the SQA - with a promise that “fundamental” change is on its way.
Chief executive Nick Page described today’s shift, when Qualifications Scotland comes fully into operation, as a “momentous occasion”.
It replaces the SQA, which was established in 1997. The SQA was heavily criticised for its performance during Covid, paving the way for the new body.
Ever since the demise of the SQA was announced in June 2021, there have been concerns that the new body would simply be a “rebrand”.
However, Mr Page said: “We are absolutely fundamentally changing this.”
He has talked up a bigger role and voice for teachers than was the case in the SQA, and said it was crucial for him to speak directly with people who work in schools on a regular basis.
Mr Page added: “How are we different? I spend a day of the week, of my working week, in a school or college.”
Chief examining officer Donna Stewart said: “It is important as a new organisation that we are different, and that difference has to be listening and acting differently.”
Qualifications Scotland is ‘very different’
The board of Qualifications Scotland, meanwhile, includes five practising teachers or lecturers.
Ms Stewart said: “We’ve got a whole new governance structure, we have got a whole new set of people. It is very different.”
Last week, the Scottish government announced the appointment of the chair and the 13 members of the inaugural Qualifications Scotland board.
Chair Shirley Rogers will continue to fulfil the role she performed for the SQA board.
New additions who were not board members for the SQA are:
- Gerry O’Neill, headteacher at St Ninian’s High School in East Renfrewshire.
- Jason Fitzgerald, depute headteacher at Westhill Academy in Aberdeenshire.
- Sarah Higgins-Rollo, vice-principal for learning and student experience at Forth Valley College.
- Kirsty Berchtenbreiter, director of people and wellbeing at the University of the West of Scotland.
- Ewan Carmichael, policy and external relations manager at Quarriers, one of Scotland’s largest health and social care charities. Qualifications Scotland said that, as “a recent learner, Ewan will represent the interests of learners”.
- Ian Hughes, engagement director for Scotland at the Construction Industry Training Board.
The new board will join previous SQA board members Seán Hagney, Dr Ken Thomson, Ronnie Erskine, Simon Hewitt, Caroline McFarlane, John Morton and Michelle Wailes.
Ms Rogers said the new board members would bring “invaluable” assets, including “hands-on experience of delivering qualifications”.
All qualifications under review
Qualifications Scotland will review all qualifications to ensure they are “absolutely fit for purpose”, the chief examining officer has said.
Ms Stewart said the new body was “looking at reform in terms of reviewing all the qualifications we have in our portfolio”.
As well as working out whether certain low-uptake subjects should continue, Qualifications Scotland will look at the appropriateness of both the number and length of exams taken by students.
While changes to the system of qualifications will not be fully implemented until 2031, the chief examining officer confirmed that some exams could be made shorter before then.
Ms Stewart said this could be done “without impacting on the integrity of the qualifications”.
She added: “What we do know the system is ready for just now is much more agile qualifications, ready for a reduced workload on teachers and ready for reduced assessment for learners, while still maintaining the integrity of our qualifications, so we are working towards those principles.”
Promise of ‘real improvements’
Meanwhile, recruitment for - one for learners and one for teachers and other practitioners - is now open and will close at 9pm on Monday 2 March.
Members of the committees will be asked to “share their own experiences and opinions to inform thinking, influence decisions and shape future developments in qualifications and assessment”.
Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Qualifications Scotland will deliver real improvements for learners, teachers and Scotland’s education system.
“For pupils and students, they will have a strengthened role in shaping decisions on qualifications and assessment, ensuring qualifications are fit for purpose in modern Scotland - with less reliance on high-stakes exams and greater recognition of achievement in all its forms.”
She added: “For Scotland’s education system, this is about building something we can all trust.”
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