Qualifications are changing

Engagement: Quality Assurance Models

Design issues
New qualifications more skills based,
greater personalisation, diversity of
assessment approaches
Quality Assurance (QA) developments
Self-evaluation frameworks
Proportionality
Involvement of stakeholders
Who did we engage with?

Curriculum Area Review Groups

Local Authority Representatives
College Quality Managers
School Leaders Scotland Representatives
Association of Directors of Education Quality
Improvement Network (ADES QuIN)
What did we ask?
What are the strengths and challenges of:
current external verification models?
potential new quality assurance models?

What is the viability of:

using a blend of models?
a rolling programme of quality assurance activities?
basing activity on risk/identified needs?
 Models discussed
Current:
Prior verification
Central and postal verification
Visiting verification - including Coordinated Verification Events
(COVEs)

Potential new:
Regional
Partnership
 Feedback
Need for robust QA for credibility particular concerns
around National 4
Assessment expertise of teachers
Role of the National Assessment Resource (NAR)
Resource issues - dual running and centre capacity
High quality and timely feedback
Avoid end-loading QA
Feedback (continued)
Culture change necessary
Internal QA prerequisite
SQA guardian of national standards
Blended approach

Risk - longer term development

Differences in school / college perspectives, priorities and
concerns
Potential of IT solutions
Progress made so far
and next steps
Key messages from engagement
activities

Need for robust QA credibility

Approaches need to be developmental CPD
Approaches need to be inclusive and foster
collegiality
Role of SQA as guardian of national standards
Constraints budget, funding and release
Additional considerations: CfE

Need to create long-term capacity and build

confidence
Importance of professional dialogue across centres,
sectors and regions
Shared responsibility through partnerships
Need for flexibility personalisation and choice
Potential approaches: rethinking the
way SQA works with centres
Develop a culture of partnership between SQA and all
centres:
SQA and centres working together to:
identify appropriate subject specialist for QA activity
embed CPD into the QA process for both
individuals and centres
quality assure assessment decisions
SQA continues in role of ensuring national standards in
a supportive way
 Current approaches:
external QA activity

Centre
SQA
representative
appointees
s

Central Visiting Regional

verification verification verification
Potential approaches:
external QA activity

SQA and centres working in

partnership

National Area QA Visiting QA

QA events events events
Next steps
Engagement:
Share our thinking
Identify practical implications
Develop partnership working in a manageable way

Two structured engagement events in April:

representative volunteers required

Develop further detail of models:

roles and responsibilities
identify resources required