Advancing Qualifications through Quality Assurance Models Design

1. Qualifications are changing Engagement: Quality Assurance Models

2. Design issues • New qualifications – more skills based, greater personalisation, diversity of assessment approaches • Quality Assurance (QA) developments • Self-evaluation frameworks • Proportionality • Involvement of stakeholders

3. 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)

4. 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?

5. Models discussed • Current: • Prior verification • Central and postal verification • Visiting verification - including Coordinated Verification Events (COVEs) • Potential new: • Regional • Partnership

6. 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

7. 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

8. Progress made so far and next steps

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Current approaches: external QA activity SQA appointees Centre representatives Central verification Visiting verification Regional verification

13. Potential approaches: external QA activity SQA and centres working in partnership National QA events Area QA events Visiting QA events

14. 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