Welcome
Jean Blair
Director of Operations
Systems Verification Update
Fiona Gunn,
Quality Strategy Manager
Systems Development Visits 2015
Background:
 Development visits to all Scotland’s colleges
carried out by Quality Enhancement Managers
(QEMs) in 2015
 Approach agreed by SQA/College Focus Group
 To support colleges in reviewing and developing
their policies and procedures
 To prepare for the reintroduction of systems
verification visits
Systems Development Visits 2015
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Used updated QA criteria for 2015-18
A number of specific requirements were new
Reports replicated systems verification reports
Developmental action points and
recommendations only – no required actions
 No sanctions
Strengths identified in visits
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Communication on SQA matters
Management of external verification
Resource management
Candidate feedback mechanisms
Candidate guidance and support
Internal verification procedures
Most common action points
 Malpractice procedures (new requirements)
 Partnership arrangements (documentation)
 Checks on assessment sites owned by others
(records – site checklists or equivalent)
 Conflict of interest procedures - documented
 Complaints escalation – SQA, SQA Accreditation,
SPSO (for non-assessment related matters)
 Appeals procedures (regulated qualifications) –
right of appeal to SQA Accreditation
Most common action points cont.
 Secure storage of assessments - documented
procedures
 Retention requirements – assessment evidence
and records (updated requirements relating to
malpractice and appeals)
 Data management procedures
 Full coverage of SQA requirements in role of
SQA Coordinator, candidate and assessor
induction
Systems Verification
 Strategy on SV going forward developed
following consultation on various options
 Agreed by the SQA/College Focus Group
 This strategy covers the period of the current QA
arrangements 2015-18
 A major review of QA is being carried out to
determine any changes post 2018
Calendar year 2016
Systems development and consolidation
 Colleges continue working on action plans from
systems development visits.
 Individual bespoke support provided to colleges
from QEMs
 Still opportunities to ask for specific support
 SQA developmental support activities in relation
to common issues.
Calendar year 2017
Systems verification visits
 Systems verification visits to all colleges, spread
across the calendar year.
 All visits scheduled well in advance (September
2016) to allow colleges to plan their time and
SQA to allocate staff resources. Consultation on
best dates through verification planning
discussions.
 Planning meetings will be held well in advance
Systems Verification Criteria
 All systems criteria will be covered
 Some criteria can be given Green ratings in
advance of visits – based on SQA intelligence
(including QV), documentary evidence already
seen by QEMs
 Some criteria may be partially met in advance
 Visits will be focused on criteria where evidence
is not available in advance – particularly where
evidence of implementation within the college is
required
Sources of information
QA web pages
www.sqa.org.uk/qualityassurance
HN and vocational qualifications pages
Systems verification section on left-hand menu
Guide to Systems Verification 2015-18 for Centres
(updated July 2016)
Sources of information
Enhanced guidance on writing procedures:
 Malpractice (updated definition)
 Internal assessment appeals
 Complaints
 Conflict of interest in assessment
 Assessment sites (site checklists)
 Security of assessments
 Data managements
National Qualifications Update
Michelle Sharpe
Senior Operations Manager, Liaison Team
Subject Review Reports
Broader areas for consideration
Key issues
Action plan 2016–17
Action plan 2017–18
Review Reports can be found on subject web pages under the heading
Updates and Announcements: www.sqa.org.uk/nqsubjects
Impact of Subject Review Reports?
 Changes in practice for session 2016–17
 Unavoidable temporary misalignment of documents
with practice UNLESS we held changes for a year
 Subject Guidance Note on how Subject Review Report
changes will impact on documents — by end of August
2016 (for some subjects only)
 Changes to documents then occur to usual pattern
Planned changes to documents
Publication date
End of May 2016
Documents
Course and Unit Support Notes
End of August 2016
Unit Assessment Support Packs
End of September 2016
Coursework assessment tasks,
specimen question papers and
exemplar question papers
www.sqa.org.uk/nqsubjectchanges
Planned changes to documents contd.
Publication date
End of August 2016
End of September 2016
* Further critical changes only
Documents
*Course Specifications,
Course Assessment
Specifications, Unit
Specifications
*Course and Unit Support
Notes
Recent communications
The following documents have been published on
www.sqa.org.uk/nqresearch
 Executive summary of SQA initial evaluation of new National
Courses
 Research and Evidence Report: Internal Unit Assessment in
National Courses
 Research: Fieldwork Visits
 Research: What does this mean for teachers and lecturers?
In addition, Subject Review Reports have been published on the
individual subject pages www.sqa.org.uk/nqsubjects
National Qualifications
Quality Assurance Update
NQ Quality Assurance
The model is the same as previous years
1. Understanding Standards / Nominee Training
2. Internal Verification
3. Prior Verification
4. External Verification
NQ Quality Assurance
As in previous years, there will be two rounds of external
verification in 2016/17.
Round
Verification
Windows
2017
Assessments covered by
Verification
Round 1
February
Units:
• National 1-2
• National 3-5
• Higher and Advanced Higher
Round 2
Events :
May
IACCAs: National 5, Higher and
Advanced Higher
Visiting:
March -May
Added Value Units: National 4
Individual targeted units: any level
Working Group on Assessment and
National Qualifications
•
A review of the quality assurance approach will be completed by
October 2016.
•
In 2016/17, SQA will suspend the random sample element of
unit verification.
•
In 2016/17, centres may be selected for verification:
- when new to delivery
- when not accepted in previous year
- there will continue to be a proportion of random
sampling of IACCAs and Added Value Units in Round 2
• Centres may themselves request verification of any unit or course
assessment
SQA Quality Assurance
webpages
www.sqa.org.uk/qa
Partnership Working
Colleges
SQA
Fiona Malone
Liaison Manager
CDN
Supporting the College Sector
Garry Cameron – Delivery
Lead, College Development
Network
Building on a strong foundation…
• CDN and SQA have a strong legacy of
working in partnership
• Latest developments strengthen the
partnership
• Joint offer agreed
Partnership working…
• Resource development
• Supporting new and existing
qualifications
• Developing the Workforce through
vehicle of Curriculum for Excellence
• Supporting a range of events
• Webinar programme
Moving forward…
• Supporting vocationally relevant
qualifications in the sector
• Curriculum development
• College nominees
• Webinar programmes
• Shared event delivery
• Staff development
Responding to sector needs…
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Subject Networks
Professional Development Network
Representation on planning groups
CDN Emporium
Thank you SQA
You are making a significant contribution
to the CDN strategic and operational plan!
Plenary