Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment - SG response: consumer duty impact assessment

Stage 2, Evidence Gathering:

Tasks:

Sufficient evidence gathered to answer:

• What is the proposal trying to achieve?
• What are the impacts on consumers, if any?
• What are the impacts, if any, on consumers in vulnerable circumstances?
• Is it likely that harm will be experienced by consumers as a result of this proposal?
• What alternative proposals are there that can improve outcomes for consumers and/or reduce harm to consumers?
• How do these alternative proposals compare to the original proposal?
• Has your engagement with consumers established any themes you hadn’t previously considered?
• Identify and fill any gaps in evidence to answer questions above

Outcome:

• The policy intention is to improve the senior phase qualification and assessment system and ensure that all young people in Scotland experience an education system that in the words of the final report of the National Discussion on Education, “is ambitious, inclusive and supportive”.
• The impacts on consumers should be positive; diversifying assessment methods should enable more young people to successfully demonstrate their achievements and remove some of the stress associated with high stakes external examinations. A leaving certificate should also have a positive impact on consumers; as it could enable recognition of a broader range of a young person’s achievements, with the award being flexible to reflect all levels of ability.
• We note that although the consumer duty applies to all consumers, public authorities are encouraged to consider the impact of strategic decisions on consumers in vulnerable circumstances, and the desirability of avoiding harm to these groups of consumers where appropriate. We have therefore conducted an Equality Impact Assessment, Islands Impact Assessment, Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment, and Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Assessment and explored the potential impact on consumers/pupils with protected characteristics and other circumstances which require additional consideration.
• We do not expect consumers/pupils to be harmed by these proposals the intention is to improve the system. However, we recognise that at this stage the policies are at a relatively high level. We recognise that further engagement is required throughout the policy development process to ensure that the positive impacts are brought to fruition.