Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment - SG response: Fairer Scotland Duty impact assessment

Introduction/Disclaimer

This is the Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment (FSDA) conducted on the Independent Review of Qualifications & Assessment (IRQA) and the Scottish Government response. This FSDA has been carried out in accordance with Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010, which came into force in April 2018.

Scottish Ministers are required to actively consider what more can be done to reduce the inequalities of outcome caused by socio-economic disadvantage when making strategic decisions.

This FSDA was carried out between July 2023 and March 2024 with revisions and updates undertaken up and until September 2024. It involved policy teams and analysts across the three most impacted directorates. For example, Education Reform, Learning, and Lifelong Learning & Skills. Findings are based on: desk-based research; the formal analysis of the stakeholder engagement carried out during the Review; and feedback that took place after the conclusion of the Review.

This impact assessment is part of a suite which includes an Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) and a Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA).