Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment - final report: Scottish Government response

Overview of Actions - Scottish Government Response to the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment

Approach to Assessment

Lead: Current Qualifications Body/Qualifications Scotland working in partnership with teachers, young people and other key stakeholders.

• Take steps to remove external written examinations in practical subjects where appropriate, with changes starting to be implemented from 2025/26.
• Work towards extending the range of approved assessment methods which could be used for national qualifications to better support changes in the balance of assessment.
• Pilot digital onscreen assessment across various subjects, including Computing Science given this is a subject area ripe for consideration. This work will start in 2025.
• Set out a longer-term programme of work to rebalance assessment methods across all national courses, which will align with Curriculum Improvement Cycle activity where possible.
• Rationalise the qualifications offer in the Senior Phase, starting with the Creative, Hospitality and Sport and Technology, Engineering and Construction Sectors (which represents 800 qualifications and awards), the first phase of which is due to complete in December 2024 with other sectors and national courses to follow.
• Starting in 2024, explore models of how graded national courses such as National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher could be organised into ‘modules’ to allow pupils maximum flexibility to build credit as they go. Learning from the previous experience with unit assessments (which were ultimately removed) and research into different approaches to ‘modularisation’ in other jurisdictions, will be taken into consideration.
• Implement changes to assessment which are proportionate and take teacher workload into consideration. This partnership approach will be emphasised through the participative governance structures planned for Qualifications Scotland, the detail of which is set out in the recently introduced Education (Scotland) Bill.

Project Learning/ Inter-disciplinary Learning

Lead: Scottish Government and Education Scotland working in partnership with schools and organisations with existing experience of IDL.

• Building on the existing IDL co-design group facilitated by Education Scotland, a refreshed working group, chaired by a senior secondary school teacher experienced in the delivery of IDL, will bring together relevant partners already active in this space. This group will lead a new phase of work with the objective of better determining the place of IDL in secondary schools while ensuring an equitable offer for all young people.
• There are a number of organisations and schools already working in this area including Dollar Academy and Grove Academy (Dundee City Council), Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP), the Wood Foundation, Daydream Believers and Powering Futures and we will ensure they are all involved in shaping our collective next steps. It is imperative that any new model is tested in a range of schools before wider adoption. This exercise will also help expand our shared knowledge as to the ways IDL could be embedded into a school’s curriculum including in respect of timetabling while also considering the place of accreditation in this curricular area.

Personal Pathway and the Digital Profile

Lead: On wider achievement the Scottish Government and on the Digital Profile SDS/ES in partnership with a range of stakeholders.

• We are committed to continue to explore how best to recognise wider achievement with a range of stakeholders including young people. In doing so, and before considering whether or not wider achievement could ultimately be included as part of any leaving certificate, we will need to work through significant concerns raised by a wide range of stakeholders, principally, that doing so risks entrenching and exacerbating social inequity.
• To support continued development of the profile and help ensure its effective use in schools, an experienced secondary school leader will be seconded into Education Scotland to work with SDS and the current qualifications body.

Leaving Certificate

Lead: The Scottish Government working collectively with young people, schools, colleges, universities and employers.

• The Scottish Government understands the potential benefits of a leaving certificate as a means of recognising a broader range of a young person’s achievements, with the award being flexible to reflect all levels of ability.
• The Scottish Government understands that more work needs to be done to determine the content of the leaving certificate and establish how it will operate.
• We will endeavour to undertake further testing with Scotland’s teaching profession directly – on the best and most appropriate route forward which may support a leaving certificate in the future.

Parity of Esteem

Lead: Qualifications Scotland, qualification providers

• Ask the current qualifications body and qualification providers in Scotland (e.g. universities), to ensure consistent use of SCQF levels in their titles to support a clear description of all qualifications (e.g. Higher English, SCQF Level 6).

(Actions outlined above in relation to IDL and the Digital Profile are also relevant for Parity of Esteem)

Support for Teachers

Lead: The Scottish Government, working with Qualifications Scotland and Education Scotland

• Take steps to ensure appropriate support for teachers to effectively deliver new forms of assessment or where necessary, test practice related to IDL.
• Prioritise work through the SNCT to deliver a reduction in contact time.
• Support schools to deliver high quality teaching and learning including through the establishment of the Centre for Teaching Excellence. The Centre will ensure research and evidence is distilled into practical and digestible support for all teachers, no matter their career stage while helping the development of innovative classroom practice.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital

Lead: Scottish Government, current qualifications body, Education Scotland, COSLA

• The Scottish Government will work with Qualifications Scotland and Education Scotland within the context of Scotland’s AI Strategy and the work of the Scottish AI Alliance to ensure that AI can be used effectively and safely in learning, teaching and assessment.
• To capitalise on the opportunity which AI may present for reducing teacher workload, we have recently launched an AI for impact ‘CivTech Challenge’ which invites bids designed to advance a reduction in teacher workload, via the use of AI.
• We will also ensure our education bodies have access to experts from Scotland’s leading universities in AI advancements, as well as from outside the education sector, so that our thinking reflects best practice in what is a fast moving and complex area and benefits both teachers and pupils.
• With regards to next steps in digital technology we are currently developing a new digital strategy for school education in Scotland, in partnership with COSLA and key education stakeholders. The strategy will outline the important role we believe digital tools and services play in the future of Scottish education and will highlight the key features of successful technology provision. It will consider both people and technology aspects of digital education in Scotland to help support deployment and purposeful use of technology in our schools.

Engagement

Lead: The Scottish Government

• Ensure all key stakeholders including young people, parents/carers, universities, colleges, and employers are involved in discussions to come. We will continue to ensure the views of teachers are listened to and reflected as changes to assessment practices are enacted. This will include ensuring that secondary teachers are given the opportunity to lead on the input required in terms of changes and improvements in respect of their own subject area.