This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Results of national qualifications consultation
07/08/2002
A report analysing the responses to consultation
reviewing assessment within New National Qualifications in
schools and colleges was published today.
The importance of all sectors of education continuing to
work together to ensure the effective management and
delivery of National Qualifications was stressed today by
Minister for Education and Young People Cathy Jamieson.
Ms Jamieson was commenting on the publication of a
report analysing responses to a Scottish Executive
consultation reviewing assessment within New National
Qualifications in schools and colleges.
Ms Jamieson said:
"Everyone involved in Education wants to deliver a
system of National Qualifications that fully meets the
needs of our young people, is easily understood, and does
not present an unreasonable workload for pupils or
teachers.
"We received over 700 responses to our consultation on
the current system and possible alternative models.
Schools, education authorities, further and higher
education centres, parents organisations and employers all
contributed their views.
"The responses show there remains a strong commitment to
New National Qualifications, particularly the principles
that National Qualifications should provide parity of
esteem across a wide range of areas of study. Additionally,
assessment should offer opportunities to support learning
as well as providing information on achievement.
"As I announced to Parliament in May, we intend to
retain the design principles of the current system but with
significant streamlining to reduce the burden of assessment
and associated administration while maintaining standards
and improving quality of learning. The Scottish Executive
is working closely with the Scottish Qualifications
Authority and other agencies to achieve this. This work has
included reviewing assessment arrangements for all new
National Qualifications courses - totalling 70 subjects
covering 200 courses.
"The SQA has also identified 18 subjects requiring more
fundamental review with, wherever possible, short term
improvements being made. The Scottish Executive has agreed
with the SQA a programme of work for the additional
reviews. In addition, we are looking at the ways we
directly support teachers in the work they do relating to
assessment.
"It is vital all of us involved in education build on
the commitment to National Qualifications shown in
responses to this consultation. That can only be done by
creating and sustaining strong partnership arrangements to
ensure the effective management and delivery of National
Qualifications. Streamlining the system is essential to
this."
The National Qualifications Steering Group (NQSG)
includes representatives from schools, education
authorities, parents organisations and further education.
The NQSG report
Review of Initial Implementation of New National
Qualifications made a series of recommendations that
could be implemented without changing any of the original
design principles of NQs. Scottish Executive Ministers
established the National Qualifications Task Group to
implement the recommendations from the report: focusing in
particular on the need to reduce the burden of assessment
and associated administration.
However, the report also recommended that Ministers
consult stakeholders on options for more fundamental change
to the assessment arrangements for NQs. The subsequent
consultation took place from September to December 2001 and
Cathy Jamieson gave the Scottish Eecutive's response on 9
May. Responses were analysed by a team of Glasgow
University researchers.
A summary of the Glasgow University report presenting
results of the consultation and key issues raised will be
distributed to all secondary schools, further education
centres and other key stakeholders in education. The full
report containing the technical analysis of the responses
is available on the Scottish Executive's website, under new
publications, or at
www.scotland.gov.uk/education/nationalqualifications.