Qualifications Scotland seeking views on improvements to qualifications

The reforms, one of the priorities in the Qualifications Scotland business plan, Accelerating Change, will eventually cover the entire portfolio of qualifications taken in schools, colleges, training providers and in the workplace.

Today, Qualifications Scotland starts this programme of change by launching a survey of teachers, lecturers and learners asking for their views on proposed changes to some current National Courses:

• Biology – National 5 to Advanced Higher

• Business Management – National 5 and Higher

• Chemistry – National 5 to Advanced Higher

• Dance – National 5 and Higher

• Economics – National 5 and Higher

• English – Higher

• Environmental Science – National 5 and Higher

• Human Biology – Higher

• Latin – National 5 and Higher

• Media – National 5 and Higher

• Politics – Higher

• Physics – National 5 to Advanced Higher.

The proposed changes include reducing the length of exam papers and the number of marks available, giving learners more time to complete an exam, and clarifying the volume of evidence that learners need to produce for an assessment. These changes will improve the assessments and reduce the volume of assessment on learners.

The results of the survey will help Qualifications Scotland decide if and when the changes should be made.

This year, exams have been removed from National 5 Practical Cake Craft, Practical Metalworking and Practical Woodworking courses. Following recent engagement with educators and learners, Qualifications Scotland has announced further changes to assessments in Practical Cookery and Fashion and Textile Technology courses:

• National 5 Practical Cookery – the assignment is being removed from session 2026-27 onwards. Learners will be assessed through the practical activity and exam only.  

• National 5 and Higher Fashion and Textile Technology – some changes are being made to reduce repetition to ease learner workload. These changes will be introduced from session 2027-28.

Donna Stewart, Chief Examiner said, “We are ambitious for the future of qualifications in Scotland. What we have announced today is the start of our commitment to improve qualifications and ensure they are fit for purpose in a modern, flourishing Scotland.

“This work will cover the entire portfolio of qualifications taken in schools, colleges, training providers and in the workplace. Changes will be made in collaboration with learners and educators – and will not be made in isolation.

“We start with improvements to some of our current National Courses, based on direct feedback from educators and learners. We’re making changes to improve assessments and to support learners over the next few years before reformed National Courses are introduced.

“Our School Partnership Team, led by experienced head teacher Sarah Brown, has been visiting schools and listening to teachers and learners. What we hear is that they are ready for much more agile qualifications, for a reduced workload on teachers and for reduced assessment for learners, while still maintaining the integrity of our qualifications.

“We have heard this and are working towards those principles.”

Longer term, Qualifications Scotland will review, design and develop reformed National Courses, alongside the curriculum improvements being led by Education Scotland. This work will ensure alignment and strong progression between the broad general education (BGE) and Senior Phase (S4 to S6).

The work will also rebalance assessment and reduce reliance on high-stakes exams. Reformed National Courses will be introduced from 2031.

Qualifications Scotland will also review its wider portfolio of vocational and technical qualifications and make improvements where evidence supports them.

Ms Stewart continued, “Qualifications reform is a significant and long-term area of work. We’ll do it in collaboration with schools, colleges, employers, training providers, and learners. Our aim is to make sure that our qualifications are current, relevant and ready for the future, and to support clearer progression pathways.”

Qualifications Scotland is currently looking for four classroom teachers to bolster the School Partnership Team, which will build stronger relationships with schools and provide learners, teachers, parents and carers with more opportunities to have their voices heard.

Qualifications Scotland is committed to making decisions based on robust evidence, including evidence we gather by listening to the views of learners and educators. Today the body has published ‘Evidence-based Decision Making — A Strategy for Research and Analysis for Qualifications Scotland 2026–28’, which sets out the principles underpinning its approach.

Generating the best possible evidence leads to better decisions, which leads to a more relevant portfolio of qualifications for all learners and for Scotland. By publishing the outcomes of its research, Qualifications Scotland aims to be transparent about how it has made decisions and to inform thinking and decision making across the wider Scottish education and skills system.

The survey on proposed changes to some current National Courses is open from today until 5pm on Wednesday 25 February with the results expected before the summer.