SQA exams begin this week for tens of thousands of learners across Scotland, who will sit assessments for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.
The exam period starts on Friday 25th April with questions papers for Computing Science and Psychology. It concludes on Friday 30th May with exams for Care.
Candidates will sit exams in subjects ranging from Biology and Mathematics to Music and Accounting. For learners taking subjects such as Music, Drama, Practical Cookery, and PE, the performance and practical elements of the assessments have been taking place throughout the academic year.
In addition, many learners will be in the final stages of completing National 1 to National 4 qualifications, SQA Awards, Skills for Work courses, National Progression Awards and National Certificates that are continually assessed throughout the year. These form part of a broad offering of qualifications, which support learners to progress into employment, training, further and higher education.
In total, more than 147,000 candidates are expected to get their results on Tuesday 5 August.
Donna Stewart, Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer and Director of Qualifications Development at SQA, said: “I would like to wish the best of luck to everyone throughout Scotland who is about to sit exams and complete assessments in the coming weeks. As you move towards the next step in your education, training, or employment, this is your opportunity to show what you’ve learned after months of hard work.”
John Booth, SQA Interim Chief Executive, added: “I want to thank teachers and lecturers across the country for their dedication in supporting learners to get to this important milestone. I’m also grateful to the many thousands of them who work with us to set, invigilate and mark exams and assessments. The teaching profession is at the heart of delivering our qualifications and will have an even stronger role in the work of Qualifications Scotland.”
Key facts
- More than 132,000 learners will sit exams in schools and colleges across Scotland
- Learners from Selkirk to Shetland will sit exams between 25 April to 30 May
- More than two million exam papers will be distributed to over 480 centres across Scotland
- Results Day is Tuesday 5 August – by text, email, MySQA or post
Help and support
SQA offers a range of support services to help learners during the exam period:
- An exceptional circumstances service for learners who can’t sit an exam or are affected by personal situations
- A free, direct appeals service – available after Results Day for any learner who wants a review of their marked exam
- Learner resources including the ‘Your Exams’ guide, revision materials, past papers, and the MyStudyPlan app
All learners will receive results by post on Tuesday 5th August. They can also sign up for a MySQA account to receive results by text and/or email.
Registration is open at www.mysqa.org.uk and must be completed by 5pm on Wednesday 16 July using their Scottish Candidate Number.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “I would like to wish all pupils and students the best of luck with their exams this year. I know how hard they will have been working towards their qualifications during the year to get to this point today.
“This is also a big moment for all the parents, carers, teachers, lecturers and support staff who have done so much to help our young people prepare and I would like to thank them all for their ongoing support and encouragement throughout this period.”
Headline photo: SQA leadership team at St Columbas High School in Kilmacolm
Photo Credit: Scottish Qualifications Authority