Stonelaw Parent/carer guide to the SCQF
Did you get your O'Grades in the '70s or '80s? Then it is possible you were a Glam rocker or a New Romantic - nothing 'Ordinary' about that.
But do you know what qualifications your child is taking now? Below are some FAQs about Scottish Qualifications.
What do the level and credit columns on my child’s SQA qualifications certificate mean?
These refer to the SCQF levels of the qualifications your child has taken, and reflect the knowledge and skill they needed to achieve that particular award. So, for example, a Higher will have a ‘6’ in the level column and a ‘24’ in the credit column, which is equal to 240 hours of learning. For more information, have a look at our helpful video at www.scqf.org.uk, Support for Learners, Secondary School Learners. SQA also has lots of information on its certificates at www.sqa.org.uk/sqc.
How do the Nationals and Curriculum for Excellence fit with the SCQF?
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) provides a rounded education experience for your child. The National qualifications directly link to their SCQF level. For more information on CfE visit the Parentzone website at https://education.gov.scot/ parentzone For more information on Nationals visit www.sqa.org.uk/parents. The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) has also produced a series of ‘Nationals in a Nutshell’ subject guides for parents and carers. Visit www.npfs.org.uk to find out more.
How does the SCQF link with Scottish Government’s Youth Employment Strategy, Developing the Young Workforce?
Developing the Young Workforce is the Scottish Government’s response to Education Working for All. The strategy outlines a seven-year programme to offer all young people in Scotland a broader range of choices in the Senior Phase (from fourth to sixth year) of their school years and higher quality work experience. It also aims to build closer connections between schools, colleges and employers. The SCQF supports the strategy by showing the equality between vocational and academic qualifications and helps learners to plan their learning. See www.scqf.org.uk/media/1103/ dyw-diagram.pdf for more information.
How do the new qualifications compare with the ones that I took at school?
We have developed a simple guide called Old v New that helps people understand how current and older qualifications relate to one another in terms of their SCQF level. You can download it from our website at www.scqf.org.uk/resources
For further help and support to navigate qualifications, click on the link below.