CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1
Appendix 1
Programme Reporting
Programme Highlight Report
Period Covered March to April 2012
Introduction
The following highlight report is organised as per the current structure of the CfE programme plan. A
th
dependencies workshop was held on 20 April with all CfE partners and it was agreed that we will
refresh the plan and reorganise this around the following four headings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Broad General Education 3 to 15
Qualifications
Senior Phase
Communications and Engagement.
The programme and project management teams across the CfE partnership are due to take this
forward in May and June, with the aim of delivering the revised plan by end of June. We will keep the
Implementation Group updated on progress of this.
1.
Qualifications (Lead organisation: SQA)

Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:

Summarise and publish stakeholder (including Web, QDT, CARG and
correspondence) feedback on publication of latest draft National 2 – Higher
documentation on SQA website

Draft Rationale and Course Summary for New Advanced Higher qualifications
published on SQA website

Draft Course Specification for New Advanced Higher qualifications produced

Phase 2 – Intelligence gathering from Local Authorities & centres (e.g. entry
projections)

Quality Assurance – first phase of consultation undertaken with Local Authorities on
operational arrangements including resourcing

Quality Assurance – report produced on first phase of consultation with Local
Authorities

Formal publication of final documents for new National 4 and 5 Courses (Course
Specifications, Unit Specifications, Course/Unit Support Notes, National 4 Added
Value Unit Specifications and National 5 Course Assessment Specifications) on SQA
website

Draft Unit and Course Support Notes for New National 2 qualifications published on
SQA website

Formal publication of final documents for New National 2 Courses (Course
Specifications, Unit Specifications and Course/Unit Support Notes) on SQA website

Draft Unit and Course Support Notes for New National 3 qualifications published on
SQA website

Formal publication of final documents for New National 3 Courses (Course
Specifications, Unit Specifications and Course/Unit Support Notes) on SQA website”
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1





Appendix 1
Formal publication of final documents for new Higher Courses (Course Specifications,
Unit Specifications, Course Assessment Specifications and Course/Unit Support
Notes) on SQA website
Draft Support Notes for New Awards qualifications available for targeted engagement
Final documents for new Awards qualifications (Award and Unit Specifications)
available for centres
SSLN 2012 (Literacy) - All materials despatched
SSLN 2013 (Numeracy) - Pretest materials despatched to schools”
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (May) – On Schedule:

Complete planning of Assessment materials development in light of discussions with
Scottish Government around practitioners needs

Stakeholder (including Web, QDT, CARG and correspondence) feedback period on
publication of latest Advanced Higher draft documentation

Draft Course Specification for New Advanced Higher qualifications published on SQA
website

Curriculum Area events to support the implementation of New National 2 - Higher
Courses (including Awards @ SCQF levels 1 to 6) held
Amendment to plan:
The following tasks added to the Programme Plan:

Further Curriculum Area events to support the implementation of the new National 2
to Higher Courses (including Awards at SCQF levels 1 to 6)” start date 15/09/12, end
date 30/09/12

Curriculum Area events to support the implementation of the new National 2 to Higher
Courses (including Awards at SCQF levels 1 to 6)” start date 14/05/12, end date
30/05/12

CfE Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2013 (Numeracy):Pretest materials
despatched to schools start date 20/04/12, end date 20/04/12

Receive Final Design Document for SSLN 2013 from SG:EAS start date 30/11/12,
end date 30/11/12

Numeracy pretest tasks reviewed start date 22/11/12, end date 22/11/12

SSLN Numeracy letter/leaflet/parents' letter issued to schools start date 07/03/13,
end date 07/03/13

All materials despatched start date 25/04/13, end date 25/04/13

All Survey Data passed to SG:EAS start date 27/09/13, end date 27/09/13

2012 survey complete start date 11/04/13, end date 11/04/13

Complete planning of Assessment materials development in light of discussions with
Scottish Government around practitioners needs; end date 31 May 2012
Actual or Potential Problems and Risk Update:

There is a risk that demands for additional activity from Scottish Government could
increase the risk on SQA’s ability to deliver its current CfE Programme and could
negatively impact on the delivery of the Diet. SQA continues to review capacity and
plans.

As we move into the next phase of planning and development there is a risk that
converging deadlines and milestones for different levels of qualifications combined
with the introduction of new work may adversely affect quality or lead to slippage
especially where resource is in flux or has been difficult to secure. We are currently
scoping out our plans for the different strands of activity.
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1


2.
Appendix 1
There is a risk that competing demands on system resources between Local
Authorities and SQA/Education Scotland may impact on achievement of partners
th
plans. This was discussed at the dependencies workshop on 20 April and actions
were agreed to address. In light of this, the Implementation Group may wish to
consider the likelihood and impact of this risk.
It was agreed at the dependencies workshop (20/04/12) that further work on both the
Dependencies Register and the Programme Plan will take place between now and
the end of June. This will be co-ordinated by the Scottish Government and involve
programme management representatives from both SQA and Education Scotland.
Support for National Qualifications (Lead organisation: Education Scotland)
Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:

Project Board meetings planned (will be held quarterly)

Project Board approval of process for agreed scope of advice and guidance - Project
Board meeting held on 25th April. Recommendation Reports for all quality assured
materials were submitted to the Project Board and approved.

Agreed scope of advice and guidance – second drafts received and resources laid
out, proof read and edited ahead of QA meetings – all materials received have been
laid out, proof read and edited.

QA process complete for agreed scope of advice and guidance – all planned FY11/12
CAQAG meetings have now been held.

Produce agreed advice and guidance for new National 2-5 and new Higher q
qualifications.

Publication of quality assured advice and guidance - advice and guidance published
online on 30th April covering all curriculum areas, high uptake subjects, new and
combined subjects, literacy and numeracy.

Liaison with Online Service re refresh of NQ website – refreshed website went live on
30th April. (The usage statistics over the first week were 4,866 unique browsers and
51,822 page views.)
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (May) – On Schedule:

Additional advice and guidance requirements identified and scope developed for
Project Board approval - Meeting with ES, SG, SQA and ES on 9th May will begin to
establish the programme for 2012/13 and associated milestones and timelines.
3.
Assessment (Lead organisation: Education Scotland)
Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:

Innovation fund: Innovation projects implemented.

Innovation fund: Submission and Moderation of Projects.

Innovation fund: Uploading to NAR.

A range of interesting and innovative practice exemplified – the published material will
provide useful starting points for CPD activities.

Interim report submitted.

EA Assessment Forum meeting held to identify and share good practice in
assessment and moderation Phase 3b NQAG 8 planned and held.

Phase 3B NQAG approved exemplars published on NAR – 26 exemplars were
published.

QA & Moderation NQAG meeting planned and held.
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1

Appendix 1
P7 case studies published - all of the P7 Practitioners’ Reports (10 of them) have
been published to NAR. They give a flavour of the direction in which the development
is heading.
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (May) – On Schedule:

No milestones for May
4.
Additional Support for Curriculum for Excellence (Lead organisation: Education
Scotland)
Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:

Questions for District Inspectors to use when visiting Directors of Education
developed.

Process to communicate and manage requests for additional support established.

District Inspectors meet all Directors of Education to discuss support needs in
preparation for new NQs.

Central training event held.
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (May) – On Schedule:

Support requests coming in via email, logged and dealt with in conjunction with LA –
requests are being received and dealt with. Education Scotland may push back the
deadline for this task.
Amendment to Plan:

Deep audit regarding state of readiness of each secondary school in each EA carried
out – this is now expected to be an ongoing task. However, Education Scotland
expect to publish an initial report by mid May 2012.

Secondary schools requiring support identified and support agreed with LA Secondary schools are being identified through discussion with EAs/EIS/SSTA.
Discussions are ongoing. This is likely to complete by end June 2012 and work will be
ongoing thereafter.

SQA, ES and SG meet to discuss outcome of audit and support requests received to
date and any resource implications –this is now expected to happen by end of May
2012.
5.
Measurement (Lead organisation: Scottish Government)
Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:
SSLN

National measure of pupil achievement - SSLN 2011 (numeracy) report published on
28 March.
Benchmarking – Improving Standards:

Change Management Workstream formalised (a month ahead of schedule)
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (March) – On Schedule:
SSLN

SSLN – National measure of pupil achievement in numeracy – SSLN (numeracy)
report published.
Benchmarking

Benchmarking – Improving Standards: National benchmarks agreed.
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1
Appendix 1
Actual or Potential Problems and Risk Update
Benchmarking – Improving Standards:

National benchmarks not agreed on schedule. New planned dare of end May, this is
due to complexity of task.

Potential new delivery date of end of May for Technical Work Package 2. This piece
of work has been bigger than originally anticipated and has therefore not been
completed on plan.

Both of these slippage issues will be addressed jointly by the Programme Manager
and the Benchmarking project team, to ensure/confirm that there will be no impact on
the overall delivery timescales of the project. This will be reported at the next monthly
Senior Accountable Officers meeting in June.
6.
Communications (Lead organisation: Education Scotland)
Milestones Completed This Reporting Period:

Communications Strategy was signed off by Implementation Group

Much of the activity of the group in recent weeks has been around the launch of the
new National Qualifications by SQA and the supporting advice and guidance from
Education Scotland.

The qualifications launched on 30 April and the CfE Communications Group used the
opportunity to provide a pack of communications collateral to support the launch. The
pack included:








Key Messages and Media Lines
Communications Activity Plan
Press Release
Q&A
Briefing Document
Key Stakeholder Grid
Letter to Director of Education
Telephone Briefings for Key Stakeholders
This was supported by standard marketing communications activity by each agency. This
model worked well and the group will employ a similar model for other areas of work.






A communications handling plan and draft communications collateral around the CfE
Progress Audit was prepared for Cabinet Secretary
CfE Briefing Series was launched with the first focusing on Broad General Education
CfE In Action activity continued but progress has been slow due to local elections
SSLN Survey results were communicated as were the learning and teaching points
produced by Education Scotland
Promotion of STEM Central and Marks on the Landscape Design Challenge continued to
run through March and April
Further promotion of ES case studies around recognising achievement, profiling and
reporting in the Early Years and QA and Moderation took place in March and April.
The SQA comms update is shown at Annex A
Milestones to be Completed Next Period (May) – On Schedule:
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1





Appendix 1
CfE Briefing series to be developed and the next briefing to be drafted.
CfE in Action activity plan to continue to be pursued in partnership with Local Authorities
CfE Progress Audit results to be issued and communications plan implemented.
CfE Implementation Priorities to be issed
Next in the series of the “Using NAR” user guides is being prepared. The focus this time
is on Recognising Achievement, Profiling and Reporting.
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1
Appendix 1
ANNEX A
SQA
Customer and Communications
1
ACTIVITY REPORT – COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
MARCH COMMUNICATIONS
March comms were issued on 30 March to our usual stakeholder, partner and audience groups. The
updates were included in a variety of channels, for example, Glasgow Schools online, Education
Scotland Area Advisor update, Education Scotland Today's News bulletin and circulated to head
teachers via Directors of Education.
APRIL COMMUNICATIONS
We’re working on our standard customer, partner and stakeholder communications to mark the
publication of the final documents for National 2 to Higher. This includes revised versions of the
teacher/lecturer and parent/carer leaflets and the creation of a leaflet for employers and one for
learners. We are working with Scottish Government and Education Scotland on stakeholder and
media communications around the publication of the final documents and Education Scotland's advice
and guidance.
We’re continuing to roll-out the ‘Qualifications are changing’ message via advertorials in practitioner
publications and a number of advertorials are scheduled in TESS and GTCS’s Teaching Scotland
magazine over the coming weeks.
2. ACTIVITY REPORT – CfE LIAISON TEAM
LOCAL AUTHORITY ENGAGEMENT
The team has been engaging with Local Authorities on their Senior Phase plans and estimated
Nominee numbers for QA. Findings from this work are being fed into the relevant projects.
SCHOOL ACTIVITY
Attended the Education Scotland ‘Parents as Partners’ event at Stirling Management Centre on 24
March. The event was not well attended and strengthens the case for delivering information to
parents through local events.
We attended a parents’ event organised by Education Scotland for NPFS reps in the Aberdeen area.
SQA, Education Scotland, Scottish Government and the local authority were in attendance to answer
questions put to them by about 25 NPFS reps. A lot of discussion was about the number of
qualifications in S4 (Aberdeen are going for 6). Although fairly resource intensive, this model worked
well. Education Scotland will look at running similar events, however, it has been highlighted to NPFS
that this will involve advance planning.
CfE Management Board – 13 June 2012 – Paper 4.1
Appendix 1
UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT
We have had a couple of requests from universities to go along and present to them on the new
qualifications.