Further information on Higher English
Course Assessment (January 2014)
Key messages
SQA is currently developing Course and Unit assessments. This document outlines our
progress in Course Assessment for the Higher Course in English.
The new English Higher Course will maintain the standard of the current qualification at Higher
and will continue to be benchmarked against SCQF level 6 as well as ensuring that the level of
demand for candidates is consistent with other Higher qualifications.
The Higher English Course has been designed to build on the skills, knowledge and
understanding developed at National 5, and to provide clear progression from National 5. The
course will provide opportunities to develop breadth and depth of knowledge and
understanding, and the application of skills, through the contexts of literature, language and
media. The Course develops the skills of reading, listening, writing and talking.
Course Assessment will consist of two question papers (Reading for Understanding, Analysis
and Evaluation – 30 marks; and Critical Reading – 40 marks), and a portfolio of writing (30
marks). The Course will be graded A–D.
The question papers and the portfolio will be marked by SQA. Personalisation and choice are
offered in the portfolio, for which candidates produce two pieces of writing, and in the Critical
Reading question paper, in which candidates have a choice of texts.
The question paper will sample the skills, knowledge and understanding detailed in the English
(Higher) Course Specification and in the English (Higher) Course Assessment Specification.
The question paper will draw on styles of questions used in current Higher English papers.
The portfolio will assess the skill of writing. Candidates will produce two pieces of writing: one
broadly creative and one broadly discursive.
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Points of change and points of stability in Higher English
Points of Stability
Skills
Knowledge
Reading, listening, writing and
talking skills in the contexts of
literature, language and media
Knowledge and understanding
of language
Question stems /
command words
Unit Assessment
Course
Assessment
The same skills of Reading,
Critical Reading and Writing will
be assessed.
Candidates have choice of texts
for Critical Reading.
Types of Question
Most questions in the Reading
for Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation paper will be broadly
similar. There will be two nonfiction passages.
Marking
instructions
Level of demand
Points of Change
The Critical Essay paper
questions will be broadly similar.
Will continue to be available.
Benchmarked against SCQF
level 6 and current Higher
Marks
Greater clarity on use of command
words in questions, followed through
into marking instructions.
Two Units (Analysis and
Evaluation, Creation and
Production) in which the four
skills of reading, listening, writing
and talking are assessed.
Increased flexibility in approaches
to gathering evidence.
Question Paper; Paper 1- Reading
for Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation (1 hour 30 minutes) and
Paper 2 – Critical Reading (1 hour
30 minutes). Assessment of Scottish
literature from a specified list
through questions. One extended
response (critical essay) question.
Some questions in Reading for
Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation will be broader and more
open, and will include summarising.
Substantially more detail and advice
and guidance for centres in how
marks are allocated to a range of
responses. Greater clarity in marking
principles.
Improved alignment with other
subjects at Higher.
100 marks: 70 from question papers,
30 from portfolio.
Higher specimen question papers (publication by 28 February 2014)
The purpose of these question papers is to demonstrate challenge and application by sampling
from skills, knowledge and understanding in the English (Higher) Course Specification and in
the English (Higher) Course Assessment Specification.
This question papers will give candidates an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills,
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knowledge and understanding:
 understanding, analysing and evaluating detailed and complex texts, as appropriate to
purpose and audience in the contexts of literature, language and media
 using knowledge and understanding of language
There will be two question papers. Question paper 1 (Reading for Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation) will have one section. Question paper 2 (Critical Reading) will have two sections.
Each question paper will be made up of questions requiring candidates to draw on their
knowledge and understanding and apply skills.
These question papers will be set and marked by SQA, and conducted in centres under
conditions specified for external examinations by SQA. Question paper 1 (Reading for
Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation) is worth 30 marks. The duration of this question
paper will be 1 hour and 30 minutes. Question paper 2, Critical Reading, is worth 40 marks.
The duration of this question paper will be 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Specimen question paper 1 —Reading for Understanding, Analysis and
Evaluation
This question paper will assess the candidate’s ability to apply reading skills in understanding,
analysing and evaluating two unseen non-fiction texts. Candidates will answer questions,
including inference-making and summarising questions. The total number of marks will be 30.
Each question will have between 2 and 5 marks.
Specimen question paper 2 —Critical Reading
This Question Paper has two sections and will assess the candidate’s ability to apply reading
skills in understanding, analysis and evaluating previously studied texts. Section 1 will assess
their understanding, analysis and evaluation of a Scottish text(s) from the genres of Drama,
Prose and Poetry. Section 2 will assess their understanding, analysis and evaluation of
literature, language or media. In Section 2 the candidate will have a choice of Drama, Prose
(Fiction or Non-Fiction), Poetry, Film and Television Drama, or Language. Each Section will be
worth 20 marks.
Higher Portfolio
(publication by 31 March 2014)
This portfolio will give candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in writing in different
genres for different purposes and audiences by requiring candidates to produce two pieces of
writing: one broadly creative, one broadly discursive.
This portfolio is worth 30 marks out of a total for Course assessment of 100 marks.
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Appendix: Draft Marking Instructions for the portfolio
Draft General marking principles for Higher English portfolio
This assessment will be marked by SQA. Separate information will be given on arrangements for submission of evidence.
The candidate’s essays will be marked in terms of content, accuracy, language use and ability to achieve the intended purpose.
Assessment should be holistic. There will be strengths and weaknesses in every piece of writing; assessment should focus as far as possible on the
strengths, taking account of weaknesses only when they significantly detract from the overall performance. Marks should be awarded for the quality of
the writing, and not deducted for errors or omissions. Writing does not have to be perfect to gain 15 marks.
Assessors should assess the essay in terms of content, accuracy, language use and ability to achieve the intended purpose and arrive at a final mark.
The band descriptors in the Marking Instructions refer to the middle of each marks band.
For each of the essays, the marker should select the band containing the descriptors that most closely describe the piece of writing.
Once that best fit has been decided, then:
 where the evidence almost matches the level above, the highest available mark from that band range should be awarded
 where the candidate’s work just meets the standard described, the lowest available mark from that band range should be awarded
 otherwise the mark from the middle of that band range should be awarded
Consistent technical accuracy is a requirement for a mark of 8 or above. Consistent technical accuracy means that few errors will be present;
paragraphs, sentences and punctuation will be accurate and organised so that the writing can be clearly and readily understood; and spelling errors
(particularly of high frequency words) will be infrequent.
The following tables for each genre of writing should be used in helping assessors arrive at a mark.
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Writing which is broadly creative
Range of
Marks
Content
The
creative
essay
demonst
rates, as
appropri
ate to
genre:






Style

Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
15-13
12-10
9-7
6-4
3-1
0
committed attention to
purpose and
audience
strong creative
qualities
evident command of
the genre
thematic concerns
which are clearly
introduced and
developed
Ideas/feelings/
experiences which
are explored with a
strong degree of
mature reflection/selfawareness/
involvement/insight/se
nsitivity
the writer’s
personality and
individuality in full
linguistic features of
the chosen genre
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



clear attention to
purpose and
audience
clear creative
qualities
insight into the genre
thematic concerns
which are introduced
and developed
 adequate attention




to purpose and
audience
adequate creative
qualities
understanding of
the genre
thematic concerns
which are
introduced
Ideas/feelings/
experiences which
are explored with
an adequate
sense of reflection
and involvement

Ideas/feelings/
experiences are
explored with a clear
sense of reflection/
self-awareness/
involvement /insight
/sensitivity

the writer’s
personality clearly

the writer’s
personality

linguistic features of
the chosen genre

linguistic features
of the chosen
 limited attention to



purpose and
audience
limited creative
qualities
a limited use of
conventions of genre
little attention to
purpose and
audience
 few creative qualities
conventions of genre
 few thematic

limited ideas/feelings/
experiences explored


limited sense of the
writer’s personality
limited linguistic
features of the
of the skills
required in
terms of
content,
accuracy,
language
use and
ability to
achieve the
intended
purpose
 little use of
limited thematic
concerns

 no evidence

concerns
little evidence of
exploration of ideas or
feelings
 little sense of the
writer’s personality

no attempt at using
language effectively
January 2014
used skilfully to create
a strong impact
The
creative
essay
demonst
rates, as
appropri
ate to
genre:


confident and varied
expression
an effective structure
which enhances the
purpose/ meaning
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used successfully to
create impact

confident expression
genre used
successfully



a clear structure
which enhances the
purpose/ meaning
chosen genre
adequate
expression

an adequate
structure

limited expression

many errors in
punctuation/
syntax/
spelling

little use of structure
a limited use of
structure
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Writing which is broadly discursive
Range of
Marks
Content

The
discursive
essay
demonstra
tes, as
appropriat
e to genre:



Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
Marks
15-13
12-10
9-7
6-4
3-1
0
committed
attention to
purpose and
audience
full
understanding
and engagement
evidence of full
research and
selection, as
appropriate
a clear and
sustained line of
thought/
convincing
stance
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
clear attention to
purpose and
audience

adequate attention to
purpose and audience

limited attention to
purpose and
audience

clear understanding
and engagement

clear understanding

limited understanding

evidence of careful
research and
selection, as
appropriate
a clear line of
thought/clear,
engaged stance

evidence of relevant
research and selection,
as appropriate

evidence of limited
relevant research, as
appropriate

a line of thought/clear
stance

an unclear line of
thought


little attention to
purpose and
audience

little understanding

little evidence of
research

a confused line of
thought

no evidence
of the skills
required in
terms of
content,
accuracy,
language use
and ability to
achieve the
intended
purpose
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Style

linguistic features
of the chosen
genre used
comprehensively
to
argue/discuss/
persuade and
convey depth
and complexity
of thought/
objectivity/insight
/persuasive force

linguistic features of
the chosen genre
used clearly to
argue/discuss/
persuade and
convey
thought/objectivity/
insight/persuasive
force

linguistic features of the
chosen genre used
adequately to
argue/discuss/
persuade and convey
thought/objectivity/
insight/persuasive force

linguistic features of
the chosen genre
used in a limited way
to argue/discuss/
persuade and convey
thought/objectivity/
insight/persuasive
force

confident and
varied
expression
an effective
structure which
enhances the
purpose/
meaning

confident
expression

adequate expression

limited expression

a structure which
enhances the
purpose/ meaning

an adequate structure

a limited use of
structure
The
discursive
essay
demonstra
tes, as
appropriat
e to genre:

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
no attempt at using
language effectively

many errors in
punctuation/
syntax/
spelling

little use of structure
January 2014