Qualifications Update:
Sciences
Developing qualifications - drivers
• Progression – provide progression from Es & Os and maximise
continuity between levels
• More open and flexible requirements – fewer, broader
outcomes, more focus on skills
• Assessment which supports learning - open evidence
requirements – choice of assessment approaches –
opportunities for combined assessment
• Refreshed and relevant contexts for learning, providing
challenge and enjoyment
• Personalisation and Choice – in content/contexts for Units Added Value Unit at National 4 – coursework assessment at
National 5
• Robust and credible – current high standards in qualifications
will be maintained
Relationship between CfE and SCQF Levels
Continues to 12
CfE
Levels
2
1
early
years
4
3
≈
4
3
SCQF
Levels
2
1
Key points
• Common approach taken across all Sciences
• All Science Courses have been designed to progress from the
Sciences Experiences and Outcomes and are based on their
subject Progression Framework
• has a hierarchical Unit structure that provides a smooth
progression from National 3 to National 4 (Science) and from
National 3 to Higher (Biology, Chemistry, Env. Science & Physics)
• builds on and develops skills , knowledge and understanding
progressively up through levels
• combines the best aspects of current Standard Grade and
Intermediate Courses
• Added value is assessed through an Assignment at National 4
and a Question Paper and Assignment at National 5 and Higher
and a Question Paper and Project at Advanced Higher
Key points
• There are two Unit Outcomes at all levels and are common
across the levels
• If a Unit is being done as part of a Course, there are
opportunities for transfer of evidence across the Units.
• Differentiation between levels can be found in the Assessment
Standards and the Evidence Requirements.
Unit Structure
National 3
National 4
National 5
Chemical Changes and
Structure
Chemical Changes and
Structure
Chemical Changes and
Structure
Nature’s Chemistry
Nature’s Chemistry
Nature’s Chemistry
Chemistry in Society
Chemistry in Society
Chemistry in Society
Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13
Oct 12
N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)
Feb 13
N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)
Feb 13
N5 Specimen Question Paper
Apr 13
N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)
Apr 13
N5 Specimen Coursework
Apr 13
N4 Added Value Assessment Support
Documentation
New CfE Qualification
Current Qualification
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Arrangements
Document
MANDATORY
Course Assessment
Specification
Includes:
Course Structure
Rationale and Aims
Course Content
Course and Unit Assessment
Grade Descriptions
Estimates and Appeals
Approaches to Learning and
Teaching
Additional Support Needs
Unit Specifications
Course and Unit
Support Notes
Unit Assessment
Support Packages 1, 2
&3
Specimen Question
Paper & Specimen
Coursework
ADVICE,
GUIDANCE &
SUPPORT
Chemistry
Unit Assessment
National 3 to National 5
Unit assessment
• Unit Specifications state the Outcomes, Assessment Standards
& Evidence Requirements (ALL Mandatory)
• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for
assessment – encouraged through Unit Assessment Support
packages
• Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across
more than one Outcome or Unit – combined assessments
• More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence –
assessment as part of learning and teaching
Unit Assessment Support
packages – purpose
Assessment Support packages will be provided which you can
use to:
• Assess your candidates
• Adapt for your own assessment programmes
• Help you develop your own assessments
Unit Assessment Support
packages – key features
• Valid from August 2013
• Designed to encourage professional judgement
• Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose
appropriate context and forms of evidence
• Show range of approaches to generate assessment evidence
• Give information on the type of evidence which could be
gathered and how this is to be judged against Assessment
Standards
Unit assessment support
packages - approaches
Package 1
• Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment
activities for each Unit
Package 2
• Combined approach- assessment of all Units,
Outcomes & Assessment Standards
Package 3
• Portfolio approach – naturally occurring
evidence
Assessment Package 1
This pack consists of three assessment activities
for each Unit:
• Activity 1: a scientific report of an experiment
to generate evidence for Outcome 1
• Activity 2: a short report of a research
investigation to generate evidence for
Assessment Standards 2.2 and 2.3
• Activity 3: a set of questions to generate
evidence for Assessment Standards 2.1 and 2.4
Assessment Package 2
This pack consists of two assessment activities:
• Activity 1: an investigation of a key area of any
Unit through research, a practical activity and
problem solving, covering Outcome 1 and
Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4
• Activity 2: a set of questions covering
Assessment Standard 2.1. This generates
evidence that the candidate is able to make
accurate statements demonstrating knowledge
and understanding gained throughout the Course
General Update
New Quality Assurance arrangements
•
Will cover new National 1 to National 5 from 2013/14
•
New arrangements will promote shared understanding of
national standards through a collaborative and partnership
approach
•
New ‘Nominee’ role - provides a pool of nationally trained
experts
•
Intense verification in the first 3 years, then an intelligence
led approach will be adopted
New Quality Assurance arrangements
•
Will cover new National 1 to National 5 from 2013/14
•
New arrangements will promote shared understanding of
national standards through a collaborative and partnership
approach
•
New ‘Nominee’ role - provides a pool of nationally trained
experts
•
Intense verification in the first 3 years, then an intelligence
led approach will be adopted
Prior-Verification
•
•
•
•
Can amend SQA Unit Assessment Support Packs, maintaining
the standard.
If developing assessments, advised to use SQA Prior
Verification Service.
First prior verification window opens 3rd June 2013, response
in August.
Thereafter, 6 week turnaround on submissions
www.sqa.org.uk/cfepriorverification
Recognising Positive Achievement
• Opportunities for candidates who have achieved Units at
National 5, but failed the Course Assessment, to achieve the
Course at National 4
• “Fallback” based on hierarchical structures
• No Compensatory Awards
• Must have an entry and a ‘Pass’ result for the N4 Added Value
Unit (English, Gaidhlig and Maths also require Literacy and
Numeracy Units)
• Pre and post certification models
• A guide on these arrangements is now available
www.sqa.org.uk/cfedelivery
Chemistry
Added Value Assessments:
- National 5 Course Assessment
- National 4 Added Value Unit
Adding Value – National 4,
National 5
• Each Course at National 4 and National 5
includes assessment of Added Value
• For National 4, the added value is in an
Added Value Unit - not graded
• For National 5, the added value is in the
Course Assessment - graded A-D (as at
present)
Added Value
• Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts
• Builds on current Course assessment and Group Award
approaches
• Defined as breadth, challenge and/or application as
outlined in Building the Curriculum 5
• Learners will draw on and extend the skills they have
learned from across the Course
• Learners will demonstrate the breadth of knowledge
and skills acquired, in unfamiliar contexts and/or
integrated ways
• May involve accumulation, assimilation, integration
and/or application of skills, knowledge and
understanding
National 4 – Added Value Unit
Chemistry
Assignment
• In the National 4 Chemistry Course, the Added Value Unit
will focus on challenge and application.
• Learners will draw on and apply the skills and knowledge
they have learned during the Course.
• They will carry out an in-depth investigation on an
unfamiliar and/or integrated context.
• Marked by Centre staff , SQA marking instructions
National 5 – Chemistry
Question Paper
• Assesses ability to retain and integrate knowledge and
understanding from across the Course content
• Equal weighting to all three Units
• Structure similar to existing Intermediate Courses
• 80 Marks (80% of Total Marks)
National 5 – Chemistry
Assignment
• The purpose of the Assignment is to allow the learner to
carry out an in-depth study of a Chemistry topic.
• The Assignment requires the learner to select a topic/issue
and apply skills of research, evaluation and analysis. The
learner will communicate information related to their
findings, which will develop skills of scientific literacy.
• The Assignment will be sufficiently open and flexible to
allow for personalisation and choice.
• 20 marks (20% of Total Mark)
• Marked by SQA
Controlled Assessment
• For the Assignment, SQA has introduced the concept of
controlled assessment to ensure fairness and reliability
• 3 stages of assessment: Setting, Conducting, Marking the
assessment
• Each will have a defined level of control: SQA-led activity/
Shared responsibility between SQA and centres/ Centreled