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Qualifications review and reform

Over the next few years, we’ll review and reform our qualifications to make sure they fit in a modern, flourishing Scotland. Our aim is to make sure that our qualifications continue to meet the needs of learners, centres, employers and wider society – now and in the future.

Help us improve assessments in current National Courses

This work is part of our regular maintenance of qualifications and we want to hear from you.

Qualification reform timeline

This is a long-term programme of work. It involves review of our vocational and technical qualification types alongside reform of our National Courses. We’ll engage throughout the whole programme – working with partners, educators, employers, learners, parents and carers to ensure our reformed qualifications provide clearer, more flexible progression pathways for all learners.

Phase 1: design

Review and co-design qualification types with all audiences.

Deliver: 2026 – 2028

Phase 2: develop

Use phase 1 findings and ongoing engagement to develop qualifications.

Deliver: 2028 – 2031

Phase 3: launch

New qualifications launched, starting with SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5.

Deliver: From 2031

What has been done in Phase 1 so far

We’re currently planning intensive engagement and co-design to review and reform vocational, technical and National Qualifications at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5. Keep an eye out for more details about levels 6 and 7. We want you involved every step of the way.

We’re also using learner and educator feedback to improve assessments in some National Courses. This work is part of our ongoing qualifications maintenance.

You said, we did: How your feedback is being used

What's coming up next?

  • June 2026: Early engagement events throughout the month – capturing views from learners, educators and employers to help shape our intensive engagement activities due to commence in September 2026.

  • June 2026: Newly formed interest committees meeting for the first time – ensuring learner and educator voices are at the heart of our decision making.

  • September 2026 to October 2028: Intensive engagement and co-design to reform qualifications at SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5. More information on levels 6 and 7 to follow.

  • 2028 to 2031: Develop reformed qualifications

  • 2031: First reformed qualifications introduced for SCQF levels 3, 4 and 5.

  • 2032: Reformed qualifications introduced at SCQF levels 6 and 7.

Have your say on what we do

We need learners, educators, and parents and carers to help shape our future qualifications.