Qualifications Scotland sets out next steps for qualifications review and reform

The new update includes information on its ongoing maintenance and review of current National Course assessments alongside upcoming workshops, surveys, and long-term planning aligned with the Scottish Government’s education reform programme.

Updates to current assessments

Qualifications Scotland is continuing its phased approach to maintaining and updating National Courses, ensuring assessment methods remain practical and balanced:

2026–27 Course Materials: Following consultation in February 2026, teachers and lecturers can now access updated course materials for the relevant courses on each subject’s webpage. Specimen question papers for Business Management and Economics will be published no later than Wednesday 30 September 2026.

June 2026 survey: Qualifications Scotland is reviewing the feedback received from teachers, lecturers and learners on proposed changes to Modern Studies, Nuadh-eòlas, Geography, Cruinn-eòlas, History, Eachdraidh, and Philosophy. Reports on the findings and details of the changes to courses will be shared soon.

Next survey now open: Teachers, lecturers and learners are now being asked to share their views and feedback on proposed assessment changes for National 5 Media, Advanced Higher English, and National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher Music, alongside a revised proposal for Higher Geography / Cruinn-eòlas Àrd-Ìre. The survey closes on Friday 2 October 2026.

Co-designing future qualifications

Qualifications Scotland is adopting the Scottish Approach to Service Design – a continuous process where learners, educators, parents, carers, employers, and training providers work together to design and test new qualification models.

The information and evidence gathered from now through to December will directly inform the formal co-design phase which will start in early 2027.

Have your say

Reform Workshops: Teachers and lecturers delivering National Qualifications can register for online or in-person workshops through the official event booking system.

Senior Phase Surveys: Learners, educators, and parents and carers with experience of the senior phase can complete dedicated surveys focusing on qualification models at SCQF levels 3, 4, and 5.

Your Voice Panels: Teachers, lecturers, parents, carers and learners can still register for 'Your Voice' panels to receive updates on feedback opportunities.

Research regarding qualifications at SCQF levels 1 and 2 will begin later this year, while work on SCQF levels 6 and 7 will run across 2027 and 2028.

Research and policy reports

Qualifications Scotland has also published a series of research and policy reports, to support informed discussion and evidence-based decision-making.

These include what learners, parents, carers, teachers, lecturers and employers think about National 4, National 5 and vocational and technical qualifications. The reports also examine current and legacy qualifications in Scotland at SCQF levels 4 and 5, those available internationally and explore the benefits and challenges of grading in modularised courses.

Alignment across the education sector

To ensure qualification design supports the curriculum, Qualifications Scotland is working alongside Education Scotland as it finalises the Curriculum Technical Framework for the Broad General Education.

In addition to hearing directly from learners, educators, parents, carers, partner organisations, school, colleges, training providers, Higher Education Institutions, subject associations and employers, members of Qualifications Scotland’s Teacher and Practitioner, and Learner Interest Committees, and Strategic Advisory Council will also be influencing decisions about qualifications reform.

Donna Stewart, Chief Qualifications and Exams Officer said: "The review and reform of qualifications will ensure that Scotland has a qualifications system that is trusted, inclusive and fit for the future. For this to succeed the people most affected need to be genuinely involved from the very start to help shape how qualifications will meet the needs of learners, educators, employers, the economy and wider society now and in the future.

“That is why today, we are announcing our extensive plans for a significant period of engagement that will give learners, practitioners, parents, carers and stakeholders the unique opportunity to get involved and help shape the future of qualifications. I encourage them to do so.

“While qualifications reform is a long-term programme, we remain committed to making improvements to assessments now that will benefit today’s learners and educators. That work continues with the latest survey being available to capture views on the proposed improvements to another set of subjects.”