Privacy Policy

Privacy Statement

This Privacy Statement sets out the data processing practices of the Scottish Qualifications Authority ('SQA') for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998 and related legislation, through the use of the internet and the World Wide Web. Please read and agree to these terms prior to sending us your details in any electronic communications or for any online transaction.

Who we are and what we do

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) was established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. SQA is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office – registered number - Z5781759.

SQA has three main functions.

SQA accredits qualifications and the awarding bodies who intend to enter candidates for these qualifications.
As an awarding body itself, SQA quality-assures education and training establishments which offer SQA qualifications. SQA also arranges for and carries out the assessment of people taking SQA qualifications and issues certificates to candidates.
SQA advises Scottish Government on matters within its functions generally.

This statement explains how SQA collects and uses personal information in the course of these functions and its activities generally.

What information do we collect about you?

Candidates

If you are a candidate for a SQA qualification (or a qualification that we accredit), we will collect personal information about you that is relevant to your educational journey, the qualification you are studying for and the assessment of your performance in respect of that qualification. This would include, for example, the marking of examinations, post examination procedures (such as checking and appeals) and the final award of qualifications.

We may collect that personal information from you directly when you use any service that we offer (for example, our 'MySQA' service or the 'Post Results' service) or submit information to us via our website, www.sqa.org.uk. Personal information may also be shared with us by third parties who are involved with our qualifications (see Data Sharing).

Others

We also collect personal information about those involved in the delivery of SQA qualifications (or qualifications we accredit). These include examiners, markers, setters, verifiers and vetters ('appointees') but also individuals within awarding bodies and education and training establishments. The personal information we collect will be information relevant to your role and the performance of your responsibilities within that role.

In the course of performing our functions and activities, we may collect or receive personal information about individuals who are connected with candidates (such as parents or other relatives) as well as suppliers and members of the public.

In each case, that personal information may be collected or received directly or it may be shared with us by third parties who are involved with our qualifications (see Data Sharing).

How we use information

We use the personal information we collect:

to deliver SQA qualifications and the qualifications we accredit
to award certificates to candidates
to deliver services that candidates request from time to time, including 'MySQA' and our 'Post Results' service
to ensure the quality and integrity of the SQA qualifications
to prevent fraud and to investigate alleged misconduct
for appointee resource planning, verification and management
for administration purposes
for statistical and research purposes
to otherwise carry out activities that are within our statutory functions and powers.

Data sharing

We may share your personal information with, and obtain information about you, from:

Scottish Government, including government departments and non-departmental government bodies
local authorities and UCAS
schools, colleges and other relevant training establishments
other public bodies with educational and vocational responsibilities
law enforcement and HM Revenue and Customs
organisations with whom we partner to deliver SQA accredited qualifications
other service providers and third parties who we use to provide our services

We will share and obtain personal information:

for the purposes described in How we will use your information
to enable us to perform our functions and discharge our statutory responsibilities
where we consider that there is a legitimate public interest to do so.

Marketing

We may also use personal information to provide you with information about our services and for sales and marketing purposes but if you tell us (see Contact Us) that you do not wish to have your personal information used in this way then we will respect your wishes. We will not permit third parties to use your personal information for marketing purposes.

International

Where services are being provided by SQA to individuals, organisations or establishments outside the European Economic Area then, in providing these services, we may transfer personal information relevant to these services outside the European Economic Area to the individuals, organisations or establishments concerned.

Access to your information

You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you (for which we may charge a small fee). If you would like a copy of some or all of your personal information, please tell us (see Contact Us).

Changes to this privacy statement

We keep this privacy statement under regular review and may update it from time to time. Where we update our privacy statement we will place an updated privacy statement on our website and, where the changes are material, will take other reasonable steps to bring it to your attention.

This privacy statement was last updated on 22 June 2015.

Contact us

Please contact us if you have any questions about this privacy statement or the information we hold about you:

By e-mail – data.protection@sqa.org.uk

In writing – write to use at: Data Protection Team, Scottish Qualifications Authority, The Optima Building, 58 Robertson Street, Glasgow G2 8DQ, Scotland.

If you do not wish to be contacted for marketing purposes, please e-mail us on mycentre@sqa.org.uk, but remember that if you do so we will be unable to provide you with information about latest publications etc.