Gathering evidence for provisional results

For session 2020-21, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses will be awarded based on provisional results.

A provisional result is a judgement, made by teachers and lecturers, of a final band. Teachers and lecturers will use their professional judgement of a learner’s demonstrated attainment to determine provisional results, supported by assessment resources and quality assurance. View the alternative certification model for more information on how National Qualifications are being awarded this year.

Subject-specific guidance

Guidance on gathering evidence for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher is available from our NQ subject pages. This details the key evidence that teachers and lecturers should gather to determine provisional results for each learner.

New online course available

Our new SQA Academy course ‘Determining provisional results at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher’ explains the steps teachers and lecturers should take when determining a provisional result. It also provides guidance on the high-level principles that teachers and lecturers should follow when judging learner evidence.

SQA Academy course: Determining provisional results at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

General guidance

The new SQA Academy course on determining provisional results replaces our SQA Academy course ‘Quality assurance of estimates for National Courses’ and our general guidance on gathering evidence and producing estimates.

We developed these resources during session 2019-20 to assist teachers and lecturers with producing last year’s estimates. We retained both resources as they contained general information and principles that could still be helpful to centres during stage one of the 2021 alternative certification model.

The new course will support teachers and lecturers as they progress on to stages two and three of the alternative certification model.