SQA exams start today

SQA exams begin this week for tens of thousands of learners across Scotland, who will sit assessments for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.

The exam period starts on Friday 25 April with questions papers for Computing Science and Psychology. It concludes on Friday 30 May with exams for Care.

Key facts

• More than 132,000 learners will sit exams in schools and colleges across Scotland

• Learners from Selkirk to Shetland will sit exams between 25 April to 30 May

• More than two million exam papers will be distributed to over 480 centres across Scotland

• Results Day is Tuesday 5 August – by text, email, MySQA or post

Candidates will sit exams in subjects ranging from Biology and Mathematics to Music and Accounting. For learners taking subjects such as Music, Drama, Practical Cookery, and PE, the performance and practical elements of the assessments have been taking place throughout the academic year.

In addition, many learners will be in the final stages of completing National 1 to National 4 qualifications, SQA Awards, Skills for Work courses, National Progression Awards and National Certificates that are continually assessed throughout the year. These form part of a broad offering of qualifications, which support learners to progress into employment, training, further and higher education.

In total, more than 147,000 candidates are expected to get their results on Tuesday 5 August.

Donna Stewart, Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer and Director of Qualifications Development at SQA, said: "I would like to wish the best of luck to everyone throughout Scotland who is about to sit exams and complete assessments in the coming weeks. As you move towards the next step in your education, training, or employment, this is your opportunity to show what you’ve learned after months of hard work."

John Booth, SQA Interim Chief Executive, added: "I want to thank teachers and lecturers across the country for their dedication in supporting learners to get to this important milestone. I’m also grateful to the many thousands of them who work with us to set, invigilate and mark exams and assessments. The teaching profession is at the heart of delivering our qualifications and will have an even stronger role in the work of Qualifications Scotland."