N5 and Higher English Folio Advice

Created on: 29 Oct 2018 | Last modified: 30 Jul 2019

The EIS is in favour of assessment models within SQA qualifications which are not wholly dependent on final examinations.

Assessment models based solely on exams are known to be disadvantageous to students from poorer socio-economic backgrounds and are not the best means by which to assess the skills and knowledge learned in all cases.

With regards to the Folio of Writing at N5 and Higher, the EIS is of the view that, in principle, this approach is in the interests of social justice, providing students from poorer backgrounds the opportunity to demonstrate their learning, in part, outwith a formal exam-based context; and offers stronger assessment validity in that a portfolio approach more closely mirrors the process intrinsic to the art of writing, as opposed to the on-demand nature of writing under timed exam conditions.

That said, some EIS members with English subject specialism have raised concerns about workload, inequity and authenticity issues in relation to Folio writing and submission. This advice is intended to address these issues, with a view to supporting EIS members who are English subject specialists to control Folio-related workload, and to offer some guidance in relation to issues of inequity and authenticity.

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