School Ambassador Programme

4 school pupils hold up a gold SCQF School Ambassador plaque
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Become an SCQF Ambassador school

The SCQF School Ambassador programme is your key to unlocking a broader range of qualifications for your pupils. With more than 250 Scottish secondary schools already on board, and over 100 schools in our Recognition Programme, you’ll be in good company.

See who’s involved in the Recognition Programme Explore resources on the padlet Be inspired by case studies

Why should I sign up?

Tailored learning journeys

Each pupil follows a path that suits their abilities, needs and career goals

Recognition of wider achievement

Reward learning that takes place in a variety of settings

Aligned with Developing
the Young Workforce

Build learning pathways that prepare pupils for the workplace

Free training and support

Get in-person training and ongoing support for school staff

Empower pupils

Equip them with the tools to become School Ambassadors so they can spread the word about the SCQF and inspire their peers

School Ambassador Recognition Programme

Take your school’s involvement in the SCQF School Ambassador Programme to the next level with our Recognition Programme. Launched in 2020, more than 110 schools are already progressing through the programme’s bronze, silver and gold tiers. This involves:

Bronze SCQF School Ambassador Icon

Bronze

Developing knowledge of the SCQF and exploring new pathways

Learn more
Silver SCQF School Ambassador Icon

Silver

Raising SCQF awareness among staff, pupils and parents, with some curriculum pathways developed

Learn more
Gold SCQF School Ambassador Icon

Gold

The SCQF is embedded in school practice. The school is offering a significant range of senior phase pathways

Learn more

What do I need to do?

Check out our criteria snapshot and guidance document to see what your school needs to do to advance through the tiers. Explore our resources that aim to help pupils and staff on their SCQF journey.

Criteria Snapshot Guidance Document SCQF Pupil Ambassadors Guide Pupil Ambassador training Social media toolkit List of School Ambassadors

Case studies

2 female pupils wearing Craigmount High School uniform, at a desk. Both have a plastic baby doll and they're putting nappies on the doll.

Craigmount High School, Edinburgh

A wider curriculum offering is delivering huge benefits to pupils at Craigmount High, in Edinburgh, …

Powering Futures – St Matthew’s Academy, Saltcoats

Powering Futures aims to unleash tomorrow’s talent to solve today’s problems. By offering a …

Galashiels Academy – turning a building site into a classroom

When the diggers rolled in to build a new Galashiels Academy, teaching staff were keen for pupils …

St Paul’s RC High School, Glasgow

St Paul’s RC High School, in Glasgow’s south side, has successfully embedded the SCQF in its …

What is the SCQF School Ambassador Programme?

SCQF Partnership’s Lead for Learning Pathways, Donnie Wood, explains how our School Ambassador …

St Andrew’s RC Secondary School, Glasgow

St Andrew’s RC Secondary School is in the east end of Glasgow – an area of deprivation where young …

Daydream Believers – Creative Thinking

Daydream Believers develop free, ready-to-use, online resources for educators that utilise …

Lasswade High School, Midlothian

Lasswade High School is a Silver SCQF Ambassador School with good SCQF awareness among staff, …

Ambassador Wall

Larkhall Academy badge
Bronze schools

Larkhall Academy

St Margaret Mary's logo
Bronze schools

St Margaret Mary’s Secondary School

Logo for St Andrew's Academy, Paisley
Bronze schools

St Andrew’s Academy

Calderglen HS logo
Gold schools

Calderglen High school

Douglas Academy logo
Silver schools

Douglas Academy

Greenfaulds High School badge
Silver schools

Greenfaulds High School

Silver schools

Cumbernauld Academy

Bronze schools

Castlehead High School

Castlemilk High School badge
Bronze schools

Castlemilk High School

Silver schools

All Saints RC Secondary

View all
A group of 5 school pupils from St Andrew's RC HS, smiling. There are banner stands promoting the school at either side of the group. They signify the support the SCQF offers to schools through the School Ambassador Programme.

Got any
questions?

Check out our FAQs or email schools@scqf.org.uk

Check FAQs

Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

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Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

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Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

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Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

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Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

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Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

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Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

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Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

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Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

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Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

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Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

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Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

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Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

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Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

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Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

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Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

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Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.