
Helping you, help them
Is your child in education and about to make big decisions about their future? Whether it’s with subject choices, or their next steps after school, college or university, we can help.
As your go-to resource for understanding qualifications, the SCQF can help you support their journey and plan their next move.
Explore more below.
Qualifications – Past,
Present and Future
Explore Qualifications – Past, Present and Future below to equip
yourself with the vital knowledge you’ll need to support your child.

Scotland’s qualifications landscape has changed considerable over the years. From O’ Grades and Standard Grades, through to today’s Nationals and National Progression Awards, it can be difficult to understand the changes. But our handy Old v New Guide will help you relate qualifications from your education to today’s qualifications.

Your child might be studying or about to study Nationals or Highers. Use our Interactive Framework to see where these qualifications sit. Don’t forget that there are many learning programmes on the SCQF that your child might be involved in at school or in their spare time. Make sure they list these on their UCAS application form or CV — search our register to find them.

Does your child know what they want to do next? If they’re considering university, they might follow a traditional route with Nationals, then Highers. But there’s more than one path to their ideal career. They might prefer a Foundation Apprenticeship at SCQF level 6, or a college course for hands-on training. Learning while working through a Modern Apprenticeship is also a rewarding option.
Explore our case studies to find inspiration.
Subject choices
in school
As your child progresses through their senior phase in school, they will be asked to make subject choices. Your child’s school may offer various types of qualifications. As well as Nationals and Highers, they may also offer Skills For Work, National Progression Awards (NPAs) and Foundation Apprenticeships. Some qualifications conclude with an exam, while some focus on continual assessment, which many pupils find suits them better.

Explore the qualifications
Our Interactive Framework can help you understand the different qualifications and show you their SCQF level.
Our framework promotes equality of various types of learning. For instance, the Yes Company Programme by Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) is an SCQF level 6 qualification – the same level as a Higher. Though they focus on different skills, they both require the same level of effort to complete.
If your child wants to go to university, it’s vital to check their chosen course’s admission requirements as this will guide their subject choices.

School Ambassador Programme
Your child’s school may already be involved in our School Ambassador programme, which aims to support schools in exploring and developing more learning pathways. If your child’s school isn’t yet involved, speak to your school’s senior management team for more information.