FOI25/26 169 Guidelines for Assessment Arrangements

Date published: 10/12/2025

Under the freedom of information act, can you please provide the following specific data regarding the use of scribes in SQA certificated examinations.

The only documentation currently available is the SQA Guidelines on Assessment Arrangements. This document does not give the specific detail required.

1.   Can you therefore give reference to and supply the documentation that confirms if it is acceptable for the pupil's classroom teacher to be used as a scribe?

2.   Can you give reference to and supply the documentation that confirms if it is acceptable for the pupil's paid private tutor to be used as a scribe?

3.   Can you give reference to and supply the documentation that confirms if it is acceptable for the depute head of establishment, who is subject specific to be used as a scribe?

If no specific documentation is available, can you please address each of the three questions.

Under section 17, when an authority does not hold information it should inform the requester.

SQA doesn't hold the specific data requested.

SQA's guidance on assessment arrangements states that the use of a classroom teacher, or other person with a personal interest in the learner, as a scribe will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and we must have been contacted before it is implemented.

The guidance document on our website, 

Assessment Arrangements Explained: information for centres 

on page 27 states the centre must:

 "ensure that the scribe does not have a personal interest in the success of the learner, is not a relative or the learner’s teacher or lecturer of the subject. There may be exceptions to this, but you must contact us in the first instance to discuss this before the assessment date."

When SQA are contacted these requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In relation to the questions posed, staff guidance on handling such requests states:

"Can a class teacher or subject teacher act as a scribe for a learner?

Only in exceptional circumstances.  While it is generally discouraged, a teacher may act as a scribe if there are staffing shortages or if the learner requires a familiar person due to additional support needs.

In such cases:

· The teacher must not have a personal interest in the learner’s success

· They should not be related to or regularly teaching the learner in that subject - unless there is no alternative

· The teacher must be fully aware of SQA scribe guidelines and follow them correctly."

There is no specific mention of whether a personal tutor can be used as a scribe, but this would be covered in the section about whether there is a personal interest in the success of the learner.