The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is a public body, created under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996.
SQA has two main roles, accreditation and awarding qualifications.
We also offer a range of services to businesses and training providers, and advise Scottish Government on matters related to our functions and tasks.
This privacy statement explains how SQA collects and uses information about you in order to provide our services.
The nature of our relationship with you will determine what personal information we collect about you and how we use it. Further detail for each relationship is set out below.
Learner/candidate
What information do we collect about you?
If you are studying for or have undertaken an SQA qualification, we will collect information about you. The types of information we collect include:
- personal details, for example, name, address, date of birth, e-mail address
- Scottish Candidate Number (SCN)
- attainment details
- examination scripts
- assessment evidence/materials
- special arrangement requirements where necessary
How do we collect your information and what do we use it for?
We collect information about you from your school, college or training centre, your local authority and from your examination scripts and other assessment materials. We may also collect information directly from you when you use our website, register to use ‘MySQA’, or when you contact us or request another service such as the return of materials.
We use the information we collect about you:
- to make arrangements for you to undertake SQA examinations/assessments
- to award and issue your SQA certificate
- to maintain a record of your attainment
- to deliver services that you have requested, including MySQA and our Post-results Service
- to respond to enquiries
- to investigate cases of possible misconduct
- for statistical and research purposes
Legal basis for processing your information
We use and share your information:
- to perform our functions and duties under in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996
- to carry out tasks in the public interest
- to comply with other legal obligations
- with your consent, where we have asked for and you have given it
- to perform or in connection with a contract
Who do we share your information with?
We may share your personal information with, and obtain information about you, from:
- Scottish Government, including government departments and non-departmental government bodies
- your local authority
- Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
- your school, college or training centre
- other public bodies with educational and vocational responsibilities
- Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
- law enforcement and HM Revenue and Customs
- Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO)
- organisations with whom we partner to deliver SQA accredited qualifications
- other service providers and third parties who we use to provide our services
How long do we keep your information?
We only keep your information for as long as we need it to support us in carrying out our functions, legal and/or regulatory responsibilities. This will vary depending on the particular circumstances. Details about how long we keep your information isin SQA’s record of processing (36 KB)
What are my rights?
Access to your information: You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. More information about how to do this is available on our website.
Correcting your information: We always want to make sure that your information is accurate, complete and up to date. You can ask us to correct any information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Deletion of your information: You have the right to ask us to delete information about you if:
- you think that we have kept it longer than we need to
- we are using your information with your consent and you withdraw it - see ‘Withdrawing consent to using your information’ below
- you have objected to our use of your personal information - see ‘Objecting to how we use your information’ below
- SQA uses your information unlawfully
Objecting to how we use your information: You have the right to ask us to stop using your information to:
- send you marketing materials
- carry out some of our public roles and functions
- carry out research
Restricting how we may use your information: You have the right to ask us to restrict how we use your personal information in certain circumstances. For example, where you have asked us to check the accuracy of your information or where we no longer need your information but you want us to keep it to help you make a legal claim.
Withdrawing consent using your information: Where you have given us your consent to use your personal information, you can withdraw that consent at any time and we will stop using your personal information for that purpose(s).
Please contact us in any of the ways set out below if you would like to request any of the above.
Appointee
What information do we collect about you?
Whenyou apply to become an SQA Appointee we collect information from you in order to appoint you in this role. This includes the categories listed below:
- personal details, for example, name, address, date of birth
- National Insurance number (NI)
- employment details including your employment history
- bank details
- tax details and deductions
- training and development requirements
- references (where applicable)
How do we collect information about you and what do we use it for?
We collect your information directly from you and from your current employer. This is collected from your application to become an appointee, your personal details form and from other communications you have with SQA as part of your role.
We use the information we collect about you:
- for appointment purposes
- for the management of your role
- for resource planning
- to pay you your fees and expenses
- to enrol you in a pension scheme - where appropriate
- for statistical and research purposes
- to investigate possible misconduct
- to provide you with all necessary training and development
Legal basis for processing your information
We use and share your information:
- to perform our functions and duties under in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996
- to carry out tasks in the public interest
- to comply with other legal obligations
- to perform or in connection with a contract
Who will we share your personal information with?
We may share your personal information with:
- your current employer
- your local authority
- pension scheme providers
- schools, colleges and training centres
- law enforcement and HM Revenue and Customs
- other service providers and third parties who we use to provide our services
- Standards and Testing Agency (where applicable)
We do this for the reasons explained in ‘How will we use your information?’ above and to help us carry out our various roles and functions/tasks.
How long do we keep your information?
We only keep your information for as long as we need it to support us in carrying out our functions, legal and/or regulatory responsibilities. This will vary depending on the particular circumstances and more specific detail about how long we keep your information is available in SQA’s record of processing (36 KB)
What are my rights?
Access to your information: You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. More information about how to do this is available on our website.
Correcting your information: We always want to make sure that your information is accurate, complete and up to date. You can ask us to correct any information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Please contact Appointee Management.
Transfer of your information: You have the right to ask us to transfer your information from one IT environment to another. This is very similar to the right of access but provides your information in a re-usable electronic format.
Deletion of your information: You have the right to ask us to delete information about you if:
- you think that we have kept it longer than we need to
- we are using your information with your consent and you withdraw it - see ‘Withdrawing consent to using your information’ below
- you have objected to our use of your personal information - see ‘Objecting to how we use your information’ below
- SQA uses your information unlawfully¿
Objecting to how we use your information: You have the right to ask us to stop using your information to:
- send you marketing materials
- carry out some of our public roles and functions
- carry out research
Restricting how we may use your information: You have the right to ask us to restrict how we use your personal information in certain circumstances. For example, where you have asked us to check the accuracy of your information or where we no longer need your information but you want us to keep it to help you make a legal claim.
Withdrawing consent using your information: Where you have given us your consent to use your personal information, you can withdraw that consent at any time and we will stop using your personal information for that purpose(s).
Please contact us in any of the ways set out below if you would like to request any of the above.
Applicant
What information do we collect about you?
The information that we collect about you relates to your application to SQA. It includes the categories listed below:
- personal details, for example, name, address, date of birth
- National Insurance number (NI)
- employment history
- educational history including qualification details
- application statements including CVs where provided
- equal opportunities details
- references
How do we collect information about you and what do we use it for?
We collect your information directly from you, from your SQA application, and from your nominated referees and recruitment agencies where appropriate.
We use the information we collect about you:
- for recruitment purposes
- to obtain references
- for equality monitoring purposes
- for statistical and research purposes
If your application is successful, the information you have provided in your application will become part of your employee file.
Legal basis for processing your information
We use and share your personal information:
- to perform our functions and duties under in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996
- to carry out tasks in the public interest
- to comply with other legal obligations
- in order to perform or in connection with a contract
Who will we share your personal information with?
We share your personal information with your nominated referee.
How long do we keep your information?
We only keep information for as long as is necessary in order to discharge our statutory and legal obligations. More specific detail about how long we keep your information can be found in SQA’s record of processing (36 KB)
What are my rights?
Access to your information: You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. More information about how to do this is available on our website.
Correcting your information: We always want to make sure that your information is accurate, complete and up to date. You can ask us to correct any information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Please contact hr.shared.services@sqa.org.uk.
Transfer of your information: You have the right to ask us to transfer your information from one IT environment to another. This is very similar to the right of access but provides your information in a re-usable electronic format.
Deletion of your information: You have the right to ask us to delete information about you if:
- you think that we have kept it longer than we need to
- we are using your information with your consent and you withdraw it - see ‘Withdrawing consent to using your information’ below
- you have objected to our use of your personal information - see ‘Objecting to how we use your information’ below
- SQA uses your information unlawfully¿
Objecting to how we use your information: You have the right to ask us to stop using your information to:
- send you marketing materials
- carry out some of our public roles and functions
- carry out research
Restricting how we may use your information: You have the right to ask us to restrict how we use your personal information in certain circumstances. For example, where you have asked us to check the accuracy of your information or where we no longer need your information but you want us to keep it to help you make a legal claim.
Withdrawing consent using your information: Where you have given us your consent to use your personal information, you can withdraw that consent at any time and we will stop using your personal information for that purpose(s).
Please contact us if you would like to request any of the above.
Others
We may also process information about you if you are involved in the delivery of SQA qualifications (or qualifications we accredit) or if you are the parent or other relative of a candidate, a supplier or a member of the public that has contacted SQA.
International
We provide services to individuals, organisations, colleges and training centres around the world. In specific circumstances, this means we will transfer your personal information.
We only transfer personal information outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in connection with the services we provide to individuals, organisations, colleges and training centres that are outside of the EEA.
In order to ensure that we protect your personal information in these circumstances, we will put in place appropriate measures, such as secure/encrypted transfer mechanisms and standard contractual clauses to safeguard your information.
Further information about where this applies, and which measure has been used can be found in SQA’s Record of Processing (36 KB).
Marketing
Where you’ve given us your consent, we will use your information to let you know about products and services that we offer and we may contact you by post, e-mail or telephone.
You can change your mind about this at any time. We will remind you about this when we contact you and you will be able to tell us if you don’t want your information used in this way. Alternatively, if you would like to change your mind now, please e-mail us at mycentre@sqa.org.uk.
Although we may share your information in order to provide our services, we don’t allow anyone else we share your information with to use it for marketing purposes.
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the information we hold about you, or the way we use it, please contact us:
We regularly review this privacy statement and may update it from time to time. When we update our privacy statement, we will put an updated version on our website and, if the changes are significant, will try our best to bring it to your attention.
This privacy statement was last updated on 1 May 2018.
We will try to resolve any complaint about how we use your information but if you are not satisfied with our response you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office:
