Scottish Certificate of Education
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The Scottish Certificate of Education (or SCE) was a Scottish secondary education certificate, used in schools from 1962 until the late 1990s. It replaced the older Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) and Scottish Leaving Certificate (SLC), and was the Scottish equivalent of the General Certificate of Education (or GCE) used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
[edit] Levels of Award
The SCE was intended to cater for the increased range of subjects available to pupils since the raising of the school leaving age from 14 to 15 in 1947. It initially included examinations and awards at both Ordinary Grade ('O-Grade') and Higher Grade ('Higher'). During the second half of the 1980s, the Ordinary Grade award was replaced with the Standard Grade, and the Higher Grade was revised. These changes placed increased emphasis on coursework and the application of knowledge.
The now-obsolete Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (a qualification taken by many in their final year after passing the subject at Higher Grade) was not a part of the Scottish Certificate of Education. However, both were awarded by the Scottish Examination Board (and its successor, the Scottish Qualifications Authority).
[edit] Successors
Starting in 1994, the Scottish Certificate of Education was phased out; its replacement was the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) which was first issued from January 2000 onwards. The SQC also incorporated the CSYS (although this was in the final stages of being replaced with the Advanced Higher) and the Record of Education and Training (RET).
The Standard Grade and Higher Grade qualifications live on as part of the new organisational structure.
