Qualifications Scotland advisory council opens 12 March

Here’s the short version. The Scottish Government has used secondary legislation to set up a new Strategic Advisory Council for Qualifications Scotland. The Regulations were made on 28 January 2026, laid before the Scottish Parliament on 30 January 2026, and come into force on 12 March 2026. The instrument is SSI 2026/36 on legislation.gov.uk and is signed by Jenny Gilruth at St Andrew’s House. If you teach, study or parent in Scotland, this matters because it shapes how national qualifications are discussed and improved.

What the Council is and isn’t. Think of it as a standing panel that brings learners, parents, teachers, colleges, universities, unions and employers into the same conversation. It does not run assessments or award grades-that remains the job of Qualifications Scotland. Instead, the Council considers issues around Qualifications Scotland’s qualifications and functions, then provides advice to either Qualifications Scotland or Scottish Ministers.

The legal footing matters for accountability. Section 9 of the Education (Scotland) Act 2025 gives Ministers the power to create this Council and set its rules. Crucially, when the Council gives advice in writing, copies must be shared between Qualifications Scotland and Ministers, and Qualifications Scotland must reply in writing. That creates a transparent paper trail we can all follow.

How the Council reaches its view. When appropriate, it must consult key groups, including Qualifications Scotland, the Learner Interest Committee and the Teacher and Practitioner Interest Committee, as well as any other committees or sub‑committees established by Qualifications Scotland and anyone else the Council thinks relevant. It must also take account of consultation that Qualifications Scotland has already carried out and follow any guidance from Ministers on these duties.

Who gets a seat at the table. Ministers appoint members drawn from across education and the wider community. There will be voices for children and young people, for learners with educational support needs, and for parents and carers of learners taking Qualifications Scotland qualifications. Staff are represented through a trade union seat covering educational establishments in Scotland. There are places for business, industry and skills, for a director of education from a local authority, for the Scottish Funding Council, and for representatives of colleges and universities. Ministers can also appoint other people with relevant skills and experience.

How the Council is led and how conflicts are managed. Two conveners will be appointed by Ministers to lead the Council. Exactly one of those conveners must also be a member of Qualifications Scotland, ensuring close contact without dominance. To guard against conflicts, members of staff of Qualifications Scotland cannot be appointed to the Council at all.

Terms, time limits and support. Each member is appointed for a term of up to four years. They can be reappointed for further terms, but no one can serve more than 12 years in total. Qualifications Scotland may pay allowances and expenses to conveners and members, as determined by Ministers, to support participation.

Leaving early or being removed-what the rules say. A member can resign by writing to Ministers. Ministers may remove a member if they miss Council and committee meetings for more than six consecutive months without a reasonable excuse, if they no longer hold the role that justified their appointment-such as a union representative or a director of education-or if Ministers consider them unable to perform the role or unsuitable to continue.

Getting more voices involved through committees. The Council can set up committees and sub‑committees to look at particular themes or qualifications, and these can include people who are not Council members. The Council sets its own procedures, including quorum, for itself and any committees it creates, so it can organise work in a way that fits the issues at hand.

Public access-how you can be in the room. In every financial year, at least one meeting of the Council must be open to the public, and both the Council and Qualifications Scotland must take reasonable steps to promote attendance. Expect practical details-dates and how to attend-to be announced by Qualifications Scotland around or after the start date of 12 March 2026.

Who else can observe or take part. A representative of Scottish Ministers must be allowed to observe or participate in Council meetings. Members of staff of Qualifications Scotland may also observe or participate, but only at the conveners’ discretion. That keeps the door open for operational insight without crowding out independent voices.

Transparency and feedback loops. Qualifications Scotland must provide the Council with any information it reasonably requests to carry out its functions-or put the reason for refusing in writing if it decides not to share something. When the Council gives written advice to Qualifications Scotland, Qualifications Scotland must provide a written response and copy it to Ministers. When the Council writes to Ministers, it must copy the advice to Qualifications Scotland. This ensures advice and responses do not disappear into a black box.

Continuity if membership changes. The Regulations state that Council business remains valid even if there are vacancies, if one or both conveners are absent, if there is a defect in someone’s appointment, or if a member’s term ends early. That means the work can continue without being derailed by turnover.

What this means for you now. Mark 12 March 2026 as the go‑live date. If you’re a learner, parent, teacher, college or university staff member, or an employer with a stake in skills, keep an eye on announcements from Qualifications Scotland for the first public meeting within the financial year. Prepare the questions, evidence and classroom experience you want the Council to consider. This Council won’t write the rulebook, but it is designed to shape the advice that informs it.