Overview of the Act
5.The Act consists of 3 Parts.
	Part 1 establishes a new body, Qualifications Scotland. It sets the functions of that body; requires the establishment of a Strategic Advisory Council and an Expert Group on Qualifications Standards; provides for Qualifications Scotland to prepare and publish a learner charter and a teacher and practitioner charter; requires it to publish a corporate plan, annual report, annual quality assurance compliance report and accounts; and introduces schedule 1 which makes further administrative provision about Qualifications Scotland. Provision is also made about various committees of Qualifications Scotland but in particular about the Accreditation Committee, which is subject to its own provisions regarding reporting as well. It further requires the carrying out of reviews considering the effectiveness of Qualifications Scotland’s arrangements for ensuring the quality of qualifications, and the operation of the Act’s accreditation provisions, at defined points following the commencement of the relevant provisions.
	Part 2 establishes a new office holder, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland. It sets out the functions and powers of the Chief Inspector; makes provision for supporting roles; requires the establishment of an Advisory Council; requires the Chief Inspector to publish an inspection plan, reports on inspections and annual reports; requires educational establishments to cooperate with inspections; and makes provision about the enforcement measures that can follow a school-related inspection. It also introduces schedule 2, which makes further administrative provision about the office of Chief Inspector.
	Part 3 contains the general and miscellaneous provisions applying to the Act, including the transitional provisions for the transfers of staff and property between the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Qualifications Scotland, and the dissolution of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. It further introduces schedule 3 which makes further provision about the transfers, and schedule 4 which modifies other enactments in consequence of the Act.