These qualifications will now carry national currency in Scotland together with Levels and Credit Points within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Details of the qualifications and of the SCQF can be found in the Home page of this website and in the Certificates and Syllabus Section.

Another important point to bear in mind is that the earlier PDQB Certificates issued between 2007 and 2009 will be regarded by the PDQB partner organisations as equivalent to the new NPAs and PDAs, although they do not have SQA national recognition.

The new qualifications were launched by SQA on 23 November 2009 as part of a Homecoming Scotland event held at the Radisson Hotel, Argyle Street, Glasgow. The launch was opened by members of George Watson’s College Pipe Band and the introduction of the new awards was fully supported in a video message from Mike Russell MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Culture (who has since become the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning). For the first time ever there are now national standards for Piping and Pipe Band Drumming which are recognised jointly by the SQA and the 5 PDQB partners.