SQA Referee Development Award

The SQA Referee Development Award provides an opportunity for secondary school pupils to become involved in refereeing and broaden their football knowledge.

The award, run in partnership with the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Specsavers, is a core part of the Scottish FA Referee Operations department’s strategy to encourage and increase participation in refereeing. This is a level 7 course which is designed to be delivered in school.  The course assists schools to provide an easy to deliver vocational course.

There are two units:

Level 1: Laws of the Game - This is mainly theoretical, and focuses on identifying and interpreting the laws.

Level 2: Practical Refereeing - This requires pupils to apply theoretical knowledge to interpret situations, and includes a fitness component, report writing, and the opportunity to referee a match.

Upon successful completion of the course, candidates will be able to join their local Referees’ Association and start a career in refereeing.  This is a great opportunity for candidates to keep physically active, be involved in football and generate additional income. 

The award started in 2011 and in the last year the Scottish FA delivered the course to 30 secondary schools and to over 450 pupils.  The starter pack is subsidised by the Scottish FA with no cost to schools, thanks to the support of Specsavers and Cashback. Each school is provided with a pack of footballs, refereeing equipment and refereeing educational presentations. The Scottish FA appoints a referee instructor to assist teachers with delivery of key laws.