Why buy P&N?

P&N are the longest established Scottish prelim paper producer and continue to lead on quality. With over 21 years experience in the field, we continue to be the right choice for centres who wish a high quality, 'sight unseen', reliable prelim resource. Prior to this our Editor-in-Chief for five years held a similar post with Pillans and Wilson who had run a test paper service for Scottish Highers since the end of the 19th Century. For a number of years he also was an Examiner with the SCEEB and SEB and has therefore experience of both prelim exams and appeals procedures that go back over 25 years. Throughout that period a reputation for a high quality product which keeps ahead of curricular and technological change has been developed and maintained.

View our 2009/2010 Publication Flyer/Order form for a full list of papers for 2009/2010 or see individual subject flyers. We feel you will agree P&N is the right choice!

Test papers of the highest quality

All P&N test papers are typeset using the most advanced desktop publishing techniques and printout by Oce VarioPrint™ technology, which allows input from our digital files and gives first generation laser output for each and every customer. Feedback from customers indicates that P&N typography and graphic content are at least on a par with those of the SQA. In Modern Languages Listening test papers P&N made the move from less reliable sound cassette to high quality CD sound reproduction several years prior to the SQA.

New 'sight unseen' material each year

At P&N we pride ourselves on producing high quality new material each year to comply with stringent SQA requirements regarding material being unseen to candidates.

Reliability and Accuracy

P&N has produced prelim papers of the highest quality for more than twice as long as any of our competitors. All our test papers are drafted by setters with considerable experience of the National Qualifications examination system at appropriate levels, who produce new material each year which has been trialled to ensure accuracy.

All papers are subject to stringent and secure internal checks and additionally are securely externally checked by highly experienced examiners.

P&N from the outset have only employed highly experienced setters and editors who are 'head hunted' and personally recommended by reliable contacts. All work on a contractual basis and are paid guaranteed fees similar to those of SQA. We have never advertised for setters. In this way we can publish a high quality product on time. We have, for some years now, employed external expert scrutineers to ensure we continually improve our products and accurately reflect the current national standard in each subject and at each level.

Full marking guides

All P&N test papers are provided with marking keys (and suggested cut-off scores) at each level based on current SQA format and practice.

Unrestricted site copyright licences

Use our current year's papers for your prelim, and previous (no longer recognised as ‘unseen’) years' papers for classroom/homework practice.

Together with other commercial prelim paper producers we met in May 2003 to agree on a joint Code of Practice. P&N agreed together with the SQA to allow other commercial suppliers to use the security message on the front of all prelim packs, which first appeared on 2002/2003 P&N test paper packs (published September 2002).