THE ROYAL SCOTTISH PIPE BAND ASSOCIATION
"THE HEART AND HOME OF THE PIPE BAND WORLD"
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Pipe Band College is an approved Scottish Qualification Authority Centre delivering Qualifications in Piping and Drumming.
If you are looking to have your skills and talents enhanced by gaining a nationally recognised qualification, we can help.
The RSPBA College offer PDQB (Piping & Drumming Qualifications Board) Qualifications that range from a Foundation level through to more Advanced Levels as follows,
SQA: National Progression Awards (NPA) Professional Development Awards (PDA).
SQA: Scottish Credit Qualification Framework.(SCQF) Awards.
We are delighted to have supported candidates throughout the UK and we also deliver our Education Programs on an International Level in partnership with our Affiliated Association Members.
Most recently we completed the Delivery and Examination process for candidates in South Africa using Digital Technology.
More information on the Education Pathways will be made available on The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, Pipe Band College Facebook page.
The Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board (PDQB) is the certificating body for a range of qualifications offered jointly by The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming, The Tri Service Cadet Centre, The National Piping Centre, The Piobaireachd Society and The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA). Qualifications are currently available in Piping, Pipe Band Drumming and in the teaching of these instruments.
The PDQB qualifications in Scottish Bagpipes and Scottish Pipe Band Drumming, which are validated and certificated jointly by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and PDQB, are available nationally and internationally through 4 PDQB Examinations Centre’s.
Contact with the PDQB can be made through one of the approved Examination Centre’s.
The PDQB comprises of two nominated representatives of each of the 4-partner organisations and its objectives are to:
• Set standards for a unified qualifications structure for playing, teaching, and assessing the Great Highland Bagpipe, Pipe Band Drumming, Pipe Bands and Drum Majors.
• Jointly design, develop, quality assure, assess, and certificate qualifications in the unified structure.
• Approve center’s for awarding qualifications in the unified structure.
• Liaise with the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding national accreditation of some of the relevant PDQB qualifications and alignment to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)
• Approve PDQB Assessors nationally and internationally.
The PDQB was formed in 2006 as a result of a project initiated in November 2004 by the RSPBA and the member organisations of the Institute of Piping (Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming, College of Piping, National Piping Centre and Piobaireachd Society), to create a single structure of certificated qualifications in Piping, Pipe Band Drumming, Pipe Bands and associated areas. The new structure, which has been introduced progressively since 1 January 2007, was achieved by integrating, and further developing, the qualifications formerly offered by the RSPBA and the Institute of Piping.
** Please note that there has been a substantive review and re-alignment to the Syllabus regards Snare Drum and Bass / Tenor Drum, this information has been updated to the PDQB Site during 2019/2020.
The RSPBA offer this education program through the RSPBA Pipe Band College and further information regards Syllabus and Examination Profiles can be found by clicking on the links below.
PDQB Bass and Tenor
SQA Piping and Pipe Band Drumming
RSPBA Pipe Band College