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SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking: complete guide to the bench, machine and fabrication skills and the practical activity

A complete guide to SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking, an SCQF level 5 course. Covers the bench, machine and fabrication skills, the metals and tools used, health and safety, and the practical activity (80 marks, 100% of the course) that assesses it from session 2025-26.

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SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking is a course at SCQF level 5 that develops a range of theoretical and practical metalworking skills relating to tools, equipment, processes and materials. From session 2025-26 it is assessed by a single practical activity worth 80 marks (100% of the course), including a case study. This page is the index: below is a map of the three skill areas, the metals and safety that underpin them, the assessment, and how to study.

The three areas of SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking

The course is built around three areas of practical skill.

Bench Work
Shaping metal by hand at the bench: measuring and marking out from a datum (steel rule, try square, scriber, callipers, dividers, centre punch), the bench hand tools and processes (vice, hacksaw, filing, cold chisel and the ball pein, cross-pein and claw hammers), drilling and hand threading with taps and dies, the ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their properties, and safe working practice.
Machine Work
Shaping metal with machine tools: the centre lathe and its operations (facing, parallel turning, parting, chamfering, knurling), machine drilling on a pillar drill, and using an off-hand grinder, all with safe machine practice.
Fabrication
Building and finishing products: routine sheet metalwork (cutting, folding, seams), thermal joining (welding, brazing, soldering), mechanical joining and forming (rivets, fasteners, bending), and finishing (deburring, surface preparation, paint and plating).

Course assessment

From 2025-26 there is no question paper. The award is graded A to D on a single component.

  • Practical activity - 80 marks, which is 100% of the course assessment. The candidate plans and makes a finished product from metal and completes a log book.
  • Case study - a 10-mark part of the practical activity that samples knowledge of tools, materials, processes and safety, so theory is still assessed.

The practical activity is assessed by the teacher or lecturer and verified by Qualifications Scotland (formerly the SQA) so marking is consistent across centres.

How to study SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking

The course rewards accurate, safe practical work backed by clear knowledge.

  1. Work from the specification and specimen coursework. The practical activity and case study are written from them.
  2. Describe processes step by step. Learn how to mark out, saw, file, drill, thread, turn, fold, join and finish, in order.
  3. Match materials and joints to the job. Choose metals by named properties and pick temporary or permanent joints with reasons.
  4. Make safety automatic. Link each control (guard, clamp, PPE) to the hazard it removes.
  5. Apply it to a real product. Plan and make accurately, and keep a clear log book.

The three areas, topic by topic

Each area has topic answer pages with worked questions and cross-links, plus an area guide and quiz. Browse the full set from this hub.

Modules and study guides

  • Bench Work - the bench area guide and quiz, covering marking out, hand tools, drilling and threading, metals and properties, and health and safety.
  • Machine Work - the machine area guide and quiz, covering the centre lathe, machine drilling and off-hand grinding.
  • Fabrication - the fabrication area guide and quiz, covering sheet metalwork, thermal and mechanical joining, forming, finishing, and the practical activity.

For the official course specification

Qualifications Scotland (formerly the SQA) publishes the full National 5 Practical Metalworking course specification, the specimen coursework assessment task, the practical activity log book and course reports at sqa.org.uk. Always work from the current specification and specimen coursework, because the assessment and terminology are board-specific.

Practical Metalworking guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Practical Metalworking practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The SQA-NATIONAL-5 system, explained

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Common questions about Practical Metalworking

How is SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking structured?
National 5 Practical Metalworking is an SCQF level 5 course built around three areas of practical skill. Bench Work covers shaping metal by hand: marking out, hand tools, drilling and threading, plus the metals used and workshop safety. Machine Work covers shaping metal with machine tools: the centre lathe, machine drilling and off-hand grinding. Fabrication covers building and finishing products: sheet metalwork, thermal and mechanical joining, forming, and finishing. The course stresses safe, accurate practical work with real tools, materials and processes.
How is SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking assessed?
From session 2025-26 the question paper was removed, so the course is assessed entirely by one practical activity worth 80 marks, which is 100% of the course assessment. The candidate plans and makes a finished product from metal using bench, machine and fabrication skills, and completes a log book. The practical activity also includes a case study worth 10 marks that samples knowledge of tools, materials, processes and safety. It is assessed by the teacher or lecturer and verified by Qualifications Scotland, and the award is graded A to D.
What metals are studied in National 5 Practical Metalworking?
Metals are grouped into ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals contain iron, rust unless protected and are often magnetic; mild steel is the main ferrous metal in the workshop. Non-ferrous metals contain no iron, do not rust and are usually not magnetic; examples are aluminium, copper and brass. A metal is chosen by matching a named property, such as strength, hardness, toughness, malleability, ductility, conductivity or corrosion resistance, to the demands of the product being made.
What is the difference between welding, brazing and soldering?
Welding melts the parent metal itself so the parts fuse, usually with a matching filler, and gives the strongest joint. Brazing does not melt the parent metal: a brass or bronze filler is melted into a heated joint at a lower temperature, giving a strong but slightly weaker joint. Soft soldering uses the lowest heat and a soft solder filler with flux for light or electrical work, giving the weakest joint. The key distinction is that only welding melts the parent metal, while brazing and soldering use a filler.
How should I revise for SQA National 5 Practical Metalworking?
Work from the current course specification and the specimen coursework, because the practical activity and its case study are written from them. Learn the tools, processes and safety for each area: marking out and bench work, machine work on the lathe and drill, and fabrication (sheet metalwork, joining and finishing). Be able to describe each process step by step and to choose materials and joints with reasons. Practise applying this knowledge to a real product, which is exactly what the practical activity and case study reward.