Scoring Models and Pass Criteria

Understanding how scoring works is essential to getting the most from your SCS assessment. This page explains the maturity scale, the types of scores used, and the criteria required to achieve Bronze, Silver, or Gold.

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The Maturity Scale

Every question is scored from 0 to 3 🔢 based on your level of maturity:

• 0 – Not Considered: No evidence or activity in this area.

• 1 – Defined: Basic awareness or planning is in place.

• 2 – Managed: Active implementation with some structure and oversight.

• 3 – Optimised: Fully embedded, effective, and regularly reviewed.

This scale is used across all assessments — from Baseline Maturity to each of the Pillars.

Want to see what this looks like in practice? Explore our Digital Pillar question example via the embedded guideflow to see how the maturity levels are applied across a real assessment theme.

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Minimum Pass Criteria

The SCS Framework uses a tiered approach to scoring — helping ensure assessments are both rigorous and fair. Each question is assigned a criticality level to reflect its relative importance:

• Key – Higher-weighted; typically expected to reach Level 2 (Managed)

• Moderate – Standard-weighted; typically expected to reach Level 1 (Defined)

• Low Priority – For context only; no pass threshold applied

To achieve recognition at a particular level (e.g. Bronze), organisations are generally expected to meet minimum thresholds across their Key and Moderate questions.

Note: The exact scoring model and pass criteria may vary slightly across pillars. Refer to the specific pillar guidance for the most up-to-date requirements as the framework continues to evolve.

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Three Types of Score

Each question produces three scores — used for different purposes:

• Current Score – Your self-assessed maturity level today

• Compliance Score – Used to determine if you meet the pass threshold

• Target Score – Where you aim to be (optional but useful for planning)

These scores help you track progress and prioritise improvements.

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Try the Scoring Guide

To help you understand how the scoring system works in practice, we’ve created a step-by-step walkthrough. It shows:

• What each score level looks like

• How question types impact your result

• What to focus on when reviewing your responses

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Summary

Scoring in SCS isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress. By combining a clear 0–3 scale with meaningful pass criteria, the framework helps you see where you are, what matters most, and where to go next.