To really really hate the SNP.

[Twooter]

Got that off my chest.

I like the way one of our local SNP MSPs is so in touch with his constituency - apparently the North Sea is booming because production has increased and the fact that 65,000 people have been made redundant in the last year seems to have completely escaped him.

Interesting as well that the SNP White Paper projected between £6.8 billion and £7.9 billion for North Sea revenue for 2016-17. It's more likely to be £0.13 billion.

Totally agree on the CfE shambles as well - Grampian state schools are pretty much restricted to 6 Nat 5s in S4, so after the compulsory Maths and English students are restricted to a choice of four subjects. You can't do biology, physics and chemistry as separate subjects (they can be combined as triple science and that's equivalent to two subject choices). So, students then have to pick up crash Highers in S5 and S6.

I went through the English system, did 10 O levels in the equivalent of S4 and then 2 more O levels in S5 and 3 A levels in S6.

Keeptrudging when you say you want parties to focus on Scottish priorities what are those priorities for you? and what would be your ideal landscape for Scotland?

Fair enough trudging I guess I had one particular teacher in mind when I posted. I do think that there are lots and lots of extremely dedicated and motivated teachers out there who are crying out for support. There are lots of things that sound good in theory (including some of the CfE stuff tbf) it's the translation of that into reality that seems to be the hard part.

Interesting article with loads of SNP speak that actually says nothing about what they are going to do other than "make things fairer" How though? what practical things are they going to do to achieve this? Why are they not doing it using the powers they already have? Answer: Because it easier to have someone else to blame. I bet that is behind their want to stay in the EU under independence, so that when they can no longer blame Westminster, they can blame Brussels.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35806893

This is the interview from Sunday. NS actually held up quite well although his arguments were pretty insurmountable. Hosie would have run away crying.

Thanks for posting that Behioven, I meant to do it but got distracted

stats hoping that was tongue in cheek - if it was
And magnum I could bear it better if the SNP admitted the truth - in the shorter term at least people were going to be worse off...
It is the weasel words and misrepresentation that infuriate me.
(For the Indyref they had a leaflet about renewal power...it was full of 'could' this and that ...ignoring the fact that it would need a massive investment in infrastructure, covering the Highlands in wind turbines/pylons, I'm not sure how cost effective renewals actually are (and I like being green) -basically if it was that easy and that much of a sure bet why wasn't the UK government already implementing it - it is not like the UK doesn't need more income is it?)

My priority would be education. I miss old-fashioned, robust teaching of the basics. All - singing, all - dancing classrooms look pretty/fun, but I'm seeing an awful lot of children that it doesn't work for. No child should be leaving school unequipped for work. I would like the system to reflect that not all children are going to university. I think for non - academic children, there should be a compulsory year (or longer) at college learning a trade/skill before they're allowed to leave education. I want our system to support vulnerable members of society, so healthcare is a priority too. Scrap trident, spend more on undercover surveillance to protect against terrorists/radicalism. More community projects, possibly linked to benefits, to get genuinely able-bodied people off their arses and employable. Support for small businesses, clamp down on big business dodging tax.

www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/qualifications/faqs/faqsscqf

See under how many subjects, As I suspected and borne out my my daughters own school, it is a MINIMUM of six and up to eight. There is nothing about only sitting six subjects there. Dont know why other schools are only sitting six-it isn't an SG policy! She sat and passed 8 Nat 5's
Majority of her friends are doing 5 Highers

So how do you feel keeptrudging that so many college places have been cut so that the SNP can boast that university places are free? The well off of east ren, that could well afford to make a contribution and will do well whatever get to go to uni for free , while there are fewer college places for the people that really need a help up. Progressive party my fucking arse.

I agree again unlucky and in fact used that exact phrasing during indyref. I'd like them to say to people that it will be tough, we will face a lot of problems initially but here is why we think that in the longer term it would be better..... don't try to hood-wink people. Apart from anything else it implies that we are too stupid to understand and that we are just pawns who need to be told how to live our lives.

See under how many subjects, As I suspected and borne out my my daughters own school, it is a MINIMUM of six and up to eight. There is nothing about only sitting six subjects there. Dont know why other schools are only sitting six-it isn't an SG policy! She sat and passed 8 Nat 5's
Majority of her friends are doing 5 Highers

It may say that, but once again, there is not enough time in the timetable during S4 to study more than 6. The only way up to 8 can be done is by stealing time from the BGE in S3. Each course consists of 200 hours study. The school week is around 30 hours, there are 40 weeks of schooling per year that equals 1200 hours which equals 6 subjects - and they still need to squeeze in assemblies, core RME and PE and other non specific school stuff, study leave. Yes it says they can do up to 8. It also says somewhere I think that they are meant to follow BGE until the end of s3.

Well I have just pmed and texted a few of my friends in different parts of the country and about 5/6 council areas. All doing 8 Nat 5's
I forgot, you do indeed pick six subjects PLUS English and Maths as core subjects which you sit Nat 5 in (or nat 4 if you arent capable of Nat 5). Timetable hasnt grossly changed since I was at school.
My older girls (before C of E and well before SNP government got in), got exactly same except exams were Standard Grades, school day hasnt changed (except somestarting and finishing times). Still fitted in RME (two periods a week), a couple of school assemblies a year, a bit of PE. Study leave happens a week before SQA exam time, and only get a couple of days before prelimns and obvioulsy days in between.

My older girls also chose their options in second year. I really don't see what this great educational hoohaa is about that kids are being disadvantaged .
I do notice that they get more homework and are expected to take more responsibility for their own study, which would be expected in S4.

SusanneLinder

Your link also states the following:

"Under Curriculum for Excellence, we expect all young people to experience and enjoy a rich general education to the end of S3, with no need for qualifications to provide additional motivation.

It is important that the full period to the end of S3 is used to provide a rich curriculum that provides breadth and depth in learning. The expectation is that young people will reach a secure level of attainment and achievement at the end of S3. The broad general education is designed to provide a very sound basis for more advanced study within the senior phase, including qualifications."

If schools continue the BGE through to the end of S3, then there is no way they can timetable more than 6 Nat 5 subjects in S4. Schools offering 7 or 8 Nat 5s in S4 are doing it by cutting short the BGE and starting the Nat 5 courses at the end of S2 or early in S3.

I suspect the info in your link was written before anyone realised the impossibility of timetabling 8 subject courses in one year.

Ah that's fine then Susanne - the rest of us must be mistaken in what our children chose or are choosing

One again. Yes, there are schools and areas that haven't changed and are offering 8 nat 5s. They are not following the CfE. I'm not saying that is bad thing but it isn't following what the SNP laid sown because under the proper criteria it's not possible to do more than 6 in one year without stealing from S3 BGE or not teaching the full course.

I could send the same text round and get a mixture of responses. My children have chosen 5 plus compulsory English and Maths. They cheat and start 4th year at Easter in order to squeeze in the extra subject. They are a highly achieving academic school (in top 5 in the country).

Fine Suzanne, whatever you say!

Just noted that Suzanne's !ink was last updated June 2012.

There's always someone who thinks the system is finding because they aren't affected. Susanne there are most definitely plenty schools that only allow 6 Nat 5s. I can't copy and paste on this bloody ipad, but have a look at any of the Livingston schools. It's not 6 plus English and Maths, it's 6 in total.

I know DS' school starts Nat 5 work in S3. I'm quite happy with that. He'll be taking his 8 core subjects plus the non core subjects and that's broad enough for me.

Fine, not finding

I agree Noo I'm not saying that schools are wrong for starting in S3 with 8, that's what we did way back when and in fact since Arithmetic and Maths are now joined, with 8 they are getting more choice than we did. I'm reasonably happy with 7 over just over a year. It's quite stretching as a lot of them have course/project work that needs to be submitted about now so it's not just cramming for an exam like we used to do. My son is academic and he is finding it quite a lot.

A quick Google shows that schools in Angus, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland Councils all generally offer 6 subjects in S4 to include Maths and English.

Well, there is an argument that schools are wrong to curtail the BGE early to squeeze in more teaching time for Nat 5s - it goes against the principal of the CfE.

ive just looked at the school my children will eventually attend - from S2 - S3 they can choose 7 subjects, in S3 - S4 they can only choose 4 subjects - this is on top of their core subjects. Once you get to S4 - S5 it seems to change and you get a completely different set of options which look at where you want to be when you leave school (uni, working or apprenticeships) and the school try and give options available for each scenario. Essentially though in 5th year you take 5 subjects and in 6th years you are required to take a minimum of 4 subjects.

There is that, but I don't like the CfE so I'm quite happy that our school goes against it.

I do think it creates unfairness though, and I think that's the fault of the framework. If it were a good framework, these schools wouldn't blatantly disregard it.

It does totally squirelled but that depends on whether you agree with CfE or not, most parents seem to be happier with the fudge job to endure that their children get 8. I'm sort of in the middle as mine are doing 7. I equate that as equivalent to the 8 I did as Maths and Arithmetic are combined.

The problem is that having no consistent approach breeds inequality.