Question about schools and grades

[susanjc9]

We just moved to Glasgow and my daughter started school (S3). I've asked her how she is doing and she mentioned that they haven't really had any graded homework, quizzes or tests. We are from the US so this is totally different. Over there it seems like she had 1 -2 quizzes a week. I

What typically makes up their grades do they have a few tests or an end of term test? I was also surprised that 75 and above is considered an A. At her last school that would be a C. An A was 90-100. So far she really likes her new school and classmates.

Not sure now (because I think they've made a few changes to NABs recently ) and also don't know whether the school you chose starts working towards Nat 5s in S4 or S3 (technically they're only supposed to start in S4 but many - including ds' school - start in at then of S2 S3) but there aren't really any formal exams before the end of S5 (although some schools may choose to do exams before then to get pupils used to them).

There are however NABs (National Assessment Bands ? ) which are tests (internally assessed but externally created) within the subject that pupils have to pass in order to be able to sit the Nat 5s.

I think if you "pass" enough of them, you get a Nat 4. Don't know the detail as ds was always on track to do Nat 5s (although he did get a Nat 4 for RME religious and moral education which was still compulsory as a "core" subject in S4 ie one or two periods a week. If he hadn't been doing Nat 5 in PE he might also have got a Nat 4 in that from his compulsory core hours).

The actual scores that result in an A will depend on the subject and the perceived difficulty that particular year.

I'm sure a teacher will come along and describe it better; I'm just describing my experience from a parent's perspective.

If you haven't found it already talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php
has a lot of help/info for US expats.

Food names and ingredients are a big topic.
Another one that surprised me was your US will is invalid in the UK so you need one here and one there.

That looks a useful link cdtaylornats

Just thought I'd add that testing can vary not just between schools but between teachers. Ds' geography teacher gave them a weekly test on a Monday from S3 through to S5 (ie through the Nat 5 years and then while they were studying for their Highers).

His Maths teacher gave them a test I think once a month.

I think his Physics teacher only ever got them to do the official NABs.

The reason I'm so vague is because we're blessed nothing to do with us with a ds who has always just "done" his homework and revision without us nagging asking, so we would only find out about the tests in passing only "failed" in this approach with his French which I should have been more "hands on" with and ended up with only a day to help him with his Oral for his Nat 5

Things can vary a lot between schools. Ask for a copy of the schools marking and assessment policy. This should give you a sense of what should be happening. Personally I'd arrange an appointment with the teacher and ask for a quick run down on the school system and see if your daughter needs any support transitioning between education systems.

There will be a variety across schools but ime there is a lot less testing in our system compared to yours and in fact there tends to be very little testing/grading at all. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is open to debate and in part will depend on the school/the subject/the teacher/your child.

There have also been recent changes, which don't impact my DC, that have removed some of the testing that pb refers to above. I think the actual exams have been beefed up and now comprise more of the overall mark than previously. Pupils used to produce Assignments that could contribute 20-40% of the final exam grade, I think the proportions have been made lower in terms of the assessments.

This and the reduction in the NABs has been to lower the workload on the teachers. Whether thats a good thing for the actual pupils or not depends on the same criteria as above....

Just noticed a typo in my original answer: should read "there aren't really any formal exams before the end of S4 " must have been thinking Nat 5 as I typed it

Hi OP and welcome to Scotland. There is no such thing as grading in Scottish schools and no high school diploma at the end of it. The system is totally different. Pupils/student progress through the system on the basis of age rather than grades. Assessment is by national examinations that may to some extent be internally marked but will mostly be awarded by externally marked examinations at the end of the school year. These take place from S4 to S5. Education may have less breadth ( fewer options) than in the USA but the potential for much greater specialisation and depth e.g Advanced Higher subjects in S6 will typically take up one third of the total of school time for an entire school year delivering considerably more opportunity for development than say an AP course. I hope that this is helpful.

I would just like to add that NABs are being phased out. There's none at n5 this year, higher next year and advanced higher year after.