Bit stuck - think I'm stuffed but perhaps someone can help.

[Toot]

I have a situation at my sons school which I am at a loss to know how to resolve.

My son is doing Higher Computer Science (with Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Music) . He wants to go off to University to read Computer Science and then train to teach Computer Science at Secondary level.

Since the session started in August 2016 he has had 5 Computer Science teachers. He has needed this many because they keep leaving! The first, Mr R , was there for 2 weeks. The second, Mr S was there in parallel with Mr R and then for approximately 2 weeks on his own. The next, Mr B, was a retired teacher who came in on a part time basis for some of my sons lessons but not all. Mr B left before teacher number 4, Mr SL, started so the group had some time with no teacher. Once Mr SL arrived he stayed approximately a month before he too left. One of the school deputes, is now teaching my son as teacher number 5 but she is being required to do this whilst simultaneously timetabled to teach a different group of students, in a different classroom, working towards a lower examination level.

I know the school cannot conjure up a teacher out of thin air so my issue is really in their attitude and relationship with the SQA. I have been told by the HT that the school has verbally informed the SQA that this group have had their studies disrupted by all these changes but that the SQA responded by saying the difficulties experienced do not constitute exceptional circumstances i.e the students will be given no allowances for any of this disruption when they sit their exams in just 2 months time. They have now agreed to write to the SQA.

To my mind (as a former senior teacher) the problem is greater than the number of teachers this Higher group has had and the simultaneous timetabling of teacher Number 5 (although this is all the school are prepared to write in their letter). Five teachers bring 5 different pedagogical approaches into the classroom so in the limited times this group has had a teacher in front of them they have started, changed direction and restarted significant elements of their course (including the major project worth 60% of the exam grade) – a demoralising waste of effort and energy.

The recent Computer Science Prelim exam was the last to be handed back. My child got a B (so no disaster) but other didn't fair so well. I have been told by the head teacher that ‘gaps’ in their knowledge have already been spotted by teacher number 5 but he has every faith that she can fill these gaps by going over the entire course in the next 2 months! Although she is an excellent teacher, I fail to see how any teacher can do this especially when you consider she teaches another group for 4 of their 6 lessons.

I believe the disruption suffered by my son’s Higher Computer Science group must be exceptional (if it isn’t then Scottish education is in very deep trouble) and as such the SQA must make allowances before grades are awarded to these students.

Another parent who raised the same issue with the school was told admitting our experience fell under SQA ‘ Exceptional Circumstances provisions’ would be politically difficult.

What if anything can I do?

Toot that sounds awful and I can't really help just didn't want you to feel unheard.

there is a lack of Computing Science teachers and the money that someone can get outside teaching tends to be more and it's also an area where you need to keep your knowledge updated constantly. This all contributes to the problem.

My DS is currently dealing with his Uni applications for the same field. Some Computing Science and some Software Engineering etc. If it's any comfort, none of the courses have specified CS H as a requirement. It's generally Maths they are looking for. Glasgow in their presentation said that they have students studying the subject with no prior computing experience and they generally follow a different 1st year programme to catch them up (not that I'm saying your son would need that!). So, whilst the situation is poor and he will obviously want to get the best grades he can, not getting an A in CS is not likely to thwart his ambitions.

I don't have great experience in terms of complaints to school and the education authority, the SQA is probably about the only place I've never complained to.

I hope someone comes along with a bit more useful info for you.

I sympathise. My DS2 had a similar experience for a different subject last year. However to be fair to the school they finally (by end of December) stepped up - prioritized the subject with an experienced teacher taking the class the entire time, provided new study materials (including full course notes) and additional out of hours supported study. It turned out okay in the end.

I and other parents complained several times - I think one might have enlisted the Parent Group which includes a couple of councillors which could have helped - as an experienced teacher was conjured up from another school. Could you enlist their help? Even if your DS had Teacher 5 full-time for a couple of months not shared with another class this could make all the difference. I'd be asking what they are planning to do to mitigate the situation - whether they'd run out of hours catch-up, provide additional notes, easter summer school.

My friend had the same with accounts. She tutored hom so much as she's an accountant and checked the syllabus and then got a tutor to help with the rest. He got an A in the end.

But the SQA are not sympathetic in the least of any issues. My niece's Granny passed away prior to the exams and they were horrible about it all when contacted by the school to see if any exceptions could be made.

So is this teacher going to permanently teaching the class until exam time? They had a similar problem at dd’s school with more than one subject we are in the Highlands and the recruitment of teachers here is particularly bad. Some teachers came out of retirement to teach the Higher pupils. One subject though that teaching was picked up by another school. As the numbers were small they arranged for the pupils to go to that subject at another secondary school a few miles away. I also know the local FE college have done similar as well when facilities or staffing have limited subjects on offer so the pupils get a bigger subject choice.

These are all good suggestions ladies - I knew MN would give me some ideas. To answer questions no notes have been given and no out of school sessions. This is first week back after Prelims and teacher 4 actually leaving. I'm a bit in shock as I'm not normally a helpless soul. 2 other parents complained as far as I know but no action so far. I asked to see letter school said they would send in and any replay the SQA sends. Parent Council not very effective so no hope there.

Could you get him a tutor?

Sorry your DS is having such a poor experience at what is an already a stressful time. Lots of great suggestions here, I'd second getting your parent group involved, and perhaps your local councillor. You could also raise a formal complaint to your local authority - there's bound to be a solution out there, someone with a wider view of secondary schools in your area might be needed to help. Finally in terms of course content and helping your DS to fill gaps, many schools post their courses online so you might be able to track down some good resources / links?

Can you download the scheme from the examination board and check through what has and has not been covered? There must be lots of resourses for self study available online. Not sure how relevant, but there was a thread recently on here from someone wanting to learn coding and lots of resources were suggested.

Where in the country are you? Would it be possible for your DS to have sessions at another local school? I know senior pupils from other schools not far from us in Glasgow attend lessons with pupils from our school - and the Council even taxis them back and forward. Not ideal with a full timetable but even a couple of periods a week?

We are in Stirling K2p. Not sure the school are thinking creatively like that. They have a non timetable day coming up (we have a few across the year for more fun type activities). S5 are off to the cinema. They are still considering if that CS group can miss the cinema (if they want to) to get on with their project :-(

RunRivers - good idea! Superjaggy - will defo raise a complaint, just wondering if best done now or later? Ginger 1982 son doing AI at Uni so 'in housing' that a bit. Going to another school wouldn't help as that would hit the other 4 Highers he's doing.

Thanks all :-)

Toot - certainly happens in Stirling schools for AH and for subjects where there small numbers across the authority (eg Wallace had only secondary Gaelic). Worth asking, timetabling nightmare but worth asking.

Could you ask them about virtual learning? It's not ideal but it's something. So they essentially FaceTime a teacher in another school (e.g Glasgow) to do their class.

I went to McLaren & a classmate went to Wallace once a week ish for Spanish and the rest of the time had to work independently. They’d started the Higher equivalents then moved to Callander. That was in the 90s.

Does the council still have an Education Committee? Who is the convenor? Contact them on Monday for help/advice/complaint.

The thing about going to another school is messing up the 4 Highers that are currently not broken i.e same teacher all year and doing ok. There are 9 weeks left between now and the start of the exam diet - eek! Given 3 of them are holidays (Spring break and Easter) I do wonder if 6 weeks of status quo is the best I can hope for. Big brother helping him at home and me complaining to the Council is probably all I can do. Just can't believe the SQA don think this is exceptional.

I think what the SQA deem "exceptional" is massively exceptional. A school close to me had to evacuate the building one morning because of some sort of chemical leak - children due to sit their Nat 5 that afternoon were bussed elsewhere to sit their exam.

stv.tv/news/west-central/1389057-bearsden-school-evacuated-after-chemical-leak/

That wasn't "exceptional".

k2p - that is just mad!

WaxOnFeckOff - think my anxiety levels were quite high on Friday so didn't manage to say how very kind you were to have written such a supportive message at the top there - thank you xx

Working out what he needs to learn, and then learning it through self study and/or with a tutor - if necessary an online tutor.
I had this problem in 6th form - the teachers in one subject literally didn't bother turning up to the lessons a lot of the time, or turned up half way through the lesson. When they turned up they just dictated from their university notes - no discussion, or feedback on essays (just a tick at the bottom), and completely missed out a big chunk of the syllabus. Turned out they were using the time to carry on an affair the 2 of them were having. So the whole class had to get by with self study.