SQA Arrangements for 2020-2021

[WeAllHaveWings]

www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/94837.html

Details per subject of proposed changes for next years NAT5, HIGHER and AH and survey to complete for feedback

For ds's subjects

English - no talking assessment and only one essay (ds is pleased!)

French - no writing assignment (ds disappointed as he thinks he would be OK at this)

Maths - mostly unchanged

Chemistry /physics - shorter exams

That was my take but agree that it reads a bit odd. Some schools now publishing prelim dates but others being a little more cautious at present.

Remember the "diet of worms"?

Any ideas when the SQA will report back on that consultation exercise?

Presumably after the next election? Heard maybe July next year?

I thought it was yesterday, been searching and nothing so far.

Are we talking about the big education consultation or is this one into the exam shambles? I've sort of lost track. I know the big one was definitely delayed until next year.

It said to be published week beginning 31st August so any day this week.

Swinney is also hosting another parent Q&A on the 10th Sept.

I'm not a regular, sorry I'm not sure how to post links.

www.npfs.org.uk/2020/08/31/parent-qa-dfm-september2020/?fbclid=IwAR3VFZ7tUZPEvIq0TjeXqn_6o-WTfdUqh1oWb5YdzKLWBDGMknMCc74Ow8M

Oh maybe it actually worked!

Thanks for that link examanxiety I bet John Swinney is looking forward to that!

WaxOn am talking about plans for this year’s exams. I’m guessing teachers are keen to hear too!

I guessed I was on the wrong track. Yes I'm sure everyone involved is keen to know what the plan is.

Would be nice to know. Given the way previous "consultation" exercise have gone in the past I expect the changes that were rubbish in my subject area ,and every teacher who responded said that, to be implemented regardless.

Me, a cranky old cynic? Yep.

Did they make/confirm any changes to the course assessments for 2021? I had a look and can't find anything.

A friend who is a teacher and assessor says that normally they go out to the schools in February-ish but they've been told this year to go out in December - with more of a focus on evidence gathering and checking that the curriculum has been covered.

She also commented that her Higher class is much more focussed from the start. She says that 12 have got their heads down and 6 are still mucking around - but that she's told them, if they don't get their act together, then tough. She doesn't have time this year to push them if they're not putting in the effort.

I was meaning the changes they said (in original link) they would publish in week beginning 31st August.

No they have not Wings they have not updated at all
I might be currently teaching something that will be dropped, who knows.

Yes but on the other hand prettybird you have got pupils like my daughter who is now in a perpetual state of anxiety because every piece of work counts. She does not need pushed, she needs someone to tell her she is working well, to the best of her ability and that is all she can do. She had covid in March -April, months of fatigue and this level of pressure is not normal. She is not coping mentally and normally she would.

Not helped by the fact that her AH English class is studying two dystopian novels which would hardly help anyone’s mental health.

That comment is not really aimed at you, more that the feeling of everything counting for assessment can have a negative effect on actually very conscientious students.

Katysun it is always the way - half your class need to be told to pull their fingers out and get working, the other half need to be told exams aren't the be-all and end-all. Teachers are used to handling this. We certainly don't want any of the "it's only a prelim it doesn't count" attitude though that many year groups have - I don't think this year will have that though!

We thank everyone who responded to these consultations. In total, we received a very significant volume of responses - over 23,000 - from learners, parents, carers, teachers, lecturers, and stakeholders - including professional associations.
A full analysis of responses is being progressed with pace. We fully appreciate that teachers and lecturers are seeking clarity now that the new session has started.

Found this from 1st September. Hopefully it will be soon, if they leave it much longer the opportunity to reduce the teaching time/pupil workload will have already been lost.

In English his teacher is (quite rightly as they can't waste time waiting for a decision) currently teaching them HIGHER creative essays and they are spending time writing, marking first drafts etc when his strength is discursive. If they come with the decision they only have one English essay to submit the time has already been lost when he could have be concentrating on his strength.

Yep Wings that's what makes the "workload" aspect of the consultation exercise a joke. When Folio is 30% and the proposal is one piece- with stakes as high as that there's no way I will only doing one genre. So the pupils bust a gut and so will I. This will increase workload if implemented.

@WeAllHaveWings - this is actually what concerns me. My class have been working on discursive, but if they do drop the 2nd essay I feel we may be under pressure from SMT to do a creative with the classes anyway, to maximise pupils' chances, hence negating any time saving ideals.

Thoughts?

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/education/john-swinney-scottish-exams-very-real-risk-disruption-again-next-year-2973886?fbclid=IwAR3kZ6ykvqFT0kTj5oGonRO-4HIW2ZaOEooAEzdnlsG-Lch9h9k3VNiKmDA

They're going to tell us by October if we have changes to make? We've been teaching the courses since May!

I have a sense of foreboding - how many 14 day isolations would a student have to undergo before their education is detrimentally affected? What about teacher absences and their impact on the exam years? I’m impressing on my DS that he needs to be submitting solid homework, revising properly for tests etc... he knows all this already. It’s quite a pressure building though. Every 1st draft of assignments doesn’t feel like a ‘first’ - it feels as if everything he is doing now, could be used to judge his final grade (I know that IS the case but more so if we think the final piece may never see the light of day). It’s a horrible learning environment - like a machine. He’s doing good though and his mental health is fine at the moment. I wish I could say the same about mine!

Apparently John Swinney asked the SQA not to publish the outcome of the consultation until after the Priestly review has been completed. The SQA posted an update yesterday:

www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/95144.html

Thanks for posting that. You'd think as a teacher I would know this from a source other than mumsnet!