SQA?

[snowcoveredcampsies]

Any other teachers pretty furious at the SQA about now?

Maybe just me! 🙈

Have there been further changes snow? Not a teacher but have a DC in S5 this year.

Last time I dared say anything about SQA an SQA employee came on here and was really unpleasant. So not just you but really not up for a roasting. The magnitude of what we are expected to do, the pressure the pupils are under, the time frame, the Friday evening shitbombs...

Me...they are a shambles.

I have a S4 and S5 DD this year and truly feel for them, what they are going back to after Easter. They have both said that they feel some teachers will mark them down and they won’t get the grades they feel they deserve either.

No, no further changes really just the ever increasing magnitude of what they expect us to do. I actually am so angry about it now. There have been a few updates about it today that make our job even harder - technical things. I'm actually verging on upset.

Not a fucking clue.

@Lidlfix that's awful. I'd be amazed if any employee of the sqa with any idea about how things operate in schools would have the brass neck!

@sweetkitty

I have a S4 and S5 DD this year and truly feel for them, what they are going back to after Easter. They have both said that they feel some teachers will mark them down and they won’t get the grades they feel they deserve either.

That can't really happen. All marking will be moderated and there is a free appeals process if you feel it should.

I never understand this feeling that people have about teachers marking pupils down. Not only is it completely immoral but we're judged on our results. It's counter productive.

@snowcoveredcampsies thanks it’s just how they feel right now especially DD1 after what happened last year, she’s very anxious right now about going back, not helped after today when her maths teacher said they will only get one test a day!

It's so stressful. I keep having nightmares about it all. It's going to be an AWFUL term.

I feel the same. It is utterly overwhelming. Schools and teachers are being asked to triple their workload yet again- with virtually no support or understanding from SQA. It’s absolutely maddening, upsetting and stressful. I feel like I need to be in survival mode to cope with ‘blended learning’ logistics , and yet I’m cinstsntjy being asked to read and process new documents etc I feel so sorry for the kids caught up in all of this- although to be clear to any worried parents, we have to provide ‘demonstrated attainment’ to give an estimated grade - so teachers don’t ‘decide’ - how your child does in the May school assessments will determine their grade.

@mummywithtwokidsplusdog yes I would say that just about sums it up. It's scandalous.

I have a DC in S5 and am worried about the assessments. They seem to be exams in all but name. If the young people miss the assessments because they are isolating due to covid will they be able to take the assessments at another time? My DC didn't do that well in the prelims and there are two subjects I am worried about. If the DC isn't able to sit the assessments in those subjects how is the grade calculated?

The schools now have until June to submit estimates- hence May exams. I think asking your child’s school what their policy will be if a pupil misses a May exam is probably the best idea. The SQA have been very clear that estimates must be made using ‘demonstrated attainment’ so teachers cannot say ‘oh she is capable of an A’ and award that grade. There must be written evidence.

They are exams in all but name. I would be very surprised if they didn't make provision for your dc to sit it again.

Coronavirus will still spread and these kids are unvaccinated. Groups will have to self isolate and so on. Many children will miss their assessments.

The SQA have just washed their hands of it.

Yes, it seems terrible to me that there was such a fuss about the exams being cancelled when the new assessments are really exams in all but name.

Provision will be made, I know my school is factoring it in to our calendar. We expect that there will be candidates isolating . Would be complicated if we had The quantities like we did before Xmas but hopefully the lower community transmission stays where it is. We'd be more impacted if teachers are sick or isolating, majority not vaccinated.

I would be very surprised if schools don't have back up assessments in their calender. We're getting three of each component of the course across the year. David Swinney reassured us in an SQA webinar we could 'cherry pick' best evidence for candidates to arrive at a grade.

The whole thing is very stressful and I worry about how we are going to get through it all. In my subject, we have the maximum number of assessment pieces to set, mark and moderate. We already have one member of staff off long-term sick and one teetering. I just can't see how all that work can be done whilst we are teaching full time too.
The majority of our seniors have engaged really well through this and I'm not worried about us being able to evidence their ability. The school has a very strict timeline if assessment designed to ensure that pupils are not being over-assessed in any given day/week. That is the right thing to do for the pupils and I'm pleased about it, but the knock-on effect is the timing for teachers. Time isn't elastic and we are already feeling worn out. I'm hoping to be able to re-charge a bit during Easter to feel more up for the challenge.
The payment situation seems ridiculous too. It's bad enough that last year we did all that work for little more than a thanks (plus the stupid algorithm that told many teachers they were "wrong"). The proposed payment this year will work out about £2 an hour pre-tax in my subject and that's before we consider taking on the workload for absent colleagues. Please don't think I feel payment is more important than pupil grades. I don't. I'm desperate for my pupils to get the grades they deserve. I just think there should be fair remuneration for the work teachers have to do to achieve that. It's way less than a marker would usually earn from SQA for a lot more work.

I'm sorry it is so much extra work for you Neeko. I think it is appalling the way the workload of marking assessments has been dumped on teachers. It is great that at your school there is a variety of assessments that can be used. My DS in S5 has been told that in some subjects they are intending to have one major assessment only, so it is very much an exam format. The DC and parents have not been told what any back up measures would be if a pupil has to isolate.

Thanks @applesandpears33. It sounds daft but it is helpful to know that some parents understand what a big ask this is.

I believe each school will have contingency plans in place. I know that SQA is currently conducting a survey on what the appeals process should look like, so schools will need to be clear in how they have gathered evidence and that their evidence is robust. It's maybe just a little soon for schools to have communicated all these details with pupils and parents as there will be a lot of work going on in the background to ensure that processes are clear.
It's an anxious time for everyone but most of all for the pupils.

Are most schools running 'exams' in May? We have only just been informed that this is the case for our child's school. I was aware that class tests and assessments would be done but this is a full exam diet over 4 weeks with study leave. I'm quite surprised they are going to be so formally tested on lockdown learning. They are currently so disadvantages.

If this is the case amongst schools is there any indication how much weight these exams hold in terms of their final grade?

No word from our school at all. Still totally in the dark......

Yes- I think most schools will have an exam diet in May- most subjects desperately need ‘demonstrated attainment’ evidence for SQA. In my subject the evidence has to cover a minimum of 70% of the course- so will include topics covered online during lock down. It will be our main piece of evidence- smaller class tests done pre Easter may be used as additional evidence if back up their may result. It is awful for the pupils- and the teachers.

In the higher subject I'm worried about my DC hasn't done any class tests since a disastrous prelim in November. In contrast with other subjects, that one seems to have very little evidence to base any grade on if a child has to miss the assessment in May. It is quite a worry. Other subject teachers have been more organised and have had timed assessments during lockdown.

It is awful for all the students and teachers. I'm just surprised they are holding exams to base a grade on. This time last year those decisions were basically made from this point.