SQA 2021-2022 courses

[WeAllHaveWings]

Had an update from ds's school today to tell us:

the SQA have now confirmed that next sessions courses will be subject to the same modifications as were made this session. This means that in all subjects there will be less content to cover and therefore any seeming delayed start or future periods of self-isolation....etc etc..............should not affect our ability to complete courses next session

Has anyone else had the same message, or have a link? I can't find anything on the SQA website.

God Wings your school is good on the communications front (just commented on your post on the Exam Diet thread!)

Not heard anything about this from our school. It’s quite something if it’s going to apply to all the exam courses? (Nat 5, Highers and AHs)

I suppose it’s fair but I know lots of pupils would probably have wanted to know that they were sitting the first lot of ‘proper’ exams in May 2022 - after two years of ‘reduced’ content, or teacher estimated assessments.

But I know that my son was not looking forward to doing AH Maths because he knew that they had skipped some elements of the Higher Maths curriculum and that they would have a huge challenge getting that learnt before even embarking on the AH course. Perhaps this will make it more achievable to cover the AH course (but still challenging enough?)

I’ll be keeping my eyes open for a similar communication from school or the SQA.

I was hoping (maybe in vain) that it would be more normal next year. ds is doing AH maths too, but they have started filling the the gaps in the Higher maths (logs and equation of circles) over the last couple of weeks since the assessments finished.

I had hoped for AH Physics and crash Higher Geography they would have had the chance to do the assignments this year as they never really did any for NAT5 and then had no experience of doing them in Higher either. If they don't do any in S6 either it is just passing the problem into Uni and is going to be a bit of a shock for them!

Probably also means Higher PE is going to be a wash out too with less physical activity. Wonder if he would be better changing Higher PE to something else now as he was looking forward mostly to the physical side it.

I had a good link that showed how all the courses had been amended for the 2021 alternative assessment model but infuriatingly can’t find it! Have tried looking on SQA site but keep going round in circles (I find their site really difficult to navigate!)

Yes, the Universities are going to know that any applicant for entry in 2022, did not do their Nat 5s, had cheatable assessments at Higher and had a reduced curriculum for their Advanced Highers. A really unique cohort.

I was telling my DS that his AH year might be a real shock to the system as it would be ‘back to normal’. Looks like that might not be the case then?

Through no fault of their own obviously.

I remember the document you are talking about, couldn't find it either, but if you look at each course overview there is a document in there explaining the 2020-2021 modifications.

I've been in looking for ds's S6 choices too.

Is it not a bit early to be making a decision like this? There may not be many periods of isolation next year and the courses may run pretty much like normal.

No, it's absolutely not. In a "normal" year my S4 (Nat 5) class would have started the course in May. My S5/6 (Higher) class would have started at the beginning of June as soon as the exam diet had finished.

This year they won't.

My S4 are starting on 14th isolation permitting.

So my N5s are 8 weeks down and my Higher 4.

My N5s would normally have completed Spoken Language and began to use their research to work towards a persuasive folio piece. First draft due in on return from holidays. My Higher would be similar with a later submission date to reflect more teaching time on return in August.

I am starting in August from scratch. Significant isolation in seniors at present and burnt out pupils still trying to mop up assessments means starting new courses would be a disaster.

I know you're right Lidlfix, we have no idea what will happen this coming year, it just makes you pause to think what the next year will bring.

We didn't get any more detail, have you seen what the SQA have said? Is it just a confirmation of the reduced content again so far or have they said how, or if they are reviewing how it, will be assessed next year? Hopefully they will improve the process somehow and avoid the paper sharing or reduce pressure on teachers.

As the parent of a pupil going into S4, I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand it’s good to know that we are planning for the possibility of continued disruption to education but on the other hand what will be the knock on effect for progression to Higher in the 2022/23 session which would hopefully be back to normal.

You do wonder if the courses will ever go back to normal. Is the higher English folio going to stay at one piece? Will they bring back talk? It's always been controversial - maybe they'll just use this as an excuse to scrap it.

The English N4 is pretty much nothing at the moment: without the AVU you could complete the course in a month.

I feel rather lucky that DS3 is aiming for Art School, DH and I are both artists and are plugging gaps in his education at home so i dont feel he'll be massively disadvantaged at the uni stage, apart from maybe socially.
The reduced workload has really benefited him but he may get a fright at the hours you're meant to put in at art college.
I suppose it would be harder if you are going to uni in England and doing a three year course.

@Haudyourwheesht

You do wonder if the courses will ever go back to normal. Is the higher English folio going to stay at one piece? Will they bring back talk? It's always been controversial - maybe they'll just use this as an excuse to scrap it.

The English N4 is pretty much nothing at the moment: without the AVU you could complete the course in a month.

In NAT5 2020 ds did both and really struggled with the creative essay and was much more comfortable with the persuasive essay as it was more factual and less flowery. Don't think they ever got their marks back from their folios.

This year his English teacher choose creative for the whole class as their single folio piece which he was very unhappy with but because there was so much riding on one piece this year he had to get into it and did well - he probably spent 15+ hours writing then finessing it - and did learn a lot from the exercise and working with the MS-Word thesaurus probably helped him in the RUAE.

I don't think it should stay as one piece as, for students wanting to progress with English, it is two different skills. The big problem is it really can't be done in school as it takes too much time but too many pupils get to much outside support/tutors to "help" them with the essays.

Most English teachers I know knocked their pans in to teach broadly discursive and creative to enable pupils to play to their strengths. In my department we only got them to redraft the strongest as there was no point In redrafting both. We found the pupils benefited by not having their stronger piece pulled down by the weaker and being able to really focus their redrafting. We will struggle to do that this year as we won't start until August .

@Lidlfix We were just saying that today - doubling the mark of the better essay has definitely worked in the students' favour more than adding up the grades of the two pieces.

Sorry @Lidlfix I was talking more generally that ds benefited from doing the essay he wouldn't have choosen, and doing two pieces once /if we get back to normal, not next year.

We haven’t heard anything, my boy starts s4 on Monday. As @Lidlfix says that’s several weeks later than they normally move up a year

Dd is going into s4 but they aren't starting their new timetable until August as our council are moving from the 5 day school week to 4.5 days with a 12.30 Friday finish.

Sent email to sqa and this is their reply:

SQA graded National Courses in session 2021-22

SQA is aware of the continued impact of disruption to learning due to COVID-19. Our qualifications teams are looking at modifications to the assessment requirements of each National Course for next session. In most cases, the existing modifications for 2020-21 will be carried forward to next session.

For some subjects, there will be minor changes and clarifications based on feedback, and to support opportunities for learners to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge. This also takes account of any changes to public health guidance. Fairness to learners is central to our thinking.

The details for each course are being finalised and we hope to publish the modifications before the end of the current session.

Thanks WeAllHaveWings - I hope they keep to their word and confirm the details before the ‘end of the current session’.

National Qualifications and Higher National and Vocational Qualifications in session 2021-22

Announcement from SQA today. Haven't read in detail yet as WFH but looks like it has details for each subject.

For ds's S6 subjects.

AH Physics - No project, same as last year. Exam no changes same as last year.
AH Maths - Gives a list of topics that won't be assessed instead of schools picking Option A or B
H Geography - The 2021 modifications removed so physical features in river, glaciated and coastal landscapes must be covered. No assignment, same as in 2021.
H PE - Modifications for session 2021-22 will remain the same as session 2020-21.

He'll be disappointed Geography has the full content again for the assessment/exam 🤣

SQA Exam Timetable 2022 has been published

Yes our school sent it yesterday. So DS will have his Nat 5s last 2 weeks of May. Is that normal timing?

Slightly later @rookiemere
Usually start very end April and spread throughout May