sqa exams 2023

[NicolaSturGONE]

So only about 2 months til the final exams so starting a thread to discuss revision, exams etc.

Have any schools released details of easter revision classes yet? I've heard nothing from our school and don't know if they are doing any. If they aren't, I might look at what else is on offer over easter.

Level 5 is equivalent to a C grade at N5 in the scqf but it’s just assessed via coursework, no exam

Yep. My DS is sitting 8 N5s this year. DD could have potentially chosen to do 10 when she goes into S3 next year. She was swithering about the N5 RMPS but I think 8 is plenty and she thankfully agreed.

My daughter has just chosen her Highers and has chosen Sociology and Philosophy. I had a look for 'How to Pass' books and also some past papers so she can have a look before starting the course in June but there doesn't seem to be anything available. Is that because these courses are very new? Or can anyone direct me to where I should be looking? Thanks

Ds sat 8 N5’s last year (7 plus apps of maths). It was the first year they they had done 7 and I believe this year they have gone back to 6.

https://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm?subject=Sociology&level=NH

My DS is at a school whose timetable only allows for six Nat 5s but they are flexible about allowing you to take highers/advanced highers early if they can timetable it. They also allowed the most able to take the two maths in the same timetabled five periods at Nat 5. He's ended up with only five Nat 5s but 6 highers and one advanced higher taken S4-5.

https://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm?subject=Philosophy&level=NH
@Bluepeach
They aren't new subjects, Philosophy has been a higher for maybe 20 years. But the numbers taking (and the fact it's in Scotland) mean there's not likely to be a market for a study guide. Plenty of general study guides for individual philosophers, once you know what units she's doing.

Thanks for sharing - that is good to know.

Good luck to all the kids doing chemistry today

ds is doing 7 Nat5s but when dd was doing them in 2020 at the same school (or not really doing them because of lockdown) they only did 6. Neither dp nor I went through school and exams in Scotland (and dp only a few years in the UK but not exam years) so we had no idea how it all works, we kind of figured it out while dd was going through.
Chemistry today and then a long gap till the computer science exam.

N5 Chemistry here too. DD failed the prelim but has been working hard to improve so fingers crossed. Will try to find out after the exam how she gets on.

Mine went from an A1 at N5 to 52% in his higher prelim 😭 the tutor seems to have really helped and his target grade was a B, I’m quietly hopeful he might even get an A, no guarantees obv - good luck to them all

Advanced higher chem when ok today.

My DS had a scare last night when he picked a really hard past paper to practise which he didn't do great on; however the grade boundary for a B was 48% so it must have been a very hard one.

How did others find it?

DS just back from advanced higher chemistry... he has found the course really hard ( and wished he'd taken my advice to take another crash Higher instead) and says he's no clue how the exam went... luckily he's already accepted an unconditional offer for Uni so it doesn't matter...

DD will be in her Chemistry exam now. My nerves are probably worse than hers. We got her a Chemistry tutor via Zoom after she failed the prelim, but the tutor has been hit and miss. Keeps cancelling, including a before exam revision session this morning. I know there's only so many past papers one can do but a good tutor would find other ways to tutor and be more honest with their excuses. This one is constantly sick with something. So I really hope DD still does okay.

mine said it was fine but there was a power cut and they had to move rooms!

That’s a shame, our tutor was our first experience with tutoring and he’s been fab.

My son has come out feeling pretty happy. Said there were a couple of tricky bits but overall, it was good. AH Chemistry too.

arrrgh I texted to ask 'how was it' and she has replied 'tell you later'. She's off to her BFs so how much effing later do I find out. Doesn't sound too good....

DS seemed to think the paper was pretty straightforward so fingers crossed your DD did too.

Just got some more info from her. She says it was 'okay'. When pushed she said she's 'definitely passed' but not sure if enough for a B. I'll be glad with just a pass to be honest. She is not taking it for Higher.

"Not great, not terrible" according to ds.

Ds sat the Chemistry Higher this morning and didn’t feel he did particularly well. He doesn’t actually seem too bothered by it and is just glad to be finished with it. Four down two to go. Physics next week and Computer Science the following week. I will be glad when they are finished.

Chemistry went ‘really well’ according to mine - it will be fascinating to see how all these ‘OKs’, ‘really wells’, ‘alrights’ and ‘quite hards’ translate into their final grades. There might not be any correlation - we’ll see. Mine does 7 and has one left to do on May 26th - 45 min Art exam - that’s a whole two weeks away!! She won’t know what to do with herself but sleeping a lot will no doubt play a big part. Good luck to all those who have got a few more to get through.

Ds said it was easier than some of the past papers he has done with only a couple of questions he may have got fewer marks.
Physics and computing left now