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Original poster

sqa exams 2023

811 replies

NicolaSturGONE · 05/03/2023 15:50

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.

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mummywithtwokidsplusdog · 26/05/2023 10:28

Last exam today…. dc has had a two week wait since last one which I think is the cause of their wobble yesterday…. And the fact last exam (graphics) didn’t go as well as hoped…. I will be so so glad when this is over. Really feel for those still going next week…. What a marathon!

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 26/05/2023 13:41

Art N5 was 'fine'. Which tells me fuck all.

Is it 'fine' veering towards the 'bloody brilliant' end of the spectrum or 'fine' veering towards the 'fucking awful' end of the spectrum.

Weans eh?

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TalkedTooMuchStayedTooLong · 26/05/2023 15:30

Freedom! All done in this house... DD said Nat5 Art "went well" so I'll take that as a win... it has felt like a long haul...

Survey99 · 26/05/2023 17:30

NicolaSturGONE · 26/05/2023 06:38

DD's English dept are telling them they need to start picking a topic for Higher English now. DD says its too early. I don't really understand it all to be honest, what topic, what are they to do? Any English teachers who know?

When ds did Higher English, in his school they had to have their first draft in before the summer holidays and were advised to have a second draft ready for coming back. tbf it is good to get a good start on the folio as there is a lot to cover in English - Higher prelims (before Christmas in our school) come around very quickly.

June was very much full steam ahead again as soon as most of the exams were done.

FuckingHateRats · 26/05/2023 18:54

English teacher here.

23/24 session will still be one folio piece. RAGE.

We teach both pieces and they write first drafts of both, then we discuss with the kids which has more potential. They take that forward and redraft for submission. This could be the topic for their discursive piece. We are thinking about ours, but won't ask them to write until after August.

They need to bring back two folio pieces. One piece skews the results and unfairly disadvantages strong writers.

And don't get me started on the Talk element being back 😭😭

Survey99 · 26/05/2023 22:39

Very different to ds's school. ds wanted to do persuasive as he found that easier in NAT5, but was told he had to do creative as that was all the class would be taught. Thankfully it worked out ok and he got a good mark.

FuckingHateRats · 26/05/2023 23:09

My Higher class and my Adv H were pretty much split this year - half ended up submitting their discursive, half their creative. We think it limits them to only try one genre.

Some of the folio topics are brilliant. It's such a privilege to see what kids are passionate about.

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 27/05/2023 07:08

DD has an English tutor so hopefully the tutor will help her. English is the subject she feels least confident with but which she needs for pretty much any degree. We are actually on holiday in June (stupid DH who has own job decided to commit himself to work for every bloody week during actual school holidays). So a bit worried about what DD might miss while she's away.

She's also raging that all her friends picked Highers that have school trips abroad and hers don't. Aw what a shame. And that she's not getting the teachers she wanted. Again, such a shame, may be she should try listening to her mother when she tries to caution her on reasons for picking certain subjects!

@FuckingHateRats what does the talking part involve?

One more exam to go....

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Shelefttheweb · 27/05/2023 09:09

Highers that have school trips abroad

They have to go on trips abroad to do those Highers? Or do you mean there are activity trips abroad loosely affiliated with those Highers? Our school does the latter but anyone in the appropriate year groups can go not just those studying the subject. If the former I would be very unhappy if I couldn’t afford it.

Shelefttheweb · 27/05/2023 09:17

Survey99 · 26/05/2023 17:30

When ds did Higher English, in his school they had to have their first draft in before the summer holidays and were advised to have a second draft ready for coming back. tbf it is good to get a good start on the folio as there is a lot to cover in English - Higher prelims (before Christmas in our school) come around very quickly.

June was very much full steam ahead again as soon as most of the exams were done.

Show quote history

I’ve heard others doing theirs before the summer too. Which suggests that there isn’t considered any need to actually teach them anything for this element of the course; it is based purely on what they have learnt in Nat 5 just screening out those who did badly in Nat 5?

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 27/05/2023 09:43

I'm not sure if they 'have' to go as part of their higher or if its just a generic opportunity to go on a trip. French students are going to France, Spanish students are going to Spain (all understandable I think). Geography students I think she said were going to Giants Causeway or somewhere with similar rock formations, Physics students can apply to the space school in USA, and Art students are going to Florence. DD did not want to do any of these Highers.

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RollOnJune23 · 27/05/2023 12:58

It won't be compulsory

Banshee9 · 28/05/2023 12:13

NicolaSturGONE · 27/05/2023 09:43

I'm not sure if they 'have' to go as part of their higher or if its just a generic opportunity to go on a trip. French students are going to France, Spanish students are going to Spain (all understandable I think). Geography students I think she said were going to Giants Causeway or somewhere with similar rock formations, Physics students can apply to the space school in USA, and Art students are going to Florence. DD did not want to do any of these Highers.

Wow! I don't believe our school does anything like this. Mind you Covid scuppered so much that I'm not sure what was normal before.

Do you mind me asking...Is that a private school?

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 28/05/2023 12:55

State school in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland actually

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Survey99 · 28/05/2023 13:41

ds did a belguim/french trip in S4 (war graves/trenches and then euro disney), the school also did a spain trip that year (football) which because he had signed up to the french trip he couldn't go on. Not sure what other trips they had on.

Also a low ranking state school in deprived area (East Ayrshire)

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 30/05/2023 06:56

Design & Manufacture today and then DD is done until the next prelims!

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user143777534 · 30/05/2023 22:10

NicolaSturGONE · 30/05/2023 06:56

Design & Manufacture today and then DD is done until the next prelims!

How did she get on?

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 30/05/2023 22:29

Thanks for asking. I just got the standard 'fine', which as I said above could mean either 'shit' or 'great'.

But exams are all over now! She's pissed off that she barely gets any non-study time before its back to school proper!

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GottoHandit · 31/05/2023 08:23

Well done to all our offspring. See you all back here for the results day 😊I’m sure the 3 months will fly!

mummywithtwokidsplusdog · 31/05/2023 10:12

Hope everyone has a good summer :)

Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 29/06/2023 07:29

Did people see in the news about exam papers being destroyed in a fire? I think they said it was in Stornoway and Modern Studies papers. They've got contingency plans, no sure what these will be, but the poor kids.

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Original poster
NicolaSturGONE · 09/07/2023 22:09

Less than a month til results. How are everyone's kids feeling? DD is getting increasingly nervous.

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dementedpixie · 09/07/2023 22:31

Ds hasn't said much but we were just away for 2 weeks abroad so he had other things to think about

Threeboysadogandacat · 09/07/2023 23:50

Ds doesn’t seem too worried. He’s fairly sure he’s passed them all but would like 5 A’s and a B. I have my fingers crossed but I’m not holding my breath on this one.

FuckingHateRats · 10/07/2023 12:49

He's totally unphased. In fact I think he may genuinely have forgotten that he'll get a set of results 🤣

Really enjoyed the beginnings of the Higher courses though.

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