SQA prelims

[thatsnotmywean]

Starting a prelim support thread as I know they will be from November - January depending on the school. At DDs school, most Higher prelims will be in December whilst English will be in January. Bit worried about her Chemistry prelim as that's the one she's struggling most with. However, prelims always seem to be harder than the final one.

Our school is trying something new for prelims this year, up until now they have done all Prelims in January, but this year the Nat 5 prelims are in December and the Highers/Advanced Highers are in January.

I have one boy in S4 who is not particularly concerned about looming exams.

You sort of wonder what the point of them is though when SQA pay no attention to them when it comes to appeals. Good to give them something to work towards I suppose.

Yes, my DS is struggling to see the point in the prelims now that they can't be used unless there are exceptional circumstances eg illness or bereavement on the day of the exam. He did mess up the timing in his history prelim last year and ran out of time to answer all the questions, so I've been stressing to him that the prelims are good exam practice even if they are unlikely to count for anything.

Yes I don't think my DD is that bothered but then again she didn't study as hard for her prelims last year and got a bit of a fright and bucked up in time for the finals, so there is that benefit of doing prelims. At least they will be over and done with (mostly) before Christmas as kids never really study over the break.

SQA don’t write/mark prelims, they are actually set by the schools so the quality of them are the school’s responsibility.

DD is stressing me out with her Higher Chemistry which she finds difficult.

She has a tutor who is very good but that's only 1 hour per week (we've asked for more than one hour per week but not possible as tutor has job/family/other tutees).

DD has also been going to supported study and has the study guides I got her off Amazon. DD says the study guides 'won't help' but won't even look at them.

DD is a smart girl, getting As for her other Highers so far in tests etc but Chemistry is difficult. I'm at a loss as to what more I can do to help her.

Anyone got any tips?

Higher prelims in DDs school will be first 2 weeks in December but DH and I are out of the country then. Hopefully the DGPs will enforce studying! English prelim is apparently in January (not sure why but hey ho). DD still panicking about Chemistry.

thatsnotmywean I’m in the same boat with my DD finding Higher Chemistry a bit of a struggle. Had glowing reports from her 4 other subjects at parents evening but the chemistry teacher sounded like she was talking about another child. We haven’t got a tutor unfortunately and have no idea how to get one - the local school that features highly in the ‘best’ state schools in Scotland seems to hoover up the best ones I think.

Our Prelims are after Christmas so they’ll be revising over the holidays. And of course all the course work assignments are back this year. Joy!

That's kind of reassuring, in a way, that DD isn't the only one.
We got her tutor through the First Tutors website (I searched by subject, level, stretched the distance to 25miles and checked that they're an actual teacher).
We also use YouTube (Miss Adams Chemistry) and I ordered DD some books but she won't read those.
Hope that helps. We have parents night in about 2 weeks and I'm not looking forward to what the Chemistry teacher says.

This is our first year with both doing exams. Advanced Highers for eldest and N5s for youngest.

Both are very chill for prelims, now that there is no point to them other than exam practice.

Got the timetable today. Two exams first week in December, couple of in class assessments Date TBC, and some exams in January.
DD raging there is no study leave like for N5.

Fairly happy with timetable. Each prelim is on a separate day which is helpful.

My kid’s start on 27 November for Higher - so early - and run until Dec 8th

Ours start on Monday and DS has 6 in 3 days.

trying to keep him focussed.

Ouch! That's tough going.

Ha, DS S5 thought he could come home after his prelim today - I phoned school office to be told that he has to stay for the rest of the school day. Chancer!

Why is this not widely publicised that you don't just leave school after your prelim? DS almost convinced me that's what happens. I had to double check as I don't remember when I sat my Higher prelims years ago.

Dd had H chemistry today. Has some Wednesday and Friday then two next week.

Her BF has had his H geography prelim cancelled as they've had no geography teacher for 6 weeks and no indication as to when they will get one. Which I think is outrageous but I'm not his mum so it's them who should complain.

It's different from school to school. Some schools have study leave, some have none, and some have something in between.

We don’t seem to get any parents nights / reports from school, even though we’ve asked repeatedly. My child is getting down and stressed by his highers, refuses to talk about it and teachers refuse to respond when I ask for contact. I’m thinking of taking a day off work and doing a sit in in the school reception. Prelims after Christmas here.

Badlydrawnmum we’ve had a face-to-face parents evening in October. Our Prelims are in January. I know some schools wait for a parents evening till after the Prelims - perhaps it will happen then? Has your child had any class tests and reported back to you how they did? My child has had test RUAE papers and tests in her other subjects. Does your school do supported study sessions after school/during lunch?

There’s no getting round the pressure unfortunately - I dislike the fact that there are exams 2 years in a row - 3 if you go on to Advanced Highers. It feels quite relentless. Is your child maybe being a bit circumspect because they’re feeling overwhelmed? If you can see they’re feeling down I’d try and get an appointment with the depute for their year group - or their pastoral care teacher who can maybe do a quick discreet ask around of their subject teachers to see if there’s anything to be concerned about. You might get a quicker response if you go the Pastoral care route.

It was the pastoral care teacher who told me she’d ask, but this was weeks ago and radio silence. It’s doesn’t really surprise me. I have found schools have been unwilling to provide any meaningful data on kids progression since P1. It’s deeply frustrating though.

In that case, I’d escalate and just send a follow-up email but cc in the Head of Year or even the Headteacher. Just communicate that you are keen to have a face-to-face before the Christmas holidays so you can support your child. If you don’t get a reply in a couple of days, follow up with a telephone call and don’t get fobbed off. Good luck!

Thanks for the tips!

English and RMPS today for DD