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Secondary education

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Original poster

National 5 Exams Start Tommorow anyone on Board?

40 replies

deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 07:12

As the first of the New National 5 exams starts tomorrow- anyone feeling nervous for their kids? DS seems relaxed and calm, but I am nervous- trying not to show it. The new CfE does not fill me with confidence and these exams are an unknown quantity. Good luck with any exams starting this week.

OP posts:
Megrim · 29/04/2014 12:58

DS starts tomorrow (English). He is remarkably calm about it too - although they have done a lot of practising, and he has been busy working through past papers. Plus he has already done some written reports for most subjects which will count towards the final mark, and the PE Nat 5 was done and dusted with a practical and a portfolio before Easter.

Will see how nervous he is tomorrow morning ...

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 13:14

Same here Megrin, It's English Nat 5 for everyone in Scotland tomorrow. Does he have many more to sit? Does he get study leave? My son is off for the whole month, apart from exams. Good luck to your DS and all those starting exams tomorrow.

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seb1 · 29/04/2014 13:25

Not yet DD1 is only in S2 found this Article a bit worrying though.

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 13:35

I have read similar. I have been worrind abotthis new curriculum for the past 4 years. Highers are still yet to come. I have a DD in S2 also, but hopefully in another 2 years the teething problems will have been fixed. It has been a shambles.

OP posts:
seb1 · 29/04/2014 13:37

Was talking to my BIL yesterday who is a teacher and he was saying it is not great being a teacher dealing with this.

seb1 · 29/04/2014 13:40

The last shake up from O grades to standard grades was phased I believe not the wham, bang way they are doing now.

Roseformeplease · 29/04/2014 13:40

Being a teacher over the past year has been really, really hard. I have pupils sitting English tomorrow (N5) and Higher this week. The whole thing has been a bit of a shambles but, I suspect, pupils will come out of it OK because teachers have worked their arses off, in spite of poor communication and little help from on high.

Now we have new Highers with, in English, new elements. Will they be any more on the ball this time?

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 13:58

Rose I have nothing but admiration for the teachers is this whole scenario. They have had the whole elephant dumped on them big time, by the Scottish Executive and the SQA, who have failed at so many levels. Content of the new syllabus has been late, the SQA dithering, teachers having to develop new course materials at very short notice.

I am very glad that we have had teachers like you and many others who have worked their butts of to deliver. I know many parents feel the same- it's the teaching staff who have been landed in it, but because of their dedication and hard hopefully the day will be saved.

It doesn't inspire me with confidence about the new Highers however, I am concerned that so much of this year has been spent delivering "just in time" that the powers haven't yet looked beyond the ends of their noses.

A huge thanks to you and all the teaching staff who have done a brilliant job of rescuing this situation- from all of us parents. We really do appreciate it. XX

Good luck to all students.

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seb1 · 29/04/2014 14:01

BBC have done quite a easy to understand article, not something that has been easy to find for the new exams.

Roseformeplease · 29/04/2014 15:29

Thanks deep. I am usually pretty tough but I have found this year a really difficult one. I think (speaking only for English) they seem a bit more on the ball with the Higher and, at least, we are building on a known course (the old Higher) and onto the N5 course which we now understand. Again, I think the first year through will be rough but, hopefully, not as rough as this year.

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 15:33

Does the SQA have the power to adjust the pass mark?

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Roseformeplease · 29/04/2014 18:55

Yes, it changes year on year. I haven't paid much attention to Int 2/SG but Higher English wanders around between about 46 and 50%

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 19:01

So is the pass mark set after the exam? Can't believe DS is so calm- but I was too sitting exams at school.

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Roseformeplease · 29/04/2014 19:54

Yes, they make a decision at Senior Examiner level once they see how pupils have coped with questions so they can adjust where, for example, most pupils have misunderstood a question or found the paper very straightforward.

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 20:02

That's good to know.

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S4Worries · 29/04/2014 21:03

seb1 the BBC article was inaccurate when it said the numbers of subjects taken had been decided after consultation with parents- we were presented with a fait accompli.

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 29/04/2014 21:12

That is done on a school by school basis. It varies within our region.

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S4Worries · 29/04/2014 21:16

Yes deep; it's no way to run a national system of assessment.

fourfoxhake · 29/04/2014 21:25

Another English teacher shattered from managing very anxious pupils and parents, still responding to Edmodo enquiries at the moment! Topped off with being a first time Higher candidate mammy of a DD with alternative assessment arrangements in place.

This Thursday I will have wine on a school night. You doing any SQA marking Roseforme?

Roseformeplease · 29/04/2014 21:46

Higher Close Reading. Hate ever minute but want to keep at it (5 years in) so I am used next year for the new Higher and know what I am doing! Tempted to go outside and burn any MacCaig poetry in a sacrificial bonfire after tomorrow, but will end up teaching it again, and again, and again......

fourfoxhake · 29/04/2014 22:01

Switching to Nat 5 reading from Int 2 - Higher is just too much like hard work for me. Much as "Cone Gatherers" slap in the face with symbolism does my head in, having supported tutees with it, I did think the questions were much easier than the MacCaig ones so jumping ship to prose next year.

fourfoxhake · 29/04/2014 22:05

Switching to Nat 5 reading from Int 2 - Higher is just too much like hard work for me. Much as "Cone Gatherers" slap in the face with symbolism does my head in, having supported tutees with it, I did think the questions were much easier than the MacCaig ones so jumping ship to prose next year.

Megrim · 30/04/2014 10:49

Must say I've been pretty impressed with how our teachers have coped too, and I think that's part of the reason why DS is so calm - he feels reasonably well prepared.

Original poster
deepinthewoods · 30/04/2014 10:51

Nearly set? DS has just had a shower and putting on uniform, wants to get to school early to meet with some friends and have a cuppa and a sandwich before the exam. Good luck!!

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S4Worries · 30/04/2014 11:23

Good luck to them all!