Teachers of P&B

[peasy23]

Exams now cancelled.

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/93598.html

[Rizzo]

We have no second prelims (only end of topic tests), I wonder how the final grade will be decided.

I'd better not have to sit through a results meeting in August.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

That's school finished now then until after the summer holidays. This is going to be interesting.

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

We have no second prelims (only end of topic tests), I wonder how the final grade will be decided.
I'd better not have to sit through a results meeting in August.

Despite claims of 'rigorous quality assurance' methods, it'll be using the prelim grade as a base and using other class tests/observations to up it, while being as professional and honest as possible. I severely doubt there will be any external verification.

Sharon, 45, from Stirling with still be raging her daughter who bombed her maths prelim with 25% is generously given a grade C off the back of a few 50%+ end of topic tests.

[welshbairn]

When I was doing school exams back in the olden days I did fuckall work until a few weeks before, and on occasion was advised there was no point in sitting them. Did pretty well despite my teachers' expectations. I realise there's no easy or victimless solution, but lazy c***s like me who were capable of cramming will be at a big disadvantage. I absolutely tanked the prelims. 

[peasy23]

When I was doing school exams back in the olden days I did fuckall work until a few weeks before, and on occasion was advised there was no point in sitting them. Did pretty well despite my teachers' expectations. I realise there's no easy or victimless solution, but lazy c***s like me who were capable of cramming will be at a big disadvantage. I absolutely tanked the prelims. 

My pal is a geography teacher, and his experience is that many pupils who tank the prelims realise they have to get the finger out and do much better in the final exams as a result.

[Mark Connolly]

1 hour ago, Am Featha *****h Nan Clach said:

Despite claims of 'rigorous quality assurance' methods, it'll be using the prelim grade as a base and using other class tests/observations to up it, while being as professional and honest as possible. I severely doubt there will be any external verification.

Sharon, 45, from Stirling with still be raging her daughter who bombed her maths prelim with 25% is generously given a grade C off the back of a few 50%+ end of topic tests.

There will also be lots of faux disappointment from pupils who are "gutted there are no exams to study for"

[mathematics]

Tough for the school teacherswho have a shitload of material to creat and make online, tough for the school management who have to create a lot of projected grades, tough for the kids who fannied about at prelims, tough for the unis taking on kids who haven’t been formally tested.

that being said, I think it’s the only decision the SQA could have made.

at least teachers now have a stick to beat kids with over studying for prelims.

[pandarilla]

Disagree. Was in at SQA recently and the plan is still to go ahead.
Whether schools are closed for all other functions is more likely, or there are other strategies they could undertake.

Posts that didn't age well...

It was becoming increasingly clear over the last few days that this was the only real outcome.

Teacher integrity will be crucial now. Hopefully folk don't rip the arse too much, estimating over-inflated grades on flimsy evidence.

We are professionals after all, so hopefully this is conducted without too much controversy.

[Monkey Tennis]

It's worth remembering that overall grades rarely consist solely of exam performance anyway.

Usually, there are components such as folios, assignments and investigations as well, that are often worth something like 30 - 50% of final grades.   Certain subjects like N5 PE, have no exam element at all, while weaker kids taking N4 courses, were never going to sit exams.

Today's decision is of course significant, but getting through it in a satisfactory way is perfectly feasible.  A strong sense of capacity can still be gauged. 

This way won't even necessarily be less fair; it'll simply be different from the norm.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

1 minute ago, pandarilla said:

Posts that didn't age well...

It was becoming increasingly clear over the last few days that this was the only real outcome.

Teacher integrity will be crucial now. Hopefully folk don't rip the arse too much, estimating over-inflated grades on flimsy evidence.

We are professionals after all, so hopefully this is conducted without too much controversy.

Point taken, but as of last Saturday lunchtime that was indeed the plan.

Even with the best will in the world, the state of some of the prelims folk submit and the marking therein makes you wonder.

[pandarilla]

Point taken, but as of last Saturday lunchtime that was indeed the plan.
Even with the best will in the world, the state of some of the prelims folk submit and the marking therein makes you wonder.

There's no way they'll be able to do concrete checks on evidence, though. Like i said, hopefully folk don't take the piss.

The sqa will put something in place to check evidence but it's going to have to be teacher's estimates and whatever assignments /coursework is sent in. There's no other option.

[Monkey Tennis]

6 minutes ago, pandarilla said:

There's no way they'll be able to do concrete checks on evidence, though. Like i said, hopefully folk don't take the piss.

The sqa will put something in place to check evidence but it's going to have to be teacher's estimates and whatever assignments /coursework is sent in. There's no other option.

The existing concordance of schools is likely to come into play as regards the degree of scrutiny.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

8 minutes ago, pandarilla said:

There's no way they'll be able to do concrete checks on evidence, though. Like i said, hopefully folk don't take the piss.

The sqa will put something in place to check evidence but it's going to have to be teacher's estimates and whatever assignments /coursework is sent in. There's no other option.

Yes that's exactly what it'll be.

There's something like 70,000 N5 Maths candidates. Imagine all the subjects and levels involved here. I'd imagine some sampling will take place, perhaps coupled with crunching the numbers relating to the concordance between a centre's historical predictions and final candidate results.

I'm sure we'll hear advice soon.

[peasy23]

I'm sure it will be a strange day in school for a lot of pupils and staff. S4-S6 pupils who suddenly find that their last day at school has arrived a lot sooner than they thought. Likewise, there will be teachers and other staff members who were due to retire or change schools in the summer, who will also be face to face with pupils for the last time today.

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

I assume the schools will try and stick to their normal pass rates as much as possible and maybe try and bump it up a little but not enough to raise too much suspicion. Our glorious government will then celebrate an increase in pass rates that Cfe is a great idea.

Going by preliminary results only wont be used as I'd assume actual historical pass rates in the final exams are better than the prelims as they can serve as a wake up call to try harder (I failed 3 of my 5 prelims in 5th year but passed all 5 in the final exams).

Grade at Nat 5, prelims, coursework, unit tests and teacher input will all be used I expect.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

My nieces in London (both S6) have just texted to say a large group of them are currently on route to buy some beverages to go and get pissed at lunchtime.

So proud.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

I'm going in on Monday to crunch the numbers from previous prelims and final results to do just that.

I assume the schools will try and stick to their normal pass rates as much as possible and maybe try and bump it up a little but not enough to raise too much suspicion. Our glorious government will then celebrate an increase in pass rates that Cfe is a great idea.

Going by preliminary results only wont be used as I'd assume actual historical pass rates in the final exams are better than the prelims as they can serve as a wake up call to try harder (I failed 3 of my 5 prelims in 5th year but passed all 5 in the final exams).

Grade at Nat 5, prelims, coursework, unit tests and teacher input will all be used I expect.

[ICTChris]

Give everyone this year straight A’s and see what happens.

[Ylf]

dundee teachers in work all next week