View Full Version : WHS Higher Results
I have been speaking to several young people who attend Wick High School who have been very disappointed with some of their Higher results. They seem to pertain to Higher English and Media.
I would be interested in pupils/parents views of how they felt their highers went and the quality of teaching they received - good and bad and anything we as councillors could be doing to put pressure on WHS to improve the educational attainment.
dragonfly
11-Aug-09, 21:07
sorry its THS not WHS but my daughter felt she hadn't done well in her English higher but she got a B for it so was delighted
I have been speaking to several young people who attend Wick High School who have been very disappointed with some of their Higher results. They seem to pertain to Higher English and Media.
I would be interested in pupils/parents views of how they felt their highers went and the quality of teaching they received - good and bad and anything we as councillors could be doing to put pressure on WHS to improve the educational attainment.
Some pupils will do well, some will not. It's just the way of things - some people just can't be taught, and I think crusading against the teachers will not help. I'm not saying that is what you are doing, but I think it could easily be mistaken as such. Anyway, I thought results were generally up across the Highlands?
I don't see a problem with the teaching in English. In my opinion, the problem with this subject for many is the fact that the books that are required to be read are very old and not exactly the most interesting books to read (for a teenager anyway). I think if the school brought some more up-to-date books into the school which are part of the syllabus, this may help pupils achieve more respectable grades. I also think that English is more of a memory game than anything else. There are limits to how much the teacher can actually teach. In any higher class, it is down to the pupil's dedication to the subject in class and at home which affects their overall result. I failed my English last year. Not because of the poor teaching as my teacher was very good. It was because I did not remember my play very well, basically because I was not interested in what I was reading about. It is often very difficult to understand the certain ways the SQA expect pupils to answer questions too. This year, I managed to get a C in my Higher English but again, I was not interested in the book so depended on notes which I read on the internet to develop my understanding of the texts. It worked but not as well as I'd hoped.
Media Studies is a subject which should never have been taught in the school in the first place. I have no idea why but pupils never seem to do well in this subject. A pupil this year who I know, who is also very intelligent only achieved grade D (not a pass) in Media Studies. A pupil last year who enjoyed Media Studies and though she did well enough that she wanted to do Advanced Higher this year ended up having to change subjects because she unexpectedly achieved poor results in her exam. They should have stopped this subject after the first year of teaching it if they noticed pupils were achieving such poor grades. The teachers who teach Media Studies have a lot of work on their hands as they are also English teachers. If they want to offer a subject in the school, they should have dedicated teachers allocated to that subject alone and not a mixture of the two. It seems to take many pupils two years until they pass English. I personally believe that standard grades should be taught over one year and Highers over two years. Or to enable pupils to achieve more grades. In 3rd year, offer them standard grade course, in 4th year, offer Intermediate 2 & Higher courses as well as in 5th and 6th year so that pupils have 3 years to achieve their Highers allowing them more time to dedicate to fewer subjects at a time.
Out of my two years doing Highers at Wick High School, only this year did I manage to sit an exam that I felt comfortable with and achieve a grade A. That was Psychology and it was taught at the college. Maybe it is down to the quality of the teaching? I achieved a grade C in music last year (being taught in class) but managed to resit this year and get a grade B in music (the majority of which I learned without any help from the teacher) That was surprising. I think it does show something about the teaching but I also think it's the quality of the resources, etc that are available. Overall though, I was pleased with my results this year at WHS.
Well the rector seemed very pleased with the improvement in results this year.
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/7022/North_pupils_gain_well-deserved_awards.html
There are always going to be those who think they should have had better results. You are giving the impression that the teachers are to blame for some pupils not gaining the qualifications they thought they might achieve. The school made an all out effort this year with extra tuition given by the majority of teachers after school and the easter school which was very well attended.
Considering the amount of cuts that are being made in the education system and the condition of the school, I'd say councillors' time would be better spent putting pressure on HRC rather than the school. Remind me, how many teachers is it again the school has lost this year?
David Banks
12-Aug-09, 00:11
I think you should start a new string topic, because you have WHS in the title of this one !
It may be interesting to state some survey statistics when Highland Youth Voice conducted a survey last year on certain aspects of the school.
Pupils rated the quality of teaching in WHS at 6.7 / 10 on average.
Teachers rated their quality of teaching at 7.5 / 10 on average.
It was very surprising though to read that some teachers rated their quality of teaching at only 5 out of 10 in some cases. From the results it is evident that the quality of teaching is generally good in the views of pupils and teachers; however, there is room for improvement.
On the other hand, pupils' attitude to work was also rated.
Pupils rated their attitude to work at 5.5 out of 10 on average and teachers rated pupils attitude to work at 5.2. Since both pupils and staff rated at an average of 5.35, I think this is an area which needs to be addressed.
I have a full report from our survey available if it would be of interest.
I like what you are saying about teaching specialisms according to the subject you are best at. Maybe some of the media graduates will do the year post grad in teaching and come to WHs.
Just looking at other survey results fromt he Senior Pupils Interactive Consultation Event (SPICE) which was held last year:
16.) Were most of the teachers well informed about their subjects & did they teach you well?
Responses
Yes---42---75%
No---12---21.43%
Don't know---2---3.57%
Totals---56---100%
--------------------------------
17.) Has lack of discipline in the classrooms affected your education?
Responses
Often---15---26.32%
Sometimes---31---54.39%
Never---11---19.30%
Totals---57---100%
--------------------------------
19.) Are you taught to learn or just how to pass exams?
Responses
Mainly to learn---5---8.93%
Mainly to pass exams---22---39.29%
Depends on teacher---29---51.79%
Totals---56---100%
--------------------------------
21.) Is there enough time for Highers?
Responses
Yes---10---17.86%
No---46---82.14%
Totals---56---100%
--------------------------------
round holes and square pegs come to mind. robots, steppford kids:)
And some extra bits from our HYV survey.. I'll stop posting survey results after this - I promise!
General Summary
Teaching
Teaching is satisfactory in the views of both the pupils and teachers. There is no concern in this area and teaching evidently has a positive effect on the pupils’ education. There are, however, occasionally concerns that teachers are not fully involving pupils in class discussions/ exercises.
School Environment
Although the environment of the school is not a major concern, classroom atmosphere often is. Some pupils feel distracted from work due to teachers allowing loud music to be played/ constant talking of some pupils in classes.
School Building/ Structure
Evident from the ratings- the school building and structure is a cause for concern. The written comments from pupils and staff highlighted the need for refurbishment of the school. Many said that the media is “over exaggerating” the state of the school and that a new school is not necessary.
satisfactory is probably right but what would it take to make it outststanding? or exemplary?:)
satisfactory is probably right but what would it take to make it outststanding? or exemplary?:)
For the teachers to be "facilitators" rather than "teachers". They should not be telling the pupils what to do. Pupils should be responsible for their own learning and teachers should only be there to encourage pupils to engage in class discussions and to provide support if a pupil does not understand a certain aspect of their studies from text books, etc. Many teachers answer their own questions and do not give pupils the change to think for themselves. This is as I have experienced it anyway. They should be aiming to ease transition between school and college/ university by allowing pupils to think for themselves.
I have been speaking to several young people who attend Wick High School who have been very disappointed with some of their Higher results. They seem to pertain to Higher English and Media.
I would be interested in pupils/parents views of how they felt their highers went and the quality of teaching they received - good and bad and anything we as councillors could be doing to put pressure on WHS to improve the educational attainment.
Maybe, as a councillor, you should speak to the school in the first instance?
There are always 2 sides to a debate and you appear to be bringing just one side onto a public forum...
Gene Hunt
12-Aug-09, 10:05
If the vast majority of the pupils arent making the grade then by all means point the finger at the teachers. However, if it is a small number of pupils that didnt get the grade they wanted then they need look no further than themselves surely ??
You can bring out all the percentage this and quota that (which seems to be the Goverment way these days) but to suggest that "us councillors" examine the schools methods seems to be a bit of an overreaction. It also smacks of the "blame someone else" culture prevalent today. I experienced this recently with a controller who was upgrading along with three others, they passed and he didnt but according to him it was my instruction to blame. Funny how he never said anything at the time though.
Well clearly when it comes to Media Studies, there must be something wrong other than the pupils' attitude to their work. Pupils never seem to do well in this subject but I certainly don't put the blame on the teachers. The teachers of the subject are experienced enough but I do not know where their qualifications stand when it comes to the media side of things rather than English. The two teachers who teach the subject are completely dedicated though so I do not think this is where the problem stands. It is difficult enough for a teacher to teach one subject, never mind two. Since the teachers are obviously passing the pupils on their National Assessment Bank material and allowing them to sit the exam, they must feel they are capable of achieving a decent grade, else they wouldn't make them sit the exam in the first place. I would question the SQA on the matter to determine why the pupils are failing in the subject. Then I am sure the teachers will be able to adapt their teaching to resolve these issues.
I also think the problem may be down to the fact that Media Studies is not taught as a standard grade subject therefore, pupils are being put in at the deep end, not having any clue about the subject and having to sit a higher exam after only one year studying it. I know how difficult this is as I studied Psychology this year at higher level for the first time and although I achieved grade A, I did find it extremely challenging and since we were only taught for 2 hours a week, a huge amount of work needed to be done at home and again this could be a problem with media studies - how much time are the pupils dedicating to the work at home.
I will quote some of what the pupil I mentioned above said to me about Media Studies:
"If I'd known I was going to get a D for Media Studies in advance then I wouldn't have bothered doing it"
"apparently everyone failed last year"
"You'd think that with everyone treating the subject like a joke it wouldn't be so hard" maybe this is a reason?
"I thought I did very well in the exam." ..either the teachers aren't giving the pupils the full details of what is expected in the exam or there is something wrong with the syllabus.
yes the results may have something to do with the teaching...(a very small something), but to achieve good grades you shouldn't expect them to be handed to you, you have to work hard for them!!..highers and advanced highers are not easy, regardless of what some may think - this is maybe why so many people are dissappointed with their results. Over my two years sitting highers etc I couldn't have asked for better teachers, they do their bit...but at the end of the day they cant sit the exam for you!...good results are achieved through hard work and determination.
yes the results may have something to do with the teaching...(a very small something), but to achieve good grades you shouldn't expect them to be handed to you, you have to work hard for them!!..highers and advanced highers are not easy, regardless of what some may think - this is maybe why so many people are dissappointed with their results. Over my two years sitting highers etc I couldn't have asked for better teachers, they do their bit...but at the end of the day they cant sit the exam for you!...good results are achieved through hard work and determination.
Very well put! I do think though that a pupil needs to somewhat enjoy the work they are doing for them to achieve good grades. English would be much more enjoyable if the novels were modern and more interesting. The majority of the books in English were tatty and have been in the school for years (this is evident fromt he dates printed in the inside cover). The school really need to invest in some new resources as it is very difficult to learn a higher from random sheets that are chosen.
northener
12-Aug-09, 22:44
I have been speaking to several young people who attend Wick High School who have been very disappointed with some of their Higher results. They seem to pertain to Higher English and Media.
I would be interested in pupils/parents views of how they felt their highers went and the quality of teaching they received - good and bad and anything we as councillors could be doing to put pressure on WHS to improve the educational attainment.
Well, it looks like Rfr10 has most of the info you are looking for. I'd suggest that your first contact should be there.
For the teachers to be "facilitators" rather than "teachers". They should not be telling the pupils what to do. Pupils should be responsible for their own learning and teachers should only be there to encourage pupils to engage in class discussions and to provide support if a pupil does not understand a certain aspect of their studies from text books, etc. Many teachers answer their own questions and do not give pupils the change to think for themselves. This is as I have experienced it anyway. They should be aiming to ease transition between school and college/ university by allowing pupils to think for themselves.
Thats a novel idea rfr and quite revolutionary. I'm sure there are some places in the world you could be shot for suggesting such a system.:eek: The idea that teachers turned faciltators and children could learn in a more favourable atmosphere than the traditional teacher pupil relationship in conventional classrooms has been around for some time now. Its interesting to read your support for it athough I imagine the traditional educationalists will have a good argument for keeping the staus quo.
Does your idea have much support amongst your peers?
Try this link.
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-rogers.htm
The sooner educators and parents realise that not all kids have the ability to be Einsteins the better.
The sooner that politicians and teachers realise that year-on-year grade improvement is not statistically possible without some miraculous improvement in mental evolutionary physiology or downright deceptive intervention the better.
Thats a novel idea rfr and quite revolutionary. I'm sure there are some places in the world you could be shot for suggesting such a system.:eek: The idea that teachers turned faciltators and children could learn in a more favourable atmosphere than the traditional teacher pupil relationship in conventional classrooms has been around for some time now. Its interesting to read your support for it athough I imagine the traditional educationalists will have a good argument for keeping the staus quo.
Does your idea have much support amongst your peers?
Try this link.
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-rogers.htm
I don't mean this in such a way that teachers should completely step back. What they should do is, rather than lecturing, they should encourage the pupil to think for themselves. If the pupil asks a question, rather than the teacher saying this is how you do it, end of - no questions, the pupil should be asked to think about it and the teacher may explain in stages but also ask the pupil why they think this is how it is done. This is especially the case with younger pupils as I understand that young pupils are not going to be able to learn for themselves when they haven't been taught in the first place but as the pupil approaches their final years, they should have some independence for their studies and not rely on teachers to actually teach the subject.
-snip- English would be much more enjoyable if the novels were modern and more interesting. The majority of the books in English were tatty -snip The school really need to invest in some new resources as it is very difficult to learn a higher from random sheets that are chosen.
Given that there have been cuts of about £13m this year with teachers not being replaced and that Highland has to make savings of some £60m over the next three years, spending all over will suffer.
Are the texts used set by Wick High, or is the reading material decided elsewhere?
Given that there have been cuts of about £13m this year with teachers not being replaced and that Highland has to make savings of some £60m over the next three years, spending all over will suffer.
Are the texts used set by Wick High, or is the reading material decided elsewhere?
I have just been told that it is SQA who choose the texts. There is a list of around 30 and the school then chooses from this list. Well that rules out this being a reason for poor results. Maybe some pupils enjoy the texts and others don't. I never enjoyed the texts I read in English and I think when one is not interested in what they are reading, it is very difficult then for them to understand the plot and central concerns of the novel. For my English personal study on the other hand, I wrote about a novel I enjoyed and managed to gain almost full marks so I do think there is still a problem here. Maybe it's the SQA we need to get on at, not the school.
Alice in Blunderland
13-Aug-09, 07:40
Maybe some pupils enjoy the texts and others don't. I never enjoyed the texts I read in English and I think when one is not interested in what they are reading, it is very difficult then for them to understand the plot and central concerns of the novel. For my English personal study on the other hand, I wrote about a novel I enjoyed and managed to gain almost full marks so I do think there is still a problem here. Maybe it's the SQA we need to get on at, not the school.
Yes some parts of the syllabus in all subjects are better than others but its being able to apply yourself to even the parts which are not so enjoyable that makes the difference. :)
In life their will always be enjoyable and some not so enjoyable points but its educating ourselves to deal with them that makes it more bearable. It cant all be what we enjoy. :)
How do the texts get picked ? What you may not enjoy another person may find very enjoyable this is why there is a selection and unfortunately when dealing with thousands of pupils its impossible to cater for everyone's individual likes / dislikes.
If the results in these subjects are continually poor then yes look into the matter but the results found may not point to teacher failings what then ?
northener
13-Aug-09, 08:55
I don't mean this in such a way that teachers should completely step back. What they should do is, rather than lecturing, they should encourage the pupil to think for themselves. If the pupil asks a question, rather than the teacher saying this is how you do it, end of - no questions, the pupil should be asked to think about it and the teacher may explain in stages but also ask the pupil why they think this is how it is done. This is especially the case with younger pupils as I understand that young pupils are not going to be able to learn for themselves when they haven't been taught in the first place but as the pupil approaches their final years, they should have some independence for their studies and not rely on teachers to actually teach the subject.
Rfr, your observations suprise me here.
I thought that one of the basic mantras of teaching was 'show, don't tell'? - which is what you are suggesting doesn't really take place at the moment.
Could it be because the teachers feel under pressure to get a certain amount of information delivered to the student in an unrealistic timescale? If they felt under pressure to be at a certain point by a certain time, then I can understand why there would be a reluctance to engage in more open thinking and Q/A sessions.
If this is the case, then it is a sad reflection on some aspects of our current educashun system.
-SNIP-
If they felt under pressure to be at a certain point by a certain time, then I can understand why there would be a reluctance to engage in more open thinking and Q/A sessions.
If this is the case, then it is a sad reflection on some aspects of our current educashun system.
I believe that there are a number of standard tests throughout Scotland that pupils have to pass to proceed through a course.
Maybe this could be the pressure that 'northener' is talking about and it would also explain why RFR's survey revealed that teachers 'taught to the exam'.
I believe that there are a number of standard tests throughout Scotland that pupils have to pass to proceed through a course.
Maybe this could be the pressure that 'northener' is talking about and it would also explain why RFR's survey revealed that teachers 'taught to the exam'.
Yes, these are the National Assessment Banks I referred to in a previous post. There are usually around 3 NABs to take in each subject, although this varies. NABs are not graded as they are all at around a grade C difficulty, therefore, even with full marks, this does not mean a pupil will achieive grade A in the external assessment although it does mean that they are more likely to. From my experience, some teachers are far too soft on pupils when marking NABs as they are marked internally and since teachers are so determined to allow the pupil to sit the external exam, they often give the pupil a pass on a NAB even if they have failed - this is wrong and may be yet another reason. The pupils may be given an unrealistic predicted grade and if a pupil fails a NAB they should not be allowed to sit the external exam - end of.
Alice in Blunderland
13-Aug-09, 13:06
The pupils may be given an unrealistic predicted grade and if a pupil fails a NAB they should not be allowed to sit the external exam - end of.
I disagree with you on this point as I know of one pupil who for various reasons failed one of her NABs and was allowed to resit it and then went onto pass her external exam.
Its like saying if you fail your exam then there is no appeal end off. :confused
Gene Hunt
13-Aug-09, 13:24
Think yourself lucky. From what I hear the Scottish education system is far better than down here in Wales. I despair at some of the work given to my kids, it was so easy that I was shocked at it. I work with a Scottish gent who, having moved here last year tells me the standard here is noticeably lower. My daughter got a high mark in English which to me was a massive surprise. One parents night I was told by her English teacher, and he could barely keep a straight face while he told me, that he once asked my daughter who Rudyard Kipling was and she answered with the stunning revelation that "he makes exceedingly good cakes" .. :eek:
I like to think she was joking but to be honest I am not sure.
I disagree with that remark too! my son failed one of his nabs but went on to get an A in his exam.:D
cuddlepop
13-Aug-09, 13:35
Usually you can have two attempts at a nab if you fail both its discretionary if you are presented for the final exam.
I here the Higher English exam was extremly hard this year as was the int2.My daughter was predicted a B and she failed miserably.:(
some of the exams were extremely hard this year. My son said that one of his exams had a section of questions that they hadnt even covered in class:(
I disagree with you on this point as I know of one pupil who for various reasons failed one of her NABs and was allowed to resit it and then went onto pass her external exam.
Its like saying if you fail your exam then there is no appeal end off. :confused
Yes, all pupils are allowed two chances to pass a NAB, if they do not pass it after the second time, under SQA guidelines, they are not allowed to sit the final exam; however, some teachers will mark the NAB down as a pass even if the pupil failed both times. The NABs are like university assessments - you can't pass the course if you fail the assessments. A NAB is to examine the pupil on each topic of their studies. The final, external exam may not include as many questions on each topic as the NABs do therefore, if a pupil fails a NAB, even if they do sit the final exam, they will receive No Reward for this subject on their certificate.
Sorry I'll edit this.. they are allowed to sit the final exam but they will still be given a no award for the course even if a grade A is achieved in the external assessment.
Usually you can have two attempts at a nab if you fail both its discretionary if you are presented for the final exam.
I here the Higher English exam was extremly hard this year as was the int2.My daughter was predicted a B and she failed miserably.:(
I found the Higher English this year more difficult than last year. Last year I failed, this year I achieved C so something strange there. If the exam is difficult and SQA find that many pupils are achieving poor marks, they will work out an average and the passmark will be lowered. A huge amount of pupils seem to fail english in 5th year and then go on to pass in 6th year. Maybe the work is too crammed for one year.
some of the exams were extremely hard this year. My son said that one of his exams had a section of questions that they hadnt even covered in class:(
Pupils are usually told what to expect in exams. Because of the very short time there is to fit all aspects of the subject in, pupils (especially at Higher and Advanced Higher level) will be expected to study certain sections at home. It is very difficult to cover everything in detail in class. For psychology this year, we were taught for 2 hours each week and for the remainder, we were expected to study chapters of the textbook at home. But, yes, it is frustrating - and I know it myself - when there are questions in exams which didn't seem to be in the class coursework. It's impossible to predict every question in an exam so there will be questions when pupils have to try and use their common sense by adapting other things similar they may have learned in class. The SQA will write a report each year which will be available on the website and also to teachers. This will explain which questions weren't answered very well so it is then up to the teacher to decide on the appropriate action to take for the following year.
some of the exams were extremely hard this year. My son said that one of his exams had a section of questions that they hadnt even covered in class:(
No offence intended, but most people who say that simply did not revise it well enough. I know a lot of the teachers in the high school well, and apart from a few they will all teach the full course.
Usually you can have two attempts at a nab if you fail both its discretionary if you are presented for the final exam.
NABs are at a C-level, so therefore if you fail the NABs the teachers will generally advise that it is not worth your time sitting the exam, although the decision is down to the pupil and their parents. The logic being that if you cannot pass the most basic of tests after two attempts you are unlikely to pass a test which will be, on the whole, a lot more complicated. The only flaw in this logic being that pupils don't revise for NABs as hard as they do for the final exam. As rfr10 says though, a lot of teachers will either give you hints so that you can at least scrape a pass, or will out right pass you when you did not, as checks on NABs are rare.
I here the Higher English exam was extremly hard this year as was the int2.My daughter was predicted a B and she failed miserably.:(
From what I hear, the critical essay segment was relatively difficult, however the close reading was fair. It is worth remember that the essay section is pot luck - you have to hope that there is a question for the works you have studied, and you should therefore have a poem, play, and novel prepared, and not just focus on two out of the three as you are then going to find it difficult to write two good essays. It is a shame for your daughter, but remember there are appeals and last years appeals in English were overall quite successful. What is most likely is that she perhaps just froze under the pressure - just remember there is always next year, and hopefully it does not affect her future too much.
A big problem is learning a subject and studying for an exam are two different things. Assessment is vital but the government wants its statistics (even more so in England) but until the politicians become more concerned with educating pupils and less about how they look on league tables there will always be a shortfall in pupils education.
From what I can understand the marked NABS can be randomly selected for checking by the SQA to check that they meet the guidelines. Therefore a teacher will be unable to pass a pupil if their answers do not meet the criteria of a correct answer, just so they will be allowed to do the exam in May!!!!! I think it is unfair to mark a pupil as passing a NAB when they haven't - You are doing the child no favours by giving them false hope!
From what I heard the English Higher was very straight forward this year - more so than other years and the Int 2 was much harder than normal - do not jump down my throat as this is only what I heard from friends and family!!! Every exam is open to a persons interpretation if it is easy or hard. If you revised all the right stuff and the questions are in your favour then of course you may feel it is easy. If you didn't bother to work or revise then you will naturally be of the opinion that it is hard.
My daughter did better in her Highers than expected and most of her pals did really well, so well done Wick High School, I'm sure the attainment level is showing an upward trend??
Yes, all pupils are allowed two chances to pass a NAB, if they do not pass it after the second time, under SQA guidelines, they are not allowed to sit the final exam; however, some teachers will mark the NAB down as a pass even if the pupil failed both times. The NABs are like university assessments - you can't pass the course if you fail the assessments. A NAB is to examine the pupil on each topic of their studies. The final, external exam may not include as many questions on each topic as the NABs do therefore, if a pupil fails a NAB, even if they do sit the final exam, they will receive No Reward for this subject on their certificate.
Sorry I'll edit this.. they are allowed to sit the final exam but they will still be given a no award for the course even if a grade A is achieved in the external assessment.
Thats not actually true. If they fail a nab but do the exam they dont recieve a no Award they just recieve National units in that subject instead.If they fail more than 1 nab its a no award.
Thats not actually true. If they fail a nab but do the exam they dont recieve a no Award they just recieve National units in that subject instead.If they fail more than 1 nab its a no award.
If they fail a NAB, yes they will receive the units on the certificate but the overall course will be noted as "No Award". No award is shown on the cover letter of the SQA certificate for the full course. No award will not be noted for NABs, they will just not appear on the certificate.
From what I can understand the marked NABS can be randomly selected for checking by the SQA to check that they meet the guidelines. Therefore a teacher will be unable to pass a pupil if their answers do not meet the criteria of a correct answer, just so they will be allowed to do the exam in May!!!!!
Yes, you understand correctly.
I think it is unfair to mark a pupil as passing a NAB when they haven't - You are doing the child no favours by giving them false hope!
Exactly!
From what I can understand the marked NABS can be randomly selected for checking by the SQA to check that they meet the guidelines. Therefore a teacher will be unable to pass a pupil if their answers do not meet the criteria of a correct answer, just so they will be allowed to do the exam in May!!!!! I think it is unfair to mark a pupil as passing a NAB when they haven't - You are doing the child no favours by giving them false hope!
I think this in response to my answer. When a teacher passes a pupil who didn't pass, it is normally because they are very close to passing anyway. Also, most children are aware that this is what has happened. And although the SQA do randomly check results, it is not all that often, and many of the teachers in WHS will not remember the last time it happened, because it has not happened in such a long time.
If they fail a NAB, yes they will receive the units on the certificate but the overall course will be noted as "No Award". No award is shown on the cover letter of the SQA certificate for the full course. No award will not be noted for NABs, they will just not appear on the certificate.
nope sorry your wrong it doesnt.I rang the SQA board about this & it isnt classed as a no award.
I would like to observe that, what started as a fishing expidition has evolved into an interesting and informative discussion about Highers etc.
I suspect the drift off-topic is not what was expected.
Well done all of the above for remaining level-headed, practical and not being over-judgemental.:cool:
nope sorry your wrong it doesnt.I rang the SQA board about this & it isnt classed as a no award.
If you look at the SQA certificate, each subject will have:
The full course award
The external assessment grade
Unit 1
Unit 2
and so on...
If the pupil does not pass a unit ie. a NAB, the will not achieve a grade for the full course award. The pupil must pass all internal and external assessments in order to gain a course award, else, there is "No Award".
If you look at the SQA certificate, each subject will have:
The full course award
The external assessment grade
Unit 1
Unit 2
and so on...
If the pupil does not pass a unit ie. a NAB, the will not achieve a grade for the full course award. The pupil must pass all internal and external assessments in order to gain a course award, else, there is "No Award".
You and Brie are talking about two different things. On the full SQA certificate you will see the individual NABS you passed and you are credited for them. You will not pass the full higher/intermediate/AH etc however. But you do get recognition for the individual units.
I probably shouldn't say this as I will get shot down in flames.. but how can you possibly fail a NAB anyway? I mean unless you actively tried to fail it seems impossible to me. Especially if you have been deemed capable of doing the course in the first place.
I probably shouldn't say this as I will get shot down in flames.. but how can you possibly fail a NAB anyway? I mean unless you actively tried to fail it seems impossible to me. Especially if you have been deemed capable of doing the course in the first place.
That is a very good question. And the obvious answer is just laziness. They are at the most basic of levels for the course you are studying, so if you can't pass them you are either too lazy to revise or have chosen the wrong subject.
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.