View Full Version : Cost of exams
porshiepoo
17-Aug-09, 13:44
Does anyone know how Wick High School gets away with charging pupils for their examination work to be returned when many of the materials were purchased by themselves in the first place?
My daughters have just finished Higher Art & Design and Advanced Higher Art & Design and have been asked to pay in excess of £15 each just to get their art returned to them. This is the second year this has happened.
What makes this more of a kick in the teeth is that along the course of the year they have bought many of their exam art materials themselves and it ain't cheap stuff.
One of them needed A1 Ring Binder Art folders at £50 plus the plastic inserts at extra cost and both of them have used their own paper, mediums (Pastel, paint etc) and other sundries too.
For all you with kids doing their Art & Design Highers or Advanced Highers you need to beware of this. It's an absolute rip off!
Hibeechick
17-Aug-09, 13:49
Its crazy! When I did my Higher Art I only had to pay around £5 to get it back. I dare say however, that a bulk load of portfolio's etc sent off would be a fair weight! Wouldnt warrant £15 though!
porshiepoo
17-Aug-09, 14:05
The thing is it's their fault that it weighs so much in the first place.
My daughter was told she had to purchase the Art folders which are very big and won't be light when combined with others. Just the plastic sleeves would have been sufficient and would have been much lighter.
My main gripe though is the fact that they bought and paid for most of these materials themselves (or I did). If the school wants to give ultimatums of 'pay up or don't get' then they should be providing all the equipment, paper and medium required.
The £15 is not even correct though - my daughter seems to think it's more like £20. God knows what they're bringing back for that cost.
I bet I could have gotten a better deal than that.
I would assume you are well within your rights to ask for the things you paid (like the folio) back. If you bought it, it is yours.
I don't know what the answer would be with regards to the course work though.
Does anyone know how Wick High School gets away with charging pupils for their examination work to be returned when many of the materials were purchased by themselves in the first place?
My daughters have just finished Higher Art & Design and Advanced Higher Art & Design and have been asked to pay in excess of £15 each just to get their art returned to them. This is the second year this has happened.
What makes this more of a kick in the teeth is that along the course of the year they have bought many of their exam art materials themselves and it ain't cheap stuff.
One of them needed A1 Ring Binder Art folders at £50 plus the plastic inserts at extra cost and both of them have used their own paper, mediums (Pastel, paint etc) and other sundries too.
For all you with kids doing their Art & Design Highers or Advanced Highers you need to beware of this. It's an absolute rip off!
And what did the school have to say when you complained about the cost.
porshiepoo
17-Aug-09, 18:00
And what did the school have to say when you complained about the cost.
They haven't replied yet. I suspect that I'll be dazzled with some theory when they do though.
This fee also applies to all those who sat Standard grade Art & Design as well. I'm not sure so do you know if it's the school who are charging or the SQA.
Mister Squiggle
17-Aug-09, 18:35
The SQA charge schools for the return of external assessment material including portfolios. Attached below is the Art and Design link which outlines the cost for both centres and parents/students making such requests.
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/35391.html
The costs are outlined in appendix 2, however as stated at the bottom of the page, larger items (ie. 3D sculptures etc) attract an additional, individual charge for return.
Thanks for that Mister Squiggle. I had a feeling it wasn't the school, but I wasn't certain.
I think if you consider the amount of candidates taking these exams the cost of returning all the course work, would be huge, so I'm not surprised at a fee being charged. Perhaps some don't want it back so the cost of sending it would be wasted. Personally I wouldn't mind paying it to have the work returned. The same as I wouldn't object to extra costs during the course if it helped improve my son's chances of passing or gaining a better mark.
Thanks for that Mister Squiggle.
SNIP
The same as I wouldn't object to extra costs during the course if it helped improve my son's chances of passing or gaining a better mark.
Nicely expressed Venture.
Can't help but notice that P'poo hasn't had the good grace to acknowledge her error, despite her enthusiasm for decrying WHS...:roll:
Can't help but notice that P'poo hasn't had the good grace to acknowledge her error, despite her enthusiasm for decrying WHS...:roll:
Not the only one who has been silent since decrying WHS, either. Am sure you know who I mean ;)
Not the only one who has been silent since decrying WHS, either. Am sure you know who I mean ;)
Would that be a certain thread where the 'results' proved less than controversial? [lol]
Nicely expressed Venture.
Can't help but notice that P'poo hasn't had the good grace to acknowledge her error, despite her enthusiasm for decrying WHS...
Yes, I did notice there was no response since Mr Squiggle posted the information from the SQA website.
Not the only one who has been silent since decrying WHS, either. Am sure you know who I mean
Perhaps OP has a more pressing engagement in far off lands to be able to reply.;)
porshiepoo
19-Aug-09, 08:42
Wot, no - "I made a mistake"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Venture http://forum.caithness.org/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?p=581594#post581594)
Thanks for that Mister Squiggle.
SNIP
The same as I wouldn't object to extra costs during the course if it helped improve my son's chances of passing or gaining a better mark.
Nicely expressed Venture.
:roll:Can't help but notice that P'poo hasn't had the good grace to acknowledge her error, despite her enthusiasm for decrying WHS...
Grow up and get over yourself. I asked how WHS get away with the charges they make on art exams and that question has been answered. If you really need to start an argument with someone, trot on and find someone else who shows the same childish intellect as yourself.
The same goes to Venture.
If you bother to get your facts right before pleasuring us with your verbal diarrhea then you'll note that I have almost always said what a good school I and my kids have found WHS to be, so shove your fist in your mouth before you claim I am enthusiastically decrying WHS.
Venture: The reason I haven't replied to Mr Squiggles SQA link is because I actually do have a life and haven't had the chance to come on here till now and check out the thread. Once i've had the chance to read it I will of course reply to it.
porshiepoo
19-Aug-09, 09:09
Am I the only one who cannot use that link? As soon as it goes to that page I lose the Internet.
I've tried going direct to SQA site and finding the page from there in case it was a link problem but nope, it won't have it.
As soon as I get a chance I'll come back on using IE instead of Firefox and see if that helps.
Mister Squiggle
19-Aug-09, 10:11
Hi Porshiepoo, the error might be in my posting of the link (not too tech savvy :(), but in any event, below is the service for learners link. If you use the drop-down key on the left for NQ courses, you can select art and design which will take you to the bit about external portfolio returns.
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/23564.html
Hope this works - you can go in through the SQA main website via the learners section too.
P'Poo, many thanks for your kind reply outlining your thoughts.
oldmarine
19-Aug-09, 15:08
The costs sound similar to the problems we are having with school costs here in the USA. Due to budget constraints and the lack of money teachers have been laid off with increased class size plus other so-called money constraints. My daughter's school went to a 4-day week to conserve on heating and cooling costs. I question whether that was a wise decision, but we shall see........
porshiepoo
19-Aug-09, 18:24
P'Poo, many thanks for your kind reply outlining your thoughts.
I feel I may owe you an apology.
Your reply to my rant was a tad more refined and polite than my own to you....so sorry!
Gracious apology gladly accepted. :)
actually its a good warm up if students wish to take art and design further, where you have to provide everything you wish to use. paper is provided in first year and then the equipment/materials required for the subject you specialize in, however to cover for these materials students are required to pay a studio fund which ranges from £70 to £150 so i think WHS are ok to do the same
on the flipside i attended WHS and paid to get my higher work back. I still don't have it
and i left school in 2005....
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