We’re still confused about coursework, say puzzled teachers
TEACHERS are still waiting to find out what they should be teaching – a month after the beginning of the new term.
They are yet to be told what to include in courses or what form exams will take.
After the exams fiasco, which saw 124,000 grades downgraded, a major consultation on courses and assessments for this academic year was launched.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Scottish Government promised vital information about teaching and exams would be published in the week starting August 31.
However, in an extraordinary new failure, they have missed their self-imposed deadline.
It means that four weeks after schools reopened, and with crucial prelims looming, teachers still do not know if what they are covering in class is part of the curriculum.
Last night, Mike Corbett of teachers’ union the NASUWT, said the delay was ‘simply unacceptable’.
He said it had ‘caused unnecessary angst to teachers and pupils at an already stressful time, and ‘undoubtedly led to some teachers and pupils wasting time on studying parts of courses which are to be dropped or significantly amended’.
Coronavirus caused massive disruption to the eduction system, with children sent home in March and exams cancelled for the first time.
Education Secretary John Swinney ordered the SQA to find a way to assess pupils in the absence of exams, and it said grades would be based on teacher estimates.
But when results were published on August 4, some 124,000 awards were ‘moderated’ downwards by an algorithm.
A week later Mr Swinney overturned moderation in favour of grades based wholly on teacher recommendations.
The focus then turned to concerns over lost class time for pupils studying for qualifications next year, and uncertainty over whether or not those exams would take place.
The SQA launched a consultation on what changes to coursework, assessments and exams could be made to maximise teaching and learning time, while maintaining the integrity of the qualifications.
Scottish Tory education spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘There is still a lack of urgency to provide any clarity to teachers over what is going to be happening in terms of next year’s exam diet.’
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said: ‘Working towards a normal diet of exams seems hopelessly optimistic on the part of both the Scottish Government and the SQA, given even the current levels of disruption being faced in schools, let alone the threat of a second wave of the virus.’
An SQA spokesman said: ‘Current plans are for a full exam diet to take place next year for students at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The SQA has consulted on measures to modify course assessment, and the outcomes will be published shortly.’
In August, Mr Swinney announced that Professor Mark Priestley, of Stirling University, would review the exams debacle and his report will be published at the end of this month.
In a Q&A with the National Parent Forum of Scotland on Thursday last week, Mr Swinney said that at present the current plan was that a full exam diet would be held in 2021.
He added: ‘SQA have consulted on what steps they could take to reduce the burden of assessments before the exam diet – what elements could be removed.
‘We’ve also looked at the timetable of exams. Do they need to start in late April? Could they start at the end of May, giving them an extra month for learning and teaching.’
Mr Swinney added that his main priority was fairness, saying: ‘I can’t foresee how much disruption there will be between now and next spring, either on individual, class or school-level.
‘I am determined to ensure every student has fairness and a fair crack at the whip next year, no matter their experience.’
Mr Swinney also apologised again for the ‘stress and anxiety’ caused by the moderated grades.
‘Disruption being faced in schools’