‘Greater than ever’ pressure on teachers in coming weeks

Teachers will face the greatest pressure of their careers during the coming weeks, a local union representative has warned.

Schools are entering the final term for assessment of pupils working towards National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications.

With just over 10 weeks left until the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s deadline for provisional grades, teachers will be pulling out all the stops to give their students the best chance of the marks they deserve.

But with exams cancelled and results based on teachers’ judgement, David Farmer, of the Educational Institute of Scotland’s Fife branch, said secondary school staff will be under unprecedented pressure.

Fife teachers returned to work on Monday after the Easter holidays for the final push of the 2020-21 academic year, and their counterparts in Dundee, Angus and Perthshire will return on Monday.

They taught pupils remotely from January until the phased return, which saw secondary pupils back in school part-time from March 15.

Over the coming weeks pupils will sit a series of tests and assessments in place of exams.

Mr Farmer, EIS Fife publicity officer, said: “The workload pressures for the next few weeks are going to be greater than they have ever been on any group of teachers in Scotland.”

Although advised not to by the union, many teachers will work extra hours to ensure their pupils complete coursework and are assessed properly, he said.

“I don’t really see how teachers are going to be able to address the issues around SQA assessment in secondary schools in their nationally-agreed 35-hour weeks,” he said.

He also questioned the alternative assessment model produced by the SQA and said there was surely a “more equitable and less pressured system”.

Amid concerns about the impact of this burden and the wider pandemic on teachers, he also said the union was ready to support those whose mental health suffers.

The Scottish Government has pledged a one-off payment of £400 for teachers critical to assessing and marking national qualification courses, in recognition of the additional workload.

A statement from the SQA said: “The National Qualifications 2021 Group, which includes the EIS, has co-created this year’s alternative certification model.

“The group has been clear that there is no requirement to replicate a full formal exam or prelim diet this year and that results need to be based on demonstrated attainment

by assessment in a flexible way to suit local circumstances.

“SQA has provided a flexible and consistent framework for schools and colleges this year, including detailed guidance, material and support, based on assessment standards that teachers and lecturers are familiar with.”

A petition launched by Baldragon Academy pupil Deni McGurty, 16, calling for a rethink has gathered 7,500 signatures.

Teachers are facing a highly stressful time.