CfE e-bulletin
August 2014
Welcome to the first CfE implementation ebulletin of the new academic year. I was
delighted to see the first examination diet
involving the new National Qualifications went
off very successfully. The results achieved pay
testament to the dedication and hard work of
learners, teachers, parents and carers and local
authorities, ensuring success through a time of
major change as CfE transformation impacts
fully on the Senior Phase.
To help support you throughout this next session we will continue to produce a
monthly update providing you with the support materials, information and links
to help you as we move forward throughout the year.
Bill Maxwell
Chair of the CfE Implementation Board
Scottish Learning Festival 2014 – raising achievement and attainment
for all
This year’s SLF takes place on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 September in
the SECC, Glasgow. As Scotland’s leading education event it includes a
fantastic range of professional learning opportunities through keynotes,
seminars, discussions and the exhibition. The Education Scotland stand will
host a series of discussions from extreme timetabling for secondary to the new
BGE toolkit for primary.
Over the two days the seminars cover a range of topics including:
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Making the most of the senior phase,
SQA quality assurance and support for the new national qualifications,
National qualifications support from Education Scotland,
Online CfE audit and self-evaluation tool,
Support for the new qualifications,
The mystery of the primary curriculum,
Supporting the supporters
What does S3 look like when schools are raising achievement and
attainment for all?
Registration is easy, simply go to the SLF website or call 0141 270 7614 to book
your place.
Evaluating and Improving our Curriculum S1-S3
Education Scotland has published a new resource, Evaluating and Improving our
Curriculum S1-S3, providing a clear and concise ‘toolkit’ to help secondary
schools evaluate their curriculum.
It draws together key aspects of advice related to Curriculum for Excellence and
self-evaluation available on the Education Scotland website.
P2-7 primary language framework
Education Scotland has published the Primary Language Learning framework for
P2-P7. This part of the framework complements the P1 guidance issued in
December 2013.
The framework contains advice and support for practitioners who are
introducing, or planning to introduce the teaching of a modern language from
P1-P7. It contains learning maps to aid planning for teaching the first modern
language (L2) as well as an overview of the essential Knowledge about
Language required for children to progress in their language learning.
There are film clips of primary language teaching, sound files of useful
classroom language, progression grids and useful web links to support
practitioners in their preparation and delivery of a contextualised modern
language experience.
2015 exam timetable
SQA has published the 2015 NQ Examination Timetable. The timetable is
available on SQA’s website as PDF and Microsoft Excel files, with examinations
listed by both date and Course order.
View or download the 2015 NQ Examination Timetable.
Highers in a Nutshell
The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) have prepared a series of
support materials about Highers. The Highers in a Nutshell guides cover 30 of
the most popular subjects and provide links to:
SQA Specimen Papers and marking instructions
school websites with helpful course content and revision activities
further information for parents and learners
Don’t forget the Nationals in a Nutshell series is also available.
SQA assessment support for new Higher Courses
The new Higher Courses are now live and a range of assessment support
materials is available for teachers and lecturers. Coursework general
assessment information, specimen question papers and past paper guidance are
available from the new NQ subject pages of SQA’s website at
www.sqa.org.uk/cfesubjects Unit assessment support packs and Coursework
assessment tasks are held securely and teachers and lecturers can arrange
access to them through their SQA Co-ordinator.
SQA Your Coursework guide
SQA has produced a new edition of Your Coursework, which replaces the
previous edition published in July 2013. Hard copies of the new version were
sent out to centres week beginning 18 August for distribution to learners. The
publication can also be downloaded from the SQA
website. www.sqa.org.uk/yourcoursework
SQA guidance on Assessment Arrangements
SQA has updated its guidance on Assessment Arrangements for disabled
candidates and/ or those with additional support needs. The documents
Introduction to Assessment Arrangements, Assessment Arrangements Explained
and Quality Assurance have been updated and are now available from the
'Related Information' section of the SQA website.
www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements
Higher Route Maps available
Education Scotland, in partnership with the SQA, has prepared a sequenced list
of main messages and links for N4 and N5. The course specific 'route-maps'
through assessment for teachers are published.
These resources are being produced in response to teacher requests for more
streamlined and simplified guidance on delivering the new qualifications. They
aim to consolidate current approaches and help practitioners reflect on their
processes. They cover subject specific material to over-arching information on
assessment and verification. The route maps are now available on the Education
Scotland website.
New protections for rural schools
The Scottish Government has strengthened the Schools (Consultation)
(Scotland) Act 2010 to establish more rigorous requirements before a local
authority may propose closing a rural school. The Government has also
strengthened the requirements for all school closure proposals, requiring that
these reach high standards of transparency and accuracy, and to restrict the
repetition of closure proposals for the same school. These changes were
brought into force on 1 August 2014. Further information is available on the
Scottish Government website.
Attainment
Following on from the successful 'Raising Attainment for All' launch event which
took place on the 16-17 June 2014 at the SECC in Glasgow, there will be the
first regional improvement learning session taking place in September across 4
regional groups.
The sessions will enable educational practitioners to continue to develop
collaborative relationships with colleagues and develop local activity plans based
on their own priorities for improvement.
They will also provide leaders and practitioners with the opportunity to develop
a working knowledge of the model for improvement and consider how it will be
used to accelerate change that impacts on attainment and reducing inequity.
Further information about raising attainment for all can be found on the Scottish
Government website.
An t-Alltan Beag - Tuesday 30 September & Wednesday 1 October 2014
The Alltan Beag conference is taking place to share ideas for Gaelic-centered
play over two days with 0-3 practitioners from throughout Scotland. Areas
covered will include plans and materials for Gaelic sessions with parents and
children and innovative ideas about what’s happening at 0-3 stage. More
information is available on Facebook and www.alltan-beag.info
Developments in Gaelic Teacher Recruitment
Having confident teaching staff is vital to the continued successful delivery and
development of Gaelic-medium Education (GME). There are plenty of
opportunities for people to get involved in Gaelic teaching, including:
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The development of a year-long Gaelic language immersion course for
fully-qualified teachers wishing to transfer to GME by The University of
Strathclyde and The University of Edinburgh. The Gaelic Immersion for
Teachers (GIfT) programme allows GTCS registered teachers, with an
intermediate level of Gaelic to gain the language and pedagogical skills
required to teach in GME.
4 new digital adverts have been filmed demonstrating the creativity,
rewards and opportunities associated with a career in Gaelic teaching.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s funding scheme to support students studying on
Gaelic Initial Teacher Education courses is again open.
Applications for this year’s scheme must be submitted by Monday 15th
September 2014. Further information about all of the items above can be found
at www.teagasg.com
Curriculum for Excellence Management Board - Report of the working
group on the first year of the new National Qualifications
The group was tasked with considering and developing high-level messages and
suggesting actions to benefit all parts of the education system as we move into
the second year of the new qualifications. The report and recommendations
were published on 20 August, and are available on the Education Scotland
website.