CfE Implementation e-bulletin
March 2013
Welcome to the March edition of the CfE
Implementation e-bulletin. As with each issue,
you will find a range of resources to help
promote positive engagement among
practitioners, pupils and parents. This month
there is a strong focus on support for National
Qualifications, including resources produced
jointly with SQA and Education Scotland to
deliver advice on approaches to learning and
teaching building directly on the 3-15 Broad
General Education.
Each month it is our intention to provide you with support around some of the
significant issues and questions currently being addressed. We want to make
sure we are providing you with the right level of information and would like to
welcome any ideas or suggestions you may have to help inform future
publications. Simply email your thoughts to
CfE_Implementation@educationscotland.gov.uk
Bill Maxwell
Chair of the CfE Implementation Group
National 4 Added Value Unit assessment
SQA is developing Unit assessments for National 4 Added Value Units. The first
and second releases are now available. National 4 Added Value Unit
assessments are held securely and teachers/lecturers can arrange access to
these documents through their SQA Co-ordinator. A third release will be
available by the end of April 2013. To find out more about National 4 Added
Value Unit assessment, please visit the subject pages of SQA’s website.
National 5 coursework information
SQA has published its first and second releases of coursework information for
National 5 Courses. Each release has been published in two parts: general
assessment information and coursework assessment tasks.
General assessment information for National 5 Courses is available on the
subject pages of SQA’s website. Coursework assessment tasks are held securely
and teachers/lecturers can arrange access to these by contacting their SQA Coordinator. A third release will be available by the end of April 2013.
National 5 Specimen Question Papers
SQA has published Specimen Question Papers for Courses at National 5. These
can be accessed via the subject pages of SQA’s website.
Unit Assessment Support for National 2 to National 5
SQA has published the second of its Unit Assessment Support packs for National
2 to National 5. These are held securely and teachers/lecturers can arrange
access to them through their SQA Co-ordinator.The third Unit Assessment
Support package for National 2 to National 5 will be published by the end of
April 2013. Further information on Unit Assessment Support can be found on
each of the subject pages.
Web-based Course materials for National 4 and National 5
Education Scotland has been working very closely with ADES to co-ordinate the
development and publication of course materials across the full range of
National 4 and National 5 qualifications. Many of the materials are being
developed locally in schools and local authorities. These are being shared
nationally as part of the creation of a nationwide “Virtual Campus” which
encourages the sharing of resources across all schools and local authorities.
Materials from a variety of sources will be published by the end of April 2013
and will be added to as further materials are developed and shared by teachers
across local authorities. Currently, materials for 26 subjects have been
published, with an addition materials from 6 local authorities. More are being
published each week as they become available.
Draft Advanced Higher Course/Unit Support Notes
SQA has published draft Course/Unit Support Notes for the new Advanced
Higher Courses. The documents provide advice and guidance to
teachers/lecturers on delivering Courses and their Units at Advanced Higher.
These can be accessed via the subject pages of SQA’s website. Final documents
for Advanced Higher will be available by the end of April 2013.
Monitoring and Tracking Progress and Achievement in the Broad
General Education
Education Scotland has published interim advice on monitoring and tracking
progress and achievement. This forms part of the work on assessing progress
and achievement which is available on the Education Scotland website. The next
stage will be to develop annotated exemplification of learners’ work which
typifies the achievement of a level. This exemplification will be available from
June.
Assessment Glow Meets
A series of Glow Meets which relate to aspects of assessment are available on
the “watch again” function on Glow. Topics are as follows:
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10 key assessment messages;
What is the National Assessment Resource?;
The moderation process;
Making Good Assessment Decisions;
National Assessment Resource: A professional learning resource;
Profiling; and
Glow to support assessment (includning the Glow assessment
professional learning community).
Nationals in a Nutshell
This series of documents from The National Parent Forum for Scotland provides
parents/carers with useful summaries of the new National Qualifications.
Summaries are currently available for History; Chemistry; English;
Mathematics; Physical Education; Art and Design; Religious, Moral &
Philosophical Studies and Computing Science at National 4 and National 5 level.
Further titles will follow. These are available on the National Parent Forum of
Scotland website.
Qualifications Plus - Parental Events
The National Parent Forum of Scotland hosted a series of three regional events,
providing parents with an opportunity to find out more about the new National
Qualifications and beyond. Mr Michael Russell MSP, Cabinet Secretary for
Education and Lifelong Learning delivered the keynote speech at the Edinburgh
event and Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s
Languages at the Glasgow event. Approximately 300 parents attended the
events and a report together with a list of frequently asked questions will be
published on the National Parent Forum of Scotland website.
CfE Briefing Series
The latest title in the series of CfE Briefings has been published and focuses on
Learning About Scotland. It explores ways in which practitioners across all
sectors are increasing opportunities for children and young people to learn
about Scotland as part of the Broad General Education and in the Senior Phase.
Look out for titles coming in the summer term:
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CLD and Partnership working;
Parental Involvement; and
BGE: Planning for Learning (Early Years, Primary, S1-S3, including
transitions).
Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool
The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and their partners are developing
a new benchmarking tool to help local authorities and secondary schools to
analyse, compare and improve the performance of pupils in the senior phase.
The aim is to help raise overall standards and quality of attainment. Further
details on the development and timescales are available on the Education
Scotland website.
Cycling Awards
SQA has published Unit Specifications and Award Specifications for the newly
created Cycling Awards.
The Cycling Awards are offered at National 1 and National 2 and will equip
learners with the skills to check, maintain and ride their cycles safely, as well as
encouraging learners to include cycling activities as part of a healthy lifestyle.
To find out more about the Cycling Awards and to view the documents, visit
SQA's awards page.
Scottish Studies Award launch events
SQA will host events in April to help prepare teachers for teaching the new
Scottish Studies Award. The events will take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and
Inverness.
For further information or to book a place, please visit SQA’s Events page.
SQA Co-ordinator Conferences
SQA will hold six events across Scotland in June 2013 for school SQA
Co-ordinators and other relevant representatives. These events will offer SQA
Co-ordinators the opportunity to attend information sessions and training
workshops to help support them in any changes to delivery processes that are
associated with the new qualifications and the 2014 exams. Find out more.