National
Standard Grades
Qualifications
2011-2012
2010-2011
How are NQs different?
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Units
Final Exam
MUCH harder
MUCH more expected of you
1 year course instead of 2 year course
In reality … 30 weeks in school –
So if you miss June you miss more than 10%
of the course!
• NQs are grown-up qualifications for grownups!
Pathways
• Credit  HIGHER
• General  INTERMEDIATE 2
• Foundation
 INTERMEDIATE 1
… but there are sometimes exceptions
because NQ courses are VERY different
from Standard Grades
Units and the external exam
• Most subjects have three or four units
• Each unit has one, two or more “unit
assessments” which you MUST pass to
get through the course
• The final exam tests the whole course
• To get an award you have to
– Pass all the units
– Pass the final exam
An example - Geography
• Unit 1 –
Environmental
Interactions
• Unit 2 – Human
Environments
• Unit 3 –
Physical
Environments
• Prelims
• Final Exam
The final exam
70% = A
60% = B
50% = C
45% = D
<45% = No Award
Incomplete
Taking responsibility
As you get older you need to take more
responsibility for your work.
Education is not about just receiving
information and explanations.
You must be actively involved in your
own learning!
Coping with the demands
… some factors to consider …
• How much work are you prepared to do per
subject?
• SQA recommendation is 3 hours per subject
per week!
• What might get in the way of that? Hobbies?
Work? Social Life?
• Decisions need to be made!
• More about this during the Induction days
S5
How much do you need to change?
STAFF SURVEY
A – The year group are ready to take on
the challenges of S5
3.7%
B – The year group will need to make some
minor improvements in their study habits
to meet the challenge of S5
29.6%
C – The year group will need to make
major improvements in their study habits
to meet the challenge of S5
66.7%
What will help you to succeed?
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Target setting (and the steps along the way)
Class teaching
Feedback
Peer and self assessment
Private Study periods
Additional classes
Parents evenings
Personal support
– In school
– At home
Tracking
• Target agreed with teacher – a grade (A, B or C)
based on previous attainment
• Progress against target checked through the
year
• Advice about getting back on track or moving
ahead of target
• Involvement of parents/carers
• Emphasis is on YOU keeping on track!
• But the key point is how you plan the journey
from where you are now to the point where you
reach your target grade.
Tracking
• November – check how you are getting on
as you work towards your target. Parents
informed.
• January/February – prelims. Report card
issued to parents.
• March – a final check on how you are
getting on as you work towards your target.
Parents informed.
Tracking – stages on the journey
Higher
Chemistry
Typical Progress
in A Grade
Students in Higher English
Higher
English
80
70
60
70
60
50
60
50
40
40
50
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
0
0
August
February
May
August
August
February
February
May
May
The Pupil Experience
• What is it actually like
to move from S4 into
S5?
• Cameron and Ruth
Conclusion
• You have a busy year ahead. That is your
challenge.
• The key person in terms of your success is
YOU but you are in partnership with the
school and your family.
• You need to be
– Organised
– Clear about how to progress
– Hard-working
– Responsible
– Committed to improvement
– Resilient
How Will You Cope?
• The only thing that overcomes hard luck is
hard work. ~ Harry Golden (an American
writer)
• If you have made mistakes, even serious
ones, there is always another chance for you.
What we call failure is not the falling down
but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford ( a
Canadian actress)