National

Standard Grades

Qualifications

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 grown ups!

Pathways

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Credit

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General

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HIGHER

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INTERMEDIATE 2

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Foundation

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INTERMEDIATE 1 … but there are sometimes exceptions because NQ courses are VERY different from Standard Grades

Units and the external exam

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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

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The final exam tests the whole course To get an award you have to

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Pass all the units

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Pass the final exam

An example - Geography

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Unit 1 – Environmental Interactions

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Unit 2 Unit 3 – Physical Environments – Human Environments

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Prelims

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Final Exam

The final exam

70% = A 60% = B 50% = C 45% = D <45% = No Award Incomplete

Taking responsibility

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As you get older you need to take more responsibility for your work.

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Education is not about just receiving information and explanations.

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You must be actively involved in your own learning!

Coping with the demands

… some factors to consider …

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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

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

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In school

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At home

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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

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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

70 60 50 50 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 0 August August August February February February May May May

The Pupil Experience

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What is it actually like to move from S4 into S5?

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Cameron and Ruth

Conclusion

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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

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Organised

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Clear about how to progress Hard-working

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Responsible Committed to improvement Resilient

How Will You Cope?

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The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.

writer) ~ Harry Golden (an American •

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)