Dyce Academy S3 Information Evening March

The Senior Phase Pupils will select and study National Qualifications at an appropriate level for them From S4 – S6, pupils will be able to build a portfolio of qualifications at different levels, relevant to their individual needs Their learning journey will take pupils through a range of personalised curricular pathways supported by teachers, Guidance staff and parents.

The Senior Phase Each National Qualification from National 3 – Advanced Higher is allocated 160 hours Pupils will study 6 National Qualifications in S4 and 5 or 6 National qualifications in S5/S6 The combining of the curriculum structures across S4-S6 in the senior phase will create better opportunities Classes will be open to S4, S5 and S6 students

The New Qualifications SCQF LevelNew QualificationExternal Exam?ReplacesPrevious Level 1National 1No- Pass or Fail→Access 1 Level 2National 2No- Pass or Fail→Access 2 Level 3National 3No- Pass or Fail→Access 3 & SG Foundation Level 4National 4No- Pass or Fail→SG General Intermediate 1 Level 5National 5Yes Graded A - C →SG Credit Intermediate 2 Level 6Higher (new) Available 2014 Yes Graded A - C →Higher Level 7Advanced Higher (new) Available 2015 Yes Graded A - C →Advanced Higher

National Courses Courses in the new qualifications are generally made up of 3 units, each of which is assessed internally on a pass/fail basis National 4 courses will include an added value unit. At National 4 neither the units nor the course will be graded. Assessed on pass/fail. National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses will include an external exam. The units will not be graded but the external assessment will be graded ( A – D)

Assessment The new qualifications will be assessed through Unit and Course assessment. Course assessment – sampling of skills, knowledge and understanding from the units of a course Added Value – Case Studies, Practical Activities, Performance, Portfolio, Project, Question Papers/Tests Controlled Assessment – SQA led activity, Assessments quality assured by the SQA Unit Assessment- SQA assessment support for every Course

National 4 Follows on from Outcomes and Experiences in the Broad General Education Designed to provide progression between levels Teachers will mark all Units within the National 4 Course pass or fail - Quality Assured by SQA Courses at National notional hours More skills based Assessment appropriate to subject and level National 4 Courses will not be graded. Previously Standard Grade General and Intermediate 1

National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Courses are Unit based - Units assessed pass/fail within centres – as at present Designed to provide progression between levels Courses at National 5 and above notional hours Assessment appropriate to subject and level More skills based REPLACES CREDIT/INT2/CURRENT HIGHER AND CURRENT ADVANCED HIGHER

Added Value Assessment Added value will be assessed using seven broad methods: Assignments: structured problem-solving exercise with clear guidelines Case studies: stimulus-based assessment of learner’s ability to analyse and draw conclusions Practical activities: direct application of learner’s skills to making or building something Performances: practical demonstration of learner’s skills Portfolios: collection of learner’s work assembled over the period of learning Projects: open-ended task with support appropriate to the SCQF level requiring investigative/research skills Question papers/tests: examination of knowledge and understanding via written responses

Recognising Positive Achievement A candidate who achieves a band 8 or 9 (No Award) in a National 5 Course external assessment will be able to gain an National 4 Course, as long as the following requirements are met: There is a corresponding/hierarchical course at National 4 The candidate has passed all the internally assessed Units in the National 5 Course The candidate has passed the National 4 Added Value Unit The candidate has passed a Literacy/Numeracy Unit – this is an additional unit which applies to English, Mathematics and Gaelic courses only at either National 4 or National 5

Education Scotland All schools are expected to adhere to the following requirements; A Broad General Education until the end of S3 is essential Implementation of the new SQA qualifications from 2013 – 2014 Pupils’ experiences in Broad General Education S1 – S3 should not predetermine young people’s options for qualifications in S4 and beyond The Senior Phase, S4-S6, will be combined no later that

Curriculum Structures in the Senior Phase S4 S5/S6 S4/S5 S6 S4 S5 S6

Mythbusters and Questions Are all schools doing the same? All Aberdeen city schools will be adhering to the same requirements. This does not mean that we will have an identical curriculum. We will take into account our local circumstances such as our consortium links with Bucksburn, access to FE college provision, links with Aberdeen University and local business. We also consider the number of periods in the week, our school roll and the profile of our teachers and resources. Many schools in other authorities are planning around a six column structure, delivering between five to six subjects in S4. This is recognised as good practice. The National Courses are 1 year courses and are designed for 160 hours. It would not be possible to offer more than 6 courses in one year.

Mythbusters and Questions continued Can my child change courses at the end of S3? The Broad General Education lasts until the end of S3. While we, at Dyce Academy, have provided a degree of some personalisation and choice during S3, the choices that your son/daughter made for S3 does not predetermine the courses that a pupil may choose to follow in S4 and beyond for certification. The courses are one year courses. Pupils will be given as free a choice of courses for S4 as possible. Pupils should take into account the best possible advice from their teachers, Guidance teachers, parents and other sources of careers advice when making decisions.

Mythbusters and Questions continued Must my child take English and Mathematics in the Senior Phase? Although the Senior Phase is tailored for each individual’s interests, needs and intentions, we want all our pupils to gain qualifications in English and Mathematics at National 4 or 5 level in S4 since these are likely to be necessary for future employment or study. Where appropriate there will be opportunities for pupils to take National 3 in English and Mathematics.

Mythbusters and Questions continued Will my child achieve fewer SQA Qualifications than previously? This depends very much on your child’s journey through the senior phase. The majority of young people at Dyce Academy stay on until the end of 5 th year and increasingly to the end of S6. With our six column structure S4 – S6 there is the potential for a pupil to gain 18 Highers or 4 Advanced Highers plus Highers or a combination of National 4’s and 5’s with Highers and Advanced Highers. Most pupils in S4 will be taking six National Qualifications instead of the previous 7. However your child will have more in-depth learning given the 4 hours per week allocated to each of the Courses.

Mythbusters and Questions continued Will my child gain credit for the work they have done in the Junior phase? At the end of the Broad General Education in S3 pupils and parents will receive: A Pupil Profile that summarises the pupil’s key achievements during the Broad General Education. This will be compiled by the pupil with support from his/her teachers.

Mythbusters and Questions continued Will my child be disadvantaged when applying for college or university? Universities in Scotland will continue to set entry requirements based on Highers. In some cases there may be a requirement to hold minimum qualifications in particular subjects such as English, Mathematics. Universities, Colleges and employers are looking at the quality of qualifications, rather than the quantity. Our new structure aims for pupils to gain better quality passes than the previous system. The combination of possible Highers will be similar to that in the previous system and will enable students to acquire the necessary entry requirements where possible.

University and CfE Universities understand they cannot assume that there is a single model of when students are presented for Highers, or that learners necessarily all have the same opportunities to study for a full range of Highers in a single year. They remain committed to promoting a fair admissions policy to ensure equal consideration to candidates who apply on time and who possess the necessary knowledge and skills, irrespective of the route travelled through the Senior Phase, S4 to S6.

University and CFE Universities will require evidence of academic rigour in the form of a suitable diet of examinations at the end of S5 Universities will accept 5/4 Highers studied over 2 years (S4-S5) Universities may place conditions on the academic programme taken in S6 Where a student is in S6 and receives an unconditional offer, universities expect full and continued participation in the subjects declared within the UCAS application and contribution to the life of the school

Universities and CfE Students who choose to resit a Higher in which they achieved a Grade C or below in the first sitting, will be required to achieve a grade A in the second sitting Applications to very competitive degrees such as Education, Law or Medicine require special attention to the Personal Statement and the Referee’s statement

Progression Routes

Draft Choice Sheet 1.Please Select One Subject from each column and write down your choice in the box below each column. 2.Please indicate a reserve choice for each column CDEF AccountingArt & DesignAdmin & ITBiology Art & DesignBusiness Management Chemistry BiologyGeographyComputing & Info Science Engineering Science Computing & Info ScienceEngineering ScienceDramaFrench GeographyPE Graphic Communication History Graphic CommunicationPhysicsHospitalityModern Studies MusicRMPSPractical Craft SkillsMusic PESpanishPhysics Choice Reserve

Timeline 5 MarchParents information evening Friday 14 MarchChoice forms returned

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