As you will be aware pupils in all year groups are assessed in class at many different times in the school year in order to measure their progress in each curriculum area. In order to support pupils, parents and carers with preparations for assessments we have produced an assessment calendar which can be filtered by year group/subject/level so that forthcoming assessments can be easily identified. (Please note that there may be additions / amendments – we will let parents know if the calendar is updated at any point).
This is of particular importance for Senior Pupils in S4-S6 that are sitting National 5/Higher/Advanced Higher courses this year as we will be gathering evidence of attainment through assessments, prelims and other means to determine final estimated grades which will be sent to the SQA around Easter (dates still TBC by SQA). The depute first minister announced on the 7th October that National 5 exams would not be going ahead in 2021 and that grades will be determined through teacher assessment and coursework this year. Therefore it is very important that pupils take every opportunity to show their progress in each subject area.
It is planned for Higher and Advanced Higher pupils to complete a full exam diet in 2021 but the uncertainty surrounding all events due to COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions means that it is also crucial for these pupils to have reliable evidence gathered which will support the highest teacher estimate possible or for any appeals process/exceptional circumstances requests which may be in place after the exam diet.
Plans for Prelim exams are underway and I hope to be able to issue further details on the specifics of this process in the coming weeks. Provisional Prelim dates are: 1st Dec- 17th Dec 2020 with a second prelim being planned for March 2021. Dates will be confirmed when SQA publish their deadlines for the coming year.
I hope you find the assessment calendar a supportive tool,
Ms Cole
