A range of methods are used to monitor and evaluate learning through the year. The formal assessments should give a good indication of likely performance in the final course assessment and generate robust evidence for exceptional circumstance. Formal assessments will be made up of a selection of key tasks and/or questions, covering the required areas of the course at an appropriate level of demand and carried out under exam conditions.
The evidence used to determine estimates does not need to cover the entire specified content of the course, but where more course content is covered in unseen contexts, or applying skills, knowledge and understanding in unfamiliar and complex scenarios, the greater weight will be placed on it. The structure and weightings of assessments will look different in different subjects due to the unique nature of each subject. This will result in variations between subjects when determining working grades and SQA estimates. Some subjects have an external marked practical element such as business and computing assignments.
Assessment opportunities should not be one-off, high-stakes scenarios. We make reasonable adjustments to our school day to accommodate our formal assessments. It is not possible to replicate the same assessment conditions as the SQA exams without causing significant disruption to the school day. Additionally, there would be significant concerns for the health and wellbeing of our pupils if made to sit one-off high-risk assessments which replicate the timings of SQA exams.
Learners who miss an assessment due to exceptional circumstances will be provided with 1 further opportunity to sit the assessment in class time.
Optional Formal Assessment Period 1: 29 September to Wednesday 8 October for Advance Higher, Higher and National 5
This optional calendared assessment helps provide information on a learner’s strengths and next steps in learning for S4 and S5/6 full report. Not all subjects will opt into this early phase of assessment as evidence can be generated during class tests or practical work.
Learners will follow their timetable and sit assessments during class blocks at the following times:
Monday 29 September: English/Maths Monday (Blocks 3/4)
Tuesday 30 September: Column C (Blocks 6/7)
Wednesday 1 October: Column E (Blocks 6/7)
Thursday 2 October: Column A (Blocks 3/4)
Monday 6 October: Column D (Blocks 6/7)
Tuesday 7 October: Column B (Blocks 1/2)
Wednesday 8 October: Maths/English Wednesday (Blocks 3/4)
Formal Assessment Period 2: Monday 8 December to Wednesday 17 December for National 5.
National 5 assessments will take place in class time. English and Maths National 5 assessments will be sat in the Assembly Hall.
Most Learners will have 1 assessment per subject. The opportunity to do a second smaller assessment is available for those subjects where this is considered necessary. This may result in 2 assessments on one day.
Normal time assessments have 2×50 Blocks allocated. Assessment Arrangements can extend into the next Block or the end of the day.
Formal Assessment Period 2: Monday 12 January to Friday 23 January for Higher and Advanced Higher.
Learners will predominantly experience assessments in the Assembly Hall. All Learners will sit the subject at the same time over two weeks. Learners will attend timetabled classes during the 2-week assessment period. Learning will be flexible with the opportunity for supported study out with assessment times.
Further details will be updated on the website by Friday 12 September.
Phase 1 assessments can either be accessed by date or subject:
Monday 8 December to Wednesday 17 December
Monday 12 January to Friday 23 January