SQA

Skills Development Scotland helpline

3 August 2023: With results day just around the corner, the SQA has provided details about the help and advice available from Skills Development Scotland:

This year’s Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000 will be open:

  • Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 August – 8am to 8pm
  • Thursday 10 and Friday 11 August – 9am to 5pm

There will be more than 30 expert volunteers to take calls from 8am on Tuesday, 8 August until Friday 11 August.

They will provide all callers with bespoke information, advice and support tailored to meet their individual needs.

More information is available on their website:

Skills Development Scotland Helpline

Access to Skills Development Scotland is available all year round through local career centres, the My World of Work website, and through in-school careers advisers. The number to call when the Results Helpline closes is 0800 917 8000.

My World of Work

Appeals 2023 – a guide for parents and carers

27 July 2023: The SQA has published a guide for parents and carers with information to consider if children decide to submit an appeal.

Appeals 2023 – a guide for parents and carers

Overview of Appeals 2023

Learners will receive their results certificate, delivered to their home address by first class post, on Tuesday 8 August. Those who have signed-up for and activated their MySQA account will also receive their results by text and/or email the same morning from 8 am.

Appeals 2023 will open on Tuesday 8 August at 9 am. The service provides learners with the opportunity to request a marking review if they have concerns about their certificated grade.

The appeals service is free and will be open for learners to appeal either directly to SQA, or through their school.

Further information is available on the blog.

A downloadable booklet is also available:

Appeals 2023 – What you need to know: Nat 5, Higher and Adv Higher

SQA exams 2023 – information for parents and carers

23 March 2023: The SQA has created “Your Exams 2023” – a booklet, which is delivered to schools, colleges and training providers and includes helpful information and rules that your child needs to know before their exams start.

You can find out more on the SQA blog site:

SQA exams 2023 – information for parents and carers

For more information including the exam timetable, prohibited items, exam preparation, SQA apps and tips for on the day visit the SQA Your Exams 2023 website:

Your Exams 2023 website

Helping your child prepare for SQA exams in 2023

2 February 2023: The SQA has published a new blog about upcoming exam diet.

If your child is sitting National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher SQA exams in 2023, the article has information about the support options available.

This includes details about the services in the event of exceptional circumstances during their exams or appeals if you believe the grade they receive on results day is incorrect.

Read the SQA blog

Recording of Parent Council meeting on 29 November

1 December 2022: Many thanks to everyone who was able to attend the meeting of the JGHS Parent Council on Tuesday 29 November 2022.

This was a very full meeting which covered a lot of information about activities within the school, and included a very useful presentation about the SQA results achieved by young people at the school in the 2021/22 exam diet.

A recording of the meeting is now available on YouTube and a brief minute is linked below.

Recording of the Parent Council Meeting on 29 November 2022

Minutes of Parent Council Meeting on 29 November 2022

The slides presented by the Headteacher Mr Neil McCallum on the SQA results can be viewed at the link below:

SQA presentation by Neil MacCallum, 29 November 2022

Next Parent Council Meeting is 29 November

Updated 24 November 2022: The next meeting of the Parent Council will be on Tuesday 29 November 2022 at 7 pm. The main presentation at the meeting will be an analysis of the school’s SQA results in 2022.

The meeting will be held on MS Teams, and the joining link will be sent by the school just before the event, so please look out for the email.  We hope you will be able to join us.

Draft agenda

  • Update from Parent Council
  • Headteacher’s report, including updates (amongst others) on:
    • Mental health work in the school
    • IT in the school
    • School trips
    • Staffing
    • Transition into the Darroch building
    • The S4 prelims
  • SQA results 2021/22

There will be the opportunity on the night to ask questions via the Q&A typed chat facility, but if you want to raise an issue in advance, please email the PC and we will try to include it in the updates.

Email the Parent Council

Dates of future Parent Council meetings

  • Wednesday 1 February 2023 (in the school)
  • Tuesday 21 March 2023 (online)
  • Wednesday 31 May 2023 (in the school)

CCwP meeting held 24 February 2022

22 March 2022: The Council’s Consultative Committee with Parents (CCwP) met on 24 February 2022 to discuss the issues which would be considered at the Education, Children and Families Committee the following week.

This included:

  • The Council’s strategy on school attendance
  • An update on SQA plans for exams this year
  • An update on Council figures on school leaver destinations

Shared documents from meeting

CCwP ECF report

Attendance in Edinburgh

SQA Update, February 2022

Edinburgh Learns Pathways report

A recording of the meeting can be viewed at the link below.

CCwP meeting 24 February 2022

Views from parents on Education Scotland and SQA consulation

25 November 2021: Many thanks to all the parents and carers who submitted responses to the Parent Council survey on the future of Scotland’s educational assessment system.

The comments have now been collated and sent to the Scottish Government’s Education Reform Consultation.

The full submission made by the Parent Council can be read at the link below.

Education Reform Consultation JGHS PC

Seeking your views on Scotland’s assessment system

23 November 2021 – update: The Parent Council wants to hear from parents on the issues raised in the current Scottish Government education consultation on the replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the reform of Education Scotland.

The Scottish Government has made a significant proposal for reform, and the complex consultation requires knowledge of the roles of different educational bodies, and an understanding of Curriculum for Excellence.

A summary of the consultation is presented here

We recognise that not everyone will have time to deal with all the issues raised.  Therefore to simplify this consultation, the Parent Council is asking for views on the single question below. 

What would you like Scotland’s secondary education assessment system to look like in the future? 

Please submit your comments here

All responses can be submitted anonymously, but you if you would like us to contact you about your response, please leave your name and email address.

We are asking for comments by midday on Wednesday 24 November 2021.

The Parent Council will collate parents’ comments and send them on to the consultation.

Respond directly to the Scottish Government consultation

We are disappointed that greater steps have not been taken to make the consultation more accessible to parents and will be making that point in the consultation response.

If you are able, please also submit your own individual response to the consultation.

Details can be found here along with further information on the background, including CfE, Education Scotland and the SQA, and links to the OECD reports.

Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority: consultation

The consultation deadline is Friday 26 November 2021

Contact the Parent Council

As always, the PC can be contacted by email.