SQA

Next Parent Council meeting on 30 November 2021

19 November 2021: The next meeting of the JGHS Parent Council meeting will be held online on Tuesday 30 November at 7pm. We will send out the link before the meeting via the school email. 

At the meeting we will hear from:

  1. Donald Macdonald (HT) – overview and parents’ questions
  2. Bob Shankland (DHT) – review of SQA assessments in 2020/21 and look forward to 2021/22
  3. Ian Porter (DHT) – supporting children’s mental health
  4. Eliot Ambrose (Active Schools Co-ordinator) – Active School update

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 JGHS Parent Council

You can find info about previous meetings of the PC on 7 September and 13 October here:

JGHS Parent Council meeting 7 September 2021

JGHS Parent Council AGM Q&A 13 October 2021

Minutes of JGHS Parent Council AGM 13 October 2021

Edinburgh Council engagement with schools in the SE/NE Locality

21 May 2021: The Council’s SE/NE Locality meeting took place on 27 April 2021 and looked at the following issues:

Edinburgh School estate

An update on developments across the school estate was given by Robbie Crockatt, Acting School Estate Planning Officer.

Learning Estate Update April 2021

Holiday arrangements

Possible changes to school holiday arrangements to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee were discussed.

SQA Alternative Certification Model

The Council gave a further update on arrangements for SQA assessments, following a number of concerns raised by Parent Councils.

SQA Alternative Certification Model update April 2021

Secondary PC chair meeting 31 March 2021

Issues such as pressure on pupils and schools, the lack of contingency arrangements for Covid-19 outbreaks and the SQA’s failure to put in place an appeals process were discussed.

A note of the SE/NE Locality meeting can be found here

SQA unit assessment and exam changes

Please see attached letter.docx from the Director of Qualifcations Development at the SQA outlining the impact of the removal of units and unit assessments. For each National 5 course, the changes have resulted in one or more of the following:

  • extension of the existing question paper
  • extension/modification of the existing item of coursework
  • a new question paper
  • a new item of coursework