Dates from the Parent Council:

Friday 7th June – Sports Day

The Parent Council will be selling teas, coffees, juice and crisps together with delicious home baking.  As always, your generous donations of baking will be warmly received.  You can bring them along on the day before the 9.30am start, or hand them into the office on Thursday.  Come along and enjoy a cake and coffee while cheering on your sports stars!

Thursday 27th June – Fun Festival and BBQ

This year’s end of term barbecue has gone all “Fun Festival” on us!  From 6-9pm, come along and enjoy free games and activities for children and grownups alike, feast on burgers and salad and yummy desserts, wash it all down with a drink from our licensed bar and soak up the live music, courtesy of wonderful local musicians!  Much more information to follow soon…..just make sure you get that date in your diary!

New Qualifications – April Update

 

Advanced Higher documents published

SQA has finalised and published documents for the new Advanced Higher Courses commencing in August 2015.

Find out more…

National 4 Added Value Unit assessment

SQA has published its third release of National 4 Added Value Unit assessments. The assessments are held securely and teachers/lecturers can arrange access to them through their SQA Co-ordinator.

Find out more…

National 5 coursework information

SQA has published its third release of coursework information for non-question-paper components of the National 5 Course assessment. This has been published in two parts: general assessment information and coursework assessment tasks

Find out more…

Unit Assessment Support for National 2 to National 5

The third Unit Assessment Support package for Units in the new National 2 to National 5 Courses is now available. The documents are held securely and teachers/lecturers can arrange access through their SQA Co-ordinator.

Package 3 of the Unit Assessment Support for Lifeskills Mathematics includes e-assessment materials, which are available from the Lifeskills Mathematics area of the SQA Solar website.

Find out more…

Scottish Studies Award

SQA has finalised and published documents for the new Scottish Studies Award. The Award Specifications and Unit Specifications will support teachers and lecturers by helping them to prepare for teaching the new Scottish Studies Award from August 2013 onwards.

To find out more, and to access the documents, visit www.sqa.org.uk/awardsand click on ‘Scottish Studies Award’.

Gaelic translation of key Curriculum for Excellence documents

SQA has strengthened its commitment to Gaelic-medium provision in the Senior Phase by working in partnership with key publishing organisations to produce Gaelic editions of key CfE documents. This is a four-year project, which underpins SQA’s aims and supports centres in the Senior Phase, as the current Gaelic-medium learners progress towards the new National Qualifications. Key documents will be published covering Geography, History, Mathematics, Media Studies and Modern Studies.

The following documents have now been translated into Gaelic and have been published on SQA’s website:

¨        Course Specifications for National 3 to Higher

¨        Literacy and Numeracy Unit Specifications for National 3 to National 5

To find out more and to access these documents, please visit our Gàidhlig subject page(Gaelic for fluent speakers).

Section 96 (7) of the Equality Act 2010: specifications on reasonable adjustments in new National Qualifications

In our January update, we highlighted key information regarding ‘Specifications on Reasonable Adjustments in National Qualifications in Scotland’.  Having published a number of specifications restricting the use of certain assessment arrangements, in certain National Qualifications, we also recently e-mailed centres with a reminder that all of the specifications will come into effect from August 2013.

To find out more visit www.sqa.org.uk/equalityact

Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy

The results of the 2012 Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN), which focused on literacy, have now been published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

The 2013 SSLN, which focuses on numeracy, will take place during May and June in schools across Scotland.

Find out more…

SCQF interactive ready reckoner

Our interactive ready reckoner has recently been updated to show when the new National Qualifications will be introduced and where they fit on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

To access the ready reckoner, visit www.sqa.org.uk/readyreckoner

Engaging with our audiences

It is important for us to engage with our audience groups and ensure they are prepared for the new National Qualifications being implemented in August 2013.

Our Curriculum for Excellence Liaison Team is continuing to work with schools, colleges and local authorities. This month, the team have been attending parent evenings, SQA Co-ordinator meetings, Senior Management Team meetings and Principle Teacher meetings.

You can find out more about the Liaison Team at www.sqa.org.uk/cfeteam

SQA’s April update is also available to view online at www.sqa.org.uk/cfenews

 

Playground

The Parent Council are pleased to have made further investment in the playground.

The football goals have arrived and they will certainly be a useful addition to the playground. Pictures will be posted on the main school webpage.

An outdoor blackboard will shortly be installed at the pond area. It will be a useful asset as pupils can use at break times and it will allow teachers to take lessons outside.

Repairs have been made to the pond and some tadpoles have now taken up residence in the West Barns Pond.

The Parent Council aim to continue to develop the playground area for the benefit of pupils.