S5/6 Information Evening

April 1st 2014

Points to Consider

What job, course or career am I aiming for?What are the entry requirements?How do I expect to do in my exams this year?For how long do I plan to stay on at school?What advice have I been given by teachers,

careers advisers and parents?Am I being realistic about my plans?

Learning Agreement

Commitment to school

Paid Employment (10 hours per week)

Holidays during school time

‘Young Person’ status

Use of non-class time

OTHER ISSUES

Think about the options open to you in relation to your career plans.

Make the best choice you can Educational Maintenance AllowanceOpportunities to contribute to the wider life of the

schoolCan’t guarantee all choices but will do best

New Qualifications

SCQF Level New Qualification External Exam? Replaces

Previous

Level 3 National 3 No- Pass or Fail → Access 3 & SG Foundation

Level 4 National 4 No- Pass or Fail → SG GeneralIntermediate 1

Level 5 National 5 YesGraded A - D

→ SG CreditIntermediate 2

Level 6 Higher (new)Available 2014

YesGraded A - D

→ Higher

Level 7 Advanced Higher (new)Available 2015

YesGraded A - D

→ Advanced Higher

National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

Courses are Unit based - Units assessed pass/fail within centres – as at present

Designed to provide progression between levels

Courses at National 5 and above - 160 notional hours

Assessment appropriate to subject and level

More skills based

Bucksburn Link

The S5 and S6 timetable is developed jointly with Bucksburn Academy

This means senior students can have a much wider range of options open to them.

Some courses are shared.Some are at one school or the otherThere is a free shuttle bus every period

University

Universities in Scotland will continue to set entry requirements based on Highers.

In some cases there may be a requirement to hold minimum qualifications in particular subjects such as English, Mathematics.

Universities, Colleges and employers are looking at the quality of qualifications, rather than the quantity.

Our new structure aims for pupils to gain better quality passes than the previous system.

The combination of possible Highers will be similar to that in the previous system and will enable students to acquire the necessary entry requirements where possible.

University

Universities understand they cannot assume that there is a single model of when students are presented for Highers, or that learners necessarily all have the same opportunities to study for a full range of Highers in a single year.

They remain committed to promoting a fair admissions policy to ensure equal consideration to candidates who apply on time and who possess the necessary knowledge and skills, irrespective of the route travelled through the Senior Phase, S4 to S6.

www.universities-scotland.ac.uk/uploads/USBeyoundtheseniorphaseCfEMay2012.pdf

University

Universities will require evidence of academic rigour in the form of a suitable diet of examinations at the end of S5

Universities will accept 5/4 Highers studied over 2 years (S4-S5)

Universities may place conditions on the academic programme taken in S6

Where a student is in S6 and receives an unconditional offer, universities expect full and continued participation in the subjects declared within the UCAS application and contribution to the life of the school

University

Students who choose to resit a Higher in which they achieved a Grade C or below in the first sitting, will be required to achieve a grade A in the second sitting

Applications to very competitive degrees such as Education, Law or Medicine require special attention to the Personal Statement and the Referee’s statement

Progression Routes

National 4

National 5

Higher

S4

Maths & English plus 4 Choices

5 Subjects, mix of National 5 and

Highers

Advanced Higher

4 Subjects - Highers, Advanced Highers

Advanced Higher

Leave school Leave school Leave school

Job

Apprenticeship

College NC (1Year)

College NC (1Year)

National 5

Higher

Higher

HNC (1year)

HND (2year)

University Degree (4years)

University Degree

2yrs College + 2yrs University

S6 S5

Job / Career