The final term of school session 2019-20 is now underway and, like the end of last term, this will be unlike any other we have experienced. Countries across the world continue to fight against COVID-19 and the measures required to do so have transformed our day-to-day lives. Thoughts, in particular, are with families affected directly by the virus and the best wishes of all Renfrew High School staff goes out to all in our school community at this time.

The school remains closed and is likely to remain so for the remainder of this term, as per the most recent indications from the Scottish Government. Essential contact with the school can be made by email – details can be found on this website.

Please note the following pieces of information and continue to stay engaged with us via the website and the many twitter feeds across our subjects.

I continue to be grateful for the efforts of all my staff team who are providing learning, volunteering in hubs or helping children and families in various other ways. I am also grateful to our young people and families for your cooperation with what is being asked of you at this time.

As ever, stay safe and take care.

Billy

Billy Burke

Head Teacher

 

Childcare Hubs

The hub at Trinity High School continues to support children of essential workers and other vulnerable young people. Further information is available on the Renfrewshire Council website.

 

Home Learning

Our teachers continue to provide learning experiences for S1-3 pupils. Please be reassured that we will work hard to ensure that our young people are not disadvantaged by the inevitable gap in ‘normal’ teaching and learning as and when schools fully reopen in the future. In the meantime, the priority is staying safe by following the government’s instructions and keeping healthy and active where possible. The home learning tasks will assist with this however parents should be reassured that our staff understand that every young person and household is different, and no one should be unduly pressured by home learning tasks.

Our staff are on hand via the Show My Homework app to assist where required.

For S4 and S5 pupils who are planning to return to school and have chosen courses for next session, we will soon be providing learning opportunities via Show My Homework to enable re-engagement with learning and preparation for next session’s courses.

 

SQA Qualifications

The statement below was issued by the Chief Executive of the SQA on Monday 20th April. It contains useful information for pupils and parents on how SQA will award qualifications for session 2019-20.

All in our school community can be reassured that our highly skilled staff team will work diligently to ensure follow the SQA guidance to ensure that our young people achieve what they deserve – based on the totality of their performance in courses from June 2019 to March 20th 2020.

Note that, with other secondary schools in Renfrewshire and across Scotland, estimate grades will not be shared with pupils and parents in advance of the SQA certification date of 4th August 2020.

Statement from Fiona Robertson, Chief Executive SQA:

Following the cancellation of the 2020 exam diet, I fully understand that this is an uncertain time for learners who have worked hard throughout the year and, with their parents and carers, are worried about what the current situation now means for them and their future.

Together with Scotland’s education system, SQA remains committed to delivering results to learners, in as fair a way as possible, at this exceptionally difficult time. We want to ensure that young people across Scotland get the results they deserve, so they can progress to further learning or work.

At the request of the Deputy First Minister, I have been asked to develop an alternative certification model for 2020.

We are basing all of our work on three broad principles, whilst adapting to the current challenges we all face:

  • Fairness to all learners;
  • Safe and secure certification of our qualifications, while following the latest public health advice; and
  • Maintaining the integrity and credibility of our qualifications system, ensuring that standards are maintained over time, in the interests of learners.

I would like to set out some further detail on this model today, so that we can provide results to learners by 4 August.

Step 1 – Estimates

With no exams taking place this year and no feasible way for SQA to mark coursework, this means estimated grades will be the core element of certification.

Today, I have issued information to schools and colleges on the estimation process.

Teachers and lecturers are best placed to have a strong understanding of how their learners have performed and, based on their experience and the evidence available, what a learner would be expected to achieve in each course. An estimated grade is not just the result of one prelim or one project, but is an overall judgement based on all activity across the year.

By Friday 29 May, schools and colleges will provide us with their estimates of the grades, bands and rank order for each learner, for each course at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.

Step 2 – Awarding

We will then check and validate that information. We will moderate it, if necessary, to ensure consistency across schools and colleges and with results from previous years.

We will use the information from these estimates, in addition to prior learner attainment, where this is available. For example, if learners achieved National 5 or Higher courses, in a previous year.

We will also look at schools’ and colleges’ previous history of estimating and attainment in each subject and level. We may moderate these estimates, up or down, if that is required.

This process will produce the results for learners, using our national grades for each subject and level.

Each year, we hold Awarding Meetings that bring together a range of people with subject expertise and people with experience of standard setting across different subjects and qualification levels. We will maintain this approach this year, as far as possible.

Step 3 – Results and Certification

We will then process the results to allow us to issue learners with their individual results by 4 August. We continue to strongly encourage all learners to sign-up to MySQA, our online and text service, as a direct way to receive their results.

Step 4 – Appeals

After 4 August, a free appeals service will be available to schools and colleges, to allow them to request a review of the grade awarded for a learner or a group of learners. It is important that such a service is in place in this exceptional year.

Assessment evidence must be available to support an appeal and the evidence will be reviewed by senior examiners. We will provide schools and colleges with full details of this service shortly.

Further information is available for learners, parents and carers in the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website.

I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and patience during this time.