Supporting Learning and Revision

Pointers for Parents & Pupils learning & revising: Curriculum for Excellence National Qualifications Useful Websites www.planitplus.net www.learningatschool.net www.parentforumscotland.org www.sqa.org.uk/cfeassessment Revision R esources for L earners • Your school/college is your first stop. Many subject teachers will provide revision guides, clubs or drop-in sessions • Ask your school or local librarian for research skills and tips • The SQA has a Specimen (sample) Question Paper (exam) for National 5 and Higher subjects which have exams. The SQA recommends paying particular attention to the marking instructions. See National 5 Specimen Papers at www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/69284.html and Higher Specimen Papers at www.sqa.org.uk/higherspecimenquestions • Use search engines to find subject content on school websites • Visit our Revision in a Nutshell National 5 subject guides at www.parentforumscotland. org with links to useful school websites • BBC Bitesize (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize) covers a range of National 4, 5 and Higher subjects with colourful video clips, course information, revision tests and listening tests for English • Search YouTube for your National 5 or Curriculum for Excellence Higher subjects • Commercially-produced revision guides feature model question papers and/or cover core course content. Some guides are endorsed by the SQA. Ask your teachers to identify the most relevant ones for you • Scholar (www.scholar.hw.ac.uk) runs free live online sessions for National 5 languages. Revision material for maths is also available; check the site regularly for new resources • Search ‘revision’ on the Education Scotland website www.educationscotland.gov.uk and you will find a range of subject options. Ensure that material is relevant to your courses • Some revision materials from Standard Grade, Intermediate 2 and non-Curriculum for Excellence Highers may be relevant but check with your teachers before using these. Please always check with your teachers to ensure that revision resources are appropriate for you. Supporting L earners Learners are entitled to receive appropriate support to help them reach their potential. Schools do this in a variety of ways to suit the needs of young people: • Personal learning planning • Study groups • Homework clubs • Drop-in revision sessions • Online support sessions • Quiet areas. Some young people are entitled to tailored strategies, plans and assessment arrangements where there is evidence of an additional support need. These strategies may include: • Input from a range of professionals • Photocopied or digital course notes • Extra adult support with learning • Use of ICT for typing and spellchecking • Extra time for assessments • Visual supports (eg large typeface; coloured overlays) • Visit www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements Communicating with parents is an essential part of supporting learners i Top Tips for L earners • Make sure that course content information is complete and is organised into Units (topics) • Plan work so that deadlines are met comfortably • Make a realistic and achievable revision timetable for exams and include breaks and rewards • Stick to the revision timetable • Work out how you learn best: reading aloud? Recording and playing back information? Explaining topics to others? Writing out key facts? Being tested by others? • If you find gaps in your understanding or knowledge, ask your teachers • Do practice questions and papers under timed conditions and ask your teachers to mark them and give you feedback • Keep healthy with plenty of nutritious food, water, fresh air, exercise and sleep • The SQA offers online study guides to support preparation for exams at www.sqa.org.uk/studyguides • The National Parent Forum website at www.parentforumscotland.org has more revision tips for learners. MONDAY 27ASK

National Qualifications are designed and quality assured by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and are delivered by schools and colleges. For more information on the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), visit: www.sqa.org.uk/cfeforparents www.sqa.org.uk/cfeforyoungpeople Please note that in 2014/15 only, there are two types of Highers - CfE Highers which articulate with National 5s and Highers from the previous curriculum. Check with your school about which Higher courses your child is undertaking as this will determine which revision resources are relevant. CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE IN A NUTSHELL Visit www.parentforumscotland.org for our Curriculum for Excellence In a Nutshell summaries on: • National 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Highers (30+ subjects) • Skills • Progression • Assessment • National 5 Revision (20 subjects) Welc ome We hope that parents/carers and young people will find this guide to learning and revising for N ational Qualifications in the Senior Phase of Curriculum for E xcellence useful. I t will help you to: Find out more about the new N ational Qualifications Think about learning and revision Discover resources to support learning and revision With very best wishes, Iain Ellis Chair, National Parent F orum of Sc otland Curriculum for Excellence National Qualifications Essential I nformation Ask your school/college for deadlines and important dates for completion of coursework or tests. These may be spread throughout the year. National Qualifications (Nationals 1-5 and CfE Highers) are comprised of Units (topics) Units must be passed to gain National Qualifications. These are assessed by schools/ colleges, to SQA specifications. Units can be assessed in different ways during the year - pieces of work undertaken at school or at home may count towards assessment. • Ask your school/college for course descriptions, information about Units (topics) and Unit Assessments • Information on course content, organised by subjects, can be found under ‘Course Specification’ on the SQA website at www.sqa.org.uk/cfesubjects • Course content is available in commercially- produced revision guides; BBC Bitesize (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize) also covers material relevant to some Units. FROM DR ALASDAIR ALLAN MSP I am happy to support this very useful resource from the National Parent Forum of Scotland, which provides parents with information to help their child through the Curriculum for Excellence qualifications. We all want to support Scotland’s children to do the best they can, which is at the very heart of Curriculum for Excellence. Dr Alasdair A llan MS P Minister for L earning, Sc ience and Scotland’s L anguages National 4 qualifications also have an A dded Value Unit which must be passed This is assessed by schools and colleges, in accordance with SQA guidance. National 5 and CfE Higher qualifications have a Course A ssessment For most subjects, there is a Question Paper (exam). Question Papers are scheduled in the SQA’s exam timetable, available at www.sqa.org.uk/timetable. Most subjects also have another assessment component (eg an assignment or a portfolio), with deadlines well in advance of exams. • Ask at your school/college for more information about Course Assessments • See the National Parent Forum of Scotland's series of Nationals in a Nutshell, CfE Highers in a Nutshell and Assessment in a Nutshell for subject and assessment information at www.parentforumscotland.org This leaflet has been produced by the National Parent Forum of Scotland with support from the Scottish Government, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Education Scotland. June 2014 www.parentforumscotland.org enquiries@parentforumscotland.org

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