Please click here to read the digital version of this letter.

Dear Parent/Carer,

The Year 9 assessments will be taking place week commencing 3rd February. A timetable for these exams is on the letter linked above.

These assessments provide an opportunity for all pupils to demonstrate their understanding of the learning undertaken so far in Year 9, as well as prior learning from Years 7 and 8. Children will be assessed against Pre-Qualification Expectations (PQEs) for each subject. We have made some changes to this system recently and there are now five grades: Emerging, Developing, Secure, Embedded and Exceeding.

Exceeding – The knowledge or skill is consistently and deeply understood and applied across contexts. The understanding of the learning demonstrated may be beyond the age and stage of the pupil.

Embedded – The understanding and application of this knowledge or skill is deepening and becoming fluent, if not consistently.

Secure – The understanding and application of this knowledge or skill is secure.

Developing – There are signs that knowledge and skills are developing but are not yet secure.

Emerging – The expectation in this area has not yet been met.

When you receive your child’s PQE assessment report, it will include these grading criteria for each PQE within each individual subject. Your child’s teachers will be able to discuss this with you at the Year 9 Parent Carer Consultation Evening on 12th March.

All children were issued with retrieval booklets to support them ahead of the assessments. The booklets are thorough, so they can be used in the future, but we have reminded children they do not need to do every question. Instead, they should focus on the areas that would benefit from more practice. If your child needs support, please ask them to speak to their subject teachers. If your child would like to undertake these activities at school, please encourage them to attend the Independent Learning Hub any day after school in S1.

Yours faithfully,

Miss S Drew-Brown
Languages Team Manager/Acting Senior Manager