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Our challenge is that we have a knowledge based exams. Until this changes the balance will always lean towards knowledge.

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Music provides pupils with an array of transferrable skills, our challenge is encouraging pupils to understand what they are and how to apply them across all areas of their learning.

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We find pupils are conservative and prefer ''traditional'' methods of teaching.

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Music is naturally very creative. We have found that introducing new BGE composition tasks have boosted that creativity which will prepare them for the senior phase.

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We have progression pathways to guide learning in transition however we need to build closer links with our cluster schools. Prior to the pandemic these links were becoming well established.

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Assessments are used for learning. Results will impact future lessons.

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Our students need a small amount of knowledge but in order to achieve the way the SQA want them to. They must practice the same skills over and over again.

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We do listen to the students and take on board some of the things they might want to do but we have to offer mostly "traditional" skill based classes or our results would plummet. Don't agree with this but unless the SQA let a little bit of creativity into the art curriculum we'll need to keep drawing again and again.

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Repeating the same skill over and over again is the only way to achieve better levels of attainment but students very rarely practice at home. This means even more repetition in school. More focus on literacy at Primary school and less focus on teaching the skills (often wrongly) would help.

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Art is quite prescriptive with a little more room for creativity at senior level. We have found that the only way to equip students with the skills they need is to make the courses more traditional and take out the personalisation and choice.

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Formative assessment is constant and takes place in every lesson everyday but we need to make more time for summative assessment, especially in the written area. Difficult in one period a week though and especially difficult with a Friday class.

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Computing is mostly a skills based course as the majority of the time is spent coding. Students find it difficult to transfer what they know on a computer to paper and often panic at questions that would be simple tasks for them on a computer. Despite improvements on addressing this problem in the classroom over the years transfering their skills into knowledge remains a challange.

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S3 Computing provides a lot of time to develop skills that will pay off in S4 Computing which there would be otherwise no time for. The nature of coding means that students can't be taught something briefly once and move on as they will need to practice the same concept in different circumstances. Even making mistakes is a crucial step in the development of their skills as the students will learn from their errors and avoid this in the future. Without BGE Computing there is no time for this process to happen.
I personally worry about the current S3s as there is a reluctance to work this year and I don't believe they will be approaching 4th year with the same skills that they have had in previous years.

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Digital Skills has proven a much needed building block for S2 and S1 especially. Compared to a few years ago I feel the students were digitally illiterate but now they have had access to the computers they are able to access the S3 Computing curriculum as well as the wider curriculum going forward.

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Creativity is encouraged from S3 onwards. Coding (both Python and Web Design) allow students to express their ideas and challenge themselves with open ended extension tasks available in every area. Students that pick Computing in the senior phase seem to enjoy the creative way they can approach problems.

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It can be difficult to summatively assess students in 3rd year as since the course is skills based there is a need for coursework to be completed. With coursework it isn't really possible to do it in one period so it becomes something which needs to be done over time.
Students that were behind (due to illness, lack of effort or truancy) were reluctant to push through to reach the assessment. At some point the class just had to move on which means many of those who failed simply didn't reach the coursework.

Formative assessment on the other hand is is easy as how students are progressing can be seen on their screens. With the school's Repl.it licence it is possible to see who is at what stage of their learning by being able to quickly and easily view submissions.

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In the senior phase most students seem to like the practical aspect and their feedback is positive. There isn't much love for the theory side but it needs to be done for the exams.

With 3rd year Computing opinions seem to vary wildly. Some students love making Web pages with an online editor but hate the real thing when they have to code it and vice versa. Some students love the Game Design section of the course and others find it too easy and unengaging. Or, despite being distracted by games are unmotivated to try making their own.

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Digital Skills has proven quite difficult to summatively assess. An Excel assessment can be completed but how do you assess a student's ability to use Powerpoint or their general ability to access Microsoft Teams?

Formatively assessment on the other hand is rather easy as students are far more confident on accessing computers than they were at the start of the year.

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Recent focus on developing practical based skills, as evidenced by questions in the final exam. As a department, we have been actively trying to revamp BGE assessment to incorporate key skills learners will use going into senior school. Developing critical thinking skills in pupils is a key focus going forward.

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As a department we have incorporated pupil feedback into our teaching at key points in the year with senior school pupils. We want to broaden this approach into BGE classes as a means of critically evaluating and reflecting on our teaching practice within the junior school.

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Need more skills and investigation work. Build on skills across the curriculum.

Currently too much emphasis on knowledge.

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This is an area we want to develop and improve. The science curriculum is very fragmented, with specific topic areas being covered by different subject disciplines. Due to the variety of topics covered in BGE, it is difficult to work in situations where pupils can access and demonstrate prior knowledge, especially if it is very subject specific.

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Pupil voice is pretty non-existent in BGE.

They could set the agenda and lead their own learning.

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Some topic areas naturally lead to more creative opportunities (e.g. pupils design greenhouses to suit specific plant needs etc). We have had success pre-covid with CREST awards and the junior science fair where pupils are given time to work collaboratively to solve an issue or problem.

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We don't build on prior knowledge, we would love a cluster approach to support us to build on what's gone before.

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Some creativity, challenges, PowerPoints and posters.

We could be more creative in our experimental approaches.

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We have significantly altered assessment within the BGE over the last few years with an increased focus on more formative means of assessment, with less high-stakes summative tests. Pupils feedback that they like having a range of opportunities to demonstrate understanding. We want to improve moderation of formative assessment to ensure that pupils can get a clear picture of their current level and progress.

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Posters provide too many marks for presentation.

Tests don't need to be the only method but serve a purpose to prepare for the transition to the Senior Phase

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A very skills based curriculum with lots of options for pupils to build the skills required in a variety of disciplines.

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The BGE is very skills based but there is not as much opportunity to develop skills as we progress to the senior phase. The courses become very knowledge based and it is challenging trying to find time in a busy curriculum for skills development.

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We have a pupil voice noticeboard in the Departments with examples of where and when pupils have opportunities to share ideas and shape learning. Do all pupils recognise this as Pupil Voice?

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In S1, one of our first lessons is to find out what pupils can already do and what they already know. This allows us to quickly establish our starting point but it would be good to work much more closely with our feeder Primary schools throughout P6&7 with PE and H&T specialists to improve this transition point.

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Encouraging pupils to shape learning has enabled us to develop a creative curriculum eg they wanted Hip Hop in Dance so we have added this. We need time to focus on developing creating and innovative curriculum pathways to ensure these are engaging and meet the needs of all learners.

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We ensure that the focus in the BGE is on engagement, participation and enjoyment. From this we start to introduce the notion of assessment and learner conversations ensure pupils know the level they are working at and their next steps in learning. Learning is planned to ensure we are developing the skills and knowledge required for more focussed assessments in the senior phase.

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Very skills based subject but there needs to be knowledge to back up the pupils folios and designs. Moving on building to relate skills to knowledge even further. Skills and knowledge can't be separated.

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After each project there is pupil feedback, often the feedback is 'more time in DMG!'

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Introduce skills and compartmentalise these. They can then be used in the project to stretch the skills further and used in a different situation.

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Try to make options available for pupils.
S2 project offers opportunities for a vast array of creative solutions to the task. Really good seeing this.

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Skills assessed in 4 main areas - ongoing assessment in class, self evaluation is part of what happens during the work, confidence builds as they go along. Next steps are discussed with pupils and then prior learning is identified as they move onto the next project.

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Skills are embedded into the BGE from S1 and are built upon as pupils progress. By S3 pupils should have a firm understanding of skills and requirements for the senior phase, allowing them to develop knowledge as they enter the senior phase. For example, using case studies to develop analytical skills and IT skills are developed in early years.

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Senior phase - questionnaires used to guage experience of senior phase course. Feedback is taken on board during study leave for next academic year.

Junior - an element of personalisation and choice in terms of project based work. S3 MS - have used opinion polls regarding topics.

Seams - pupil focus groups and questionnaires.

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Using prior knowledge built in the BGE when transitioning into the SP and working on the knowledge and skills already developed. Would like to tie in with cluster schools on topics P6/7 BGE but this is challenging based on the wide variety of topics covered in each primary and in S1-2.

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In BGE pupils have the opportunity to choose various options for creativity when completing tasks and assessments e.g. S2 Earth Forces project. We have been using digital technologies to help promote other aspects of creativity for those who might find it challenging in the first instance.

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BGE assessment planning is consistent across all departments within Social Subjects with a wide variety being used to support pupils of all levels (formative and summative) as well as shared rubrics for marking. Using the style of assessment/terminology from primaries to help with transition. Including basic skills from Senior Phase into BGE assessment to assist when moving from S3-4.

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Our curriculum in the BGE is skills-focused almost in its entirety, though we deliver this through literary contexts.

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We have made use of pupil evaluations in the past, but this is something we could do more consistently at key points in the year for each BGE cohort.

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The lockdown and distance learning windows made us think more proactively about how we build skills across S1 to S2 to S3. A more streamlined and centralised curriculum has also helped. There is more to be done perhaps in terms of checklists of literary terms and knowledge of language.

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Creation and production are key elements of all of our courses from BGE to Senior Phase. More focus on creating spoken content will be good as restrictions ease. Moreover, we are always looking to build more creativity into our pedagogy, cascading knowledge from professional learning.

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Again, due to the a more centralised curriculum, we have planned for assessments at key points which are more consistent across the cohort. More use is being made of rubrics, etc., to offer feedback in learner-friendly ways and we are trialling WL's Literacy Progression Pathways.

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S2 - YPI includes skills for life and work as well as part of the qualification Religion Belief and Value Award
S1 - Inspiring Purpose looks at character, ideals and values

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Choices within tasks.
Charity choices YPI
Net Ministries Retreat for S1 and S6

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Courses are structured to build on prior learning
RBV at level 4 in S2
RBV at level 6 in S5
RMPS introduced at S3 next session along with Nat 5 in S5 and Higher in S5/6

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RMPS Environment Unit introduced in S4.
Next session Miracles Unit in S6
All year groups Laudato Si focus
All year groups Equality and Inclusion Unit

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Needs development in Core RE, SQA Assessment structures are in place.

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The Drama BGE course is almost entirely skills based. These are transferable skills that pupils will build upon in the senior phase.

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We introduced new units in S2 and S3 this year that allows pupils personalisation and choosing their own area of work assessment. In the past we have used pupil evaluations to shape courses and this is something we could continue to work on.

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When pupils begin S1 Drama we establish what skills pupils have already and build upon these. It is rare that Drama is taught in primary school although before the pandemic pupils might have participated in a school show. Throughout the BGE we build on the skills in order to prepare them for the senior phase.

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Building creativity has been a concern in Drama for the last few years as it is an area that we have felt pupils struggled with. The pandemic has had a profound impact on creativity and we see this in the classroom in the BGE and senior phase. It will be a focus for us when planning the curriculum.

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Assessment in BGE is primarily through self and peer evaluations and the aim is to build on their practical skills. We are also increasingly using Teams and rubrics for assessment purposes so that pupils can monitor their progress. This is helpful as with one period a week it can be difficult to give individual feedback to pupils.

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We strive to equip our learners with skills in reading, translation, listening, writing and talking. We are constantly trying to build on pupils' knowledge of vocabulary, culture, grammatical structures. If pupils do not engage in vocabulary learning, it can be very difficult to build on prior learning. We recycle language structures in the topics we cover so that pupils are familiar with these. Repetition aids learning. Pupils cannot pass a talking exam nor a writing exam without learning phrases.

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In BGE courses pupils can make comments on the topics covered, they can note down what they have enjoyed and what they have disliked. Pupils ask to use learning apps during lessons and teachers will allow this. Personalisation and choice are catered for when doing project work, campaigns, when using apps, talking and writing tasks. A questionnaire has been used to survey the opinions of S1 pupils - subject choice. Learners are asked how they are coping with elements of courses and teaching methods are adapted according to learners' responses.

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Pupils come to secondary school with a varied amount of input from primary schools. L3 is often neglected in primary. The 1+2 approach has been improving in primary schools. We acknowledge the learning that pupils have from primary, we ask pupils the vocabulary they remember. Pupils will recognise phrases but may not recall a long list. We cover different topic areas in S1, S2 and S3 but we revisit similar structures taught in previous topics. In S4 there are topic areas which are covered in S3 so we encourage learners to recall their previous learning. S3 pupils try National 5 level assessments so they know what National 5 feels like. If pupils do not engage in vocabulary learning, we sometimes struggle to get pupils to build on previous knowledge. Higher covers the same contexts for learning as N5, pupils are encouraged to use more complex phrases and structures in S5 & S6.

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Pupils are encouraged to be creative when doing tasks such as design your ideal home in S1, create a genetically modified pet, design an environmental campaign. Pupils need scaffolding in order to complete these tasks e.g. a list of phrases to include, we try to encourage pupils to come up with their own phrases - some pupils will just stick to the phrases given.
We are using more learning apps this year. Teachers engage in CLPL and incorporate new ideas in our lessons. Including more creative pedagogy may help to encourage uptake.
We could look into alternative courses to offer in S3 and the S.P.

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We have had to change talking assessments owing to the pandemic. We do vocabulary tests to test knowledge. We try to assess a different skill after each topic area. We have created challenging assessments for S3 and more straightforward assessments for pupils. We could look at challenge and inclusion in more depth in the BGE. It is important that pupils experience success.