By Jim Halfpenny, of the EIS
The EIS welcomes the recent announcement on next year’s exams diet provided by the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney MSP.
The EIS has been calling for clarity for weeks, so that teachers and students can prepare effectively for the school year.
It goes without saying that we need to plan on the assumption of some level of disruption, given the current rising level of infection and the prospect of a difficult winter period ahead.
It is essential that all students receive appropriate recognition for their achievements, and, clearly, a system based on teacher professional judgement provides a more sound basis for the awarding of qualifications than a two hour exam dash which measures little in comparison to a student’s effort and performance throughout the year.
Indeed, present difficulties may actually help to pave the way for a better system of teacher based assessment in the future. Clearly, the SQA and its algorithms have failed miserably and reinforced the unjust and class based nature of final exam assessment.
Any form of assessment, of course, will be affected by the rising number of coronavirus cases in schools and educational settings across Scotland. The Scottish Government decision to re-open schools was predicated on low instances of the virus, so the current mitigations in our schools are just not effective. Outside of schools people have been banned from visiting other households indoors, those aged between 12 and 17 can meet outside in groups of up to six from six different households with physical distancing.
Incredibly, inside school classrooms we can have 34 households in a class, with 33 pupils and a teacher.
In order to protect everyone within educational settings, the EIS requires:
* clear articulation from the Scottish Government of the triggers that would require local or national school closures, and/or a move to a blended or remote learning model of education.
* contingency planning for staff previously shielding in the context of rising levels of infection.
* smaller class sizes, which are essential to enable physical distancing to help keep staff and pupils safe.
* concrete physical distancing measures facilitated through expansion of the school estate and the employment of additional teachers.
* clear guidelines from Scottish Government on ventilation and heating in classrooms.
* stronger guidance and support for ASN pupils and staff, including those in ASN settings.
* a campaign on tackling the impact of poverty on educational experience.
Given the rising level of infections across the community, it is essential that local authorities update their individual risk assessments to ensure that the staff in our schools remain safe in their place of work.
The EIS has advised local authorities that, where they have failed in their duty of care, the EIS will move to initiate collective grievances against the authorities in question.
Local ballots of EIS members for industrial action may be considered over this increasing danger to their health and safety.
OCTOBER WEEK: A reminder that schools in West Dunbartonshire were shut on Friday 9th October. Pupils will return to school as normal at 9am on Monday 19th October.