Exams return in 2022 but fears of assessment overload heraldscotland.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldscotland.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Councils have been accused of using government-funded probationer teachers as cheap “cannon fodder” to fill vacancies, fuelling fears that qualified individuals are being displaced and driven to quit. It comes amid growing pressure on ministers to agree a minimum national staffing standard alongside reformed arrangements for providing crucial on-the-job experience. Critics claim the current process is causing significant recruitment problems, with cash-strapped authorities seeking to cut costs by using probationers to fill vacancies that would otherwise be open to their fully-qualified colleagues. The result is that experienced teachers and those who have completed probation face a prolonged struggle to secure permanent work. Many observers fear the situation is pushing increasing numbers away from the profession, particularly in the early phase of their careers.
Covid Scotland: Pupils to return to school amid warnings of safety risk and exam confusion heraldscotland.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldscotland.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Teachers and parents have warned of safety concerns as well as mounting confusion over exams this year, after it was announced all pupils across Scotland will be back in the classroom full-time following the Easter holidays. The EIS, Scotland s largest teaching union, said the removal of physical distancing between pupils, particularly older pupils, represents a heightened risk that more pupils will be infected. It added the larger numbers in classrooms also creates more risk of airborne transmission, which is why face coverings remain important, including the provision of medical grade face masks for staff. And whilst some Councils have made progress in relation to monitoring and improving ventilation, others have dragged their heels , say the union.
Schools have been warned to tread carefully during the alternative assessment process as fears grow that many pupils will face intensive, exam-style tests after Easter. Parent representatives said families had been led to believe final results would be based on efforts during the course of the year . But there are concerns a significant number of young people will be assessed in high stress conditions with reduced preparation time. One teacher has branded the approach cruel , although senior staff representatives insisted it had been designed so schools could make arrangements according to their circumstances. It comes after National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams were cancelled due to the impact of Covid-19.