Imagine if a newly-qualified teacher asked you if they could see an example of an A-grade piece of work, because they needed to firm up what an A looked like. If you didn’t have one, you’d find them one, because you’re supportive and helpful and, above all, professional.
So why does the hunt continue for exemplar pieces of work to demonstrate levelling for the national benchmarks in the Curriculum for Excellence? Never has there been quite such an enigma as the Broad General Education (BGE) levelling system. Where are the examples of each level of work hiding? Who is holding them hostage? Whether “developing”, “consolidating” or “secure”, early level through to Level 4, we need to see them. Not an example that is open to discussion, conflict or quibble; examples that have been set as the standard. Remarkably, they cannot be found - because they don’t exist.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority provides exemplar material on the “Understanding Standards” branch of its website, and this information proves invaluable to new and experienced teachers alike. We can provide accurate grading to help prepare students for their examinations. Simple.
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It could be argued that we don’t need exemplars for the BGE; of course, we are experts in using mark schemes to assess a piece of work, but a series of outcomes and benchmarks which sprawls across pages is not a mark scheme that is practical, simple to navigate or useful. In fact, to mark each piece with this framework would take (conservatively) 20 minutes per piece - an unachievable amount of time. We’re not devoid of experience. Many of us have marked successfully for years as team leaders or team members on an array of qualifications, yet trying to make a decent fist of marking with this system is hard: teachers are struggling.
England scrapped the key stage 3 levelling system - essentially what Scotland has now - years ago, which seemed a fantastic move. Except that they replaced it with nothing. They had the opportunity to learn from mistakes and put something useful in place and yet the opportunity was missed. The same problems faced back then in England seem to exist now in Scotland, as students arrive with inflated grades from primary teachers.
Primary staff seem in a worse position than secondary, with sprawling mark schemes for more than one subject. It’s hellish. The consequence is that students can arrive “achieving” levels that the secondary teacher simply does not feel they are achieving two years later. As a result, they are branded a rubbish teacher because the child (according to the level), isn’t progressing. The alternative? A teacher has to follow suit and inflate the grade again because they aren’t permitted to question a colleague’s professionalism and change the mark to begin with.
Have teachers questioned the system? Of course. Those in senior positions have been asked for examples and colleagues have been told on more than one occasion, “If you don’t know what it looks like now, then what have you been doing for the last 10 years?’ Perhaps, as with many areas which keep our education system ticking over, they have been doing the best they possibly can with the inadequate system they have been given. They have used their years of experience and professional judgement to try and please everybody, whilst ensuring the students progress in real terms. They have taught those students well and tried to point out to confused, concerned and often angry parents that the levels are “nothing to worry about”.
What is clear is this: we need a new system for tracking progress - and we need it fast.
The writer is a secondary teacher in Scotland
