Term 4, Week 1

Dear Parents and Carers

I can’t believe we’ve only been back 4 days – they’ve certainly been busy!

Today we said goodbye to our senior pupils as they head off onto study leave in preparation for their national examinations. We wish them every success!  Mr Ewing has a full update below.

We’ve been asked to remind all parents that all schools across Orkney will be open on 2 May but closed on 2 and 3 June due to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Today’s update contains 3 notices:

1. An SQA Exam Update (Mr Ewing)
2. Dress Code (Mr Harvey and Mrs Watson)
3. New Orkney initiative to support young people in distress (Ms Devlin)

We hope you all have a relaxing weekend,

Miss Claire Meakin
Head Teacher

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Securing the Best Outcomes (Mr Ewing)

SQA Exam Update
Exam leave for S4/5 and s6 pupils will begin on Monday 25th April.
A small number of pupils who are sitting very few exams but will be returning to KGS next session will have arrangements put in place for them during part of study leave.

Exceptional Circumstance
 The Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (EECCS) supports learners who are either:

• unable to attend the exam or prevented from completing the exam due to a personal circumstance outwith their control (such as a medical issue) or
• affected during the exam by a disruption, or other exam circumstance, reported by the chief invigilator

It is available for all exams that appear in the exam timetable.
There is no charge for this service.

• Only schools, may submit requests. they have experienced a valid exam exceptional circumstance
• they have completed all the compulsory non-question paper components
• an estimate has been submitted for them
• alternative evidence is available

The service is not available to learners who complete the exam, even if they feel they have underperformed due to a personal circumstance beyond their control. Learners who have underperformed relative to their estimate will be eligible for the 2022 appeals service.
If your child is not able to attend an exam, they should contact Mr Ewing neil.ewing@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk as soon as possible on the day of the exam
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Appeals Service
If on results day a pupil feels their result is lower than expected, they may be able to appeal that result.
Appeals can be prioritised if pupils have a conditional place at university or college. There is no charge for appeals.
Eligibility criteria for Appeals 2022 are in place to support fairness and to ensure that learners are accessing the service on an equitable basis. Therefore, the following criteria must be met:

• Learner’s estimate is greater than their certificated grade. For example, if the learner’s exam result is a grade C but their estimate was a grade B.
• All centres must submit an estimate to SQA for each learner per subject/level. Estimated bands of zero or blank will not be eligible.
• Learners must have taken and/or submitted all coursework and formal assessments including exams.
• At least one component of the course assessment must be marked by SQA. Fully internally assessed courses are not eligible for appeals

The deadlines for submitting a priority appeal are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 16 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres - Friday 19 August at 5 pm

Results of all priority appeals will be released to centres on Monday 5 September and sent to UCAS on Tuesday 6 September.
 The deadlines for submitting all other appeals are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 30 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres – Friday 2 September at 5 pm

Further details on Exceptional Circumstances and Appeals can be found here:
Support services for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher learners (sqa.org.uk)

Exam Timetables
The Exam timetable, study support and results day resources can be found here. Pupils were issued with personalised timetable in school earlier this week.
Exam timetable and learner apps - SQA

Results day
This year's results day is Tuesday 9th August. Pupils can sign up to get their results by text and details are in the Your Exams link below
Your Exams 2022 (sqa.org.uk)

Immersion timetable
There will be a series of immersion events during study leave across the school to support pupils in the days leading up to their exams. The immersion timetable has been sent to pupils and is also on the KGS website

Studying in school during exam leave
When a pupil has finished an exam they should leave school. S1 to S3 pupils are still working in classes so it is important that disruption is kept to a minimum.
Pupils are welcome to study in school but only if they follow these guidelines
Wear dress code
Sign and out of school only at the following times: start of the day, break and lunch time and at the end of the school day. This will be strictly enforced.
Be prepared to study and not to socialize
Pupils not studying will be asked to go home.

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Promoting Positive Behaviour and Relationships (Mr Harvey and Mrs Watson)

As we enter the Summer Term it is great to see the vast majority of our pupils arriving to school on time, wearing the correct Dress Code and conducting themselves in a manner that makes everyone in the school community proud.

When a pupil comes to school without Dress Code then they are lent a Dress Code item from the Office. This is signed for and should be returned at the end of the day. Unfortunately, a number of lent Dress Code items have not been returned. Could we ask that parents/carers check with their children and make sure that if a Dress Code item has been lent to them it has been returned.
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As we say farewell to our 2022 leavers, families may now be wondering what to do with KGS Dress Code items. If you would like to donate items to help replenish our stock of spare Dress Code then please hand them into to the main reception.

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Securing the Highest Level of Universal Support (Ms Devlin)
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​New Orkney initiative to support young people in distress: Ms Devlin and Mrs Firth had a meeting with Claire Allison of the Blide Trust in Orkney (see the Mental Health link in the Orkney Support Services tab on the school website) who described a new initiative (to Orkney) that the police and ambulance service are now able to offer young people aged 16 and over if they have been called out to them and they are in distress. It is a short-term intervention – a connected and compassionate response to adults and young people over the age of 16. It is called DBI (Distress Brief Intervention). Our understanding is that this is an immediate offer to the young person of daily contact from a trained team and help to make a plan to manage their distress in the short and longer term, as well as helping them to refer themselves to other agencies where appropriate.  The school will build on our connections with the Blide Trust as they are keen that more young people feel able to use their services and building in Victoria Street.