Time: 10.30 Am 3 Pm Venue : Scottish Sensory Centre, Moray House, Edinburgh

FORUM FOR HEADS OF SERVICES (SENSORY, HEARING IMPAIRED, VISUAL IMPAIRED) SCHOOLS AND UNITS

Monday, 17.01.11

Note of meeting

Time: 10.30 am - 3 pm Venue: Scottish Sensory Centre, Moray House, Edinburgh

Chairperson: Cathie Finestone Note-taker: Cathie Finestone

1. GLOW Jennifer McDougall from LTS continued with her virtual tour of GLOW highlighting new features and sites which she felt would be of use to our services. Purple Mash Daily ‘What?’ – a topical newspaper for children & young people with modified texts for differing reading levels. Revamped National Site Aardvark’s cupboard – varying levels Cookbook section – provides work at various levels & subjects Snow journals – tasks & activities pupils can access during the bad weather.

Jennifer has also created an area for the forum.

Bit.ly/hossglowgroup

2. Patricia McDonald SQA Patricia referred to the ‘Assessment Arrangement Policy’ & Legislation (Equality Act) October 2010 to remove the effects of a ‘substantial disadvantage’ in an assessment. It may be necessary to make reasonable adjustment but it would not be reasonable if it involved unreasonable costs, time, security of assessment, competence or the ability being assessed.

Things to consider e.g. CfE: There must be a quality review ensuring no barriers. Can optionality be built in to replace sections of exams which are not relevant? What are the competencies being assessed? Which competencies are essential? Course rational summaries will be available by 31st January.

SQA are holding consultations to remove barriers. Core support notes will be included in the new arrangements – including competencies.

Training event will be held in March for schools using sign in exams. There will also be a training event for transcriptions.

Gary Quinn & Audrey Cameron are continuing to look at subject specific language etc. SQA have a Deaf Reviewer Group.

VI modifiers – group making adaptations to SQA papers. Case Study upload – Physical disability Visual impairment

These are accessible through the ‘Assessment Arrangements’

Patricia also asked that SQA are invited to one HoSS meeting per year to give an update.

3. Rachel O’Neill updated everyone on current developments. Lilian Lawson got funding from the ‘Scottish Heritage Lottery’ to produce a series of DVDs with deaf adults ‘Presenting the Past’. The first one, ‘Deaf People at Work’ will be launched in March and everyone is invited.

The Early Years Scottish Standards is due to be launched soon and examples of good practice are urgently needed. A PDf copy of the standards can be downloaded from the SSC website.

ADPS – launched a questionnaire recently but few returns have been received to date. Can services go through their lists to identify some of the pupils who may have taken part initially?

The next Ed. Signs Evening is arranged for 23rd February at Godfrey Thomson Hall at 6.30. The presenter is a deaf storyteller.

Given that the HI & VI qualification is mandatory, is anyone inspecting whether current staff are qualified or in training in their Local Authority? If you are aware of this happening anywhere, could you inform Rachel O’Neill at Moray House.

The next meeting will be 23rd May as agreed by all those attending. A representative from HMIe will be invited to the meeting.

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