Revision Resources for Learners Top Tips for Learners Supporting Learners

• Your school/college is • Commercially-produced revision guides feature • Make sure that course content information is Learners are entitled to receive appropriate Pointers for your first stop. Many model question papers and/or cover core complete and is organised into Units (topics) support to help them reach their potential. Schools Parents & Pupils subject teachers will course content. Some guides are endorsed • Plan work so that deadlines are met comfortably do this in a variety of ways to suit the needs of provide revision guides, by the SQA. Ask your teachers to identify the • Make a realistic and achievable revision timetable young people: Resources for clubs or drop-in sessions i most relevant ones for you for exams and include breaks and rewards • Personal learning planning learning & revising • Ask your school or local librarian for • Scholar (www.scholar.hw.ac.uk) runs free • Stick to the revision timetable • Study groups FOR NATIONAL research skills and tips live online sessions for National 5 . • Work out how you learn best: reading aloud? • Homework clubs QUALIFICATIONS • The SQA has a Specimen (sample) Revision material for maths is also available; Recording and playing back information? • Drop-in revision sessions Question Paper (exam) for each National check the site regularly for new resources Explaining topics to others? Writing out key • Online support sessions 5 subject. The SQA recommends paying • Search ‘revision’ on the Education facts? Being tested by others? • Quiet areas. particular attention to the marking website www.educationscotland.gov.uk and • If you find gaps in your understanding or instructions. Visit you will find a range of subject options. Ensure knowledge, ask your teachers Some young people are entitled to tailored www.sqa.org.uk/cfesubjects and that material is relevant to your courses • Do practice questions and papers under timed strategies, plans and assessment arrangements click on the subject, National 5 and then • Some revision materials from Standard Grade conditions and ask your teachers to mark them where there is evidence of an additional support 'Specimen Paper' and Intermediate 2 courses may be relevant but and give you feedback need. These strategies may include: • Use search engines to find teachers' blogs check with your teacher before using these. • Keep healthy with plenty of nutritious food, • Input from a range of professionals with study tips eg Miss Leslie's English blog water, fresh air, exercise and sleep • Photocopied or digital course notes • BBC Bitesize (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize) Please always check with your teachers • The SQA offers online study guides to support • Extra adult support with learning covers a range of National 4 and National to ensure that revision resources are preparation for exams at • Use of ICT for typing and spellchecking 5 subjects. It has colourful material with appropriate for you. www.sqa.org.uk/studyguides • Extra time for assessments video clips, course information and revision • The National Parent Forum website at • Visual supports (eg large typeface; coloured tests, including listening tests for English www.parentforumscotland.org has more overlays) • Check www.parentforumscotland.org revision tips for learners. • Visit www.sqa.org.uk/assessmentarrangements for details of school websites with useful Useful Websites homework and revision resources www.planitplus.net • Search 'National 5' on YouTube for www.learningatschool.net Communicating with parents is teachers' revision materials www.parentforumscotland.org MONDAY an essential part of supporting www.sqa.org.uk/cfeassessment ASK 27 learners Welcome The National Qualifications Essential Information FROM DR ALASDAIR ALLAN MSP National Qualifications are designed and quality Ask your school/college for deadlines National 4 qualifications also We hope that parents/carers and assured by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and important dates for completion of have an Added Value Unit which I am happy to support this very useful young people will find this guide to (SQA) and are delivered by schools and colleges. coursework or tests. These may be spread must be passed resource from the National Parent throughout the year. This is assessed by schools and Forum of Scotland, which provides learning and revising for National For more information on the National colleges, in accordance with SQA guidance. parents with information to help their Qualifications in the Senior Phase of Qualifications, visit: National Qualifications are comprised of child through the new qualifications. Curriculum for Excellence useful. It www.sqa.org.uk/cfeforparents Units (topics) National 5 qualifications have a Course We all want to support Scotland’s www.sqa.org.uk/cfeforyoungpeople Units must be passed to gain National Assessment children to do the best they can, which will help you to: Qualifications. These are assessed by schools/ For most subjects, there is a Question Paper is at the very heart of Curriculum for colleges, to SQA specifications. Units can be (exam). Question Papers are scheduled in the Excellence. NATIONALS assessed in different ways during the year - SQA’s exam timetable, available at Find out more about the IN A NUTSHELL pieces of work undertaken at school or at home www.sqa.org.uk/timetable. Most subjects Dr Alasdair Allan MSP new National Qualifications View our 'Nationals in a Nutshell' at may count towards assessment. also have another assessment component (eg www.parentforumscotland.org for summaries Ask your school/college for course an assignment or a portfolio), with deadlines Minister for Learning, and • Scotland’s Languages Think about learning and of the course requirements for National 1, 2, 3, 4 descriptions, information about Units (topics) well in advance of exams. revision and 5 qualifications. and Unit Assessments • Ask at your school/college for more Discover resources to • Information on course content, organised information about Course Assessments by subjects, can be found under ‘Course • See the National Parent Forum of support learning and revision Specification’ on the SQA website at Scotland's 'Nationals in a Nutshell' and www.sqa.org.uk/cfesubjects 'Assessment in a Nutshell' for subject and With very best wishes, • Course content is available in commercially- assessment information at produced revision guides; BBC Bitesize www.parentforumscotland.org Iain Ellis (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize) also covers material relevant to Chair, National Parent Forum of Scotland some Units. www.parentforumscotland.org [email protected] parentforumscotland

NATIONALS parentforumscot IN A NUTSHELL This leaflet has been produced by the National Parent Forum of Scotland with support from the Scottish Government, the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Education Scotland. January 2014