The SSTA has concerns over the exam burden and the impact on pupil well-being if the current national qualification system is allowed to continue for a further year. The proposed changes for National 5 will not take place until the 2017-2018 session.

Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said “the SSTA is acutely aware of the workload pressures associated with the National Qualifications but we are extremely concerned about the potential damage to our young people as the pressure intensifies at this time of year”.

“Should you ask most parents of a young person who has been processed through the national qualification system in last few years, they will tell you it was the most demanding and some would say unnecessarily stressful time for their children”.

“We cannot afford to take the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils for granted simply because there are no outward indicators. We have to accept that school, the curriculum, the at times unrelenting internal assessment of our 15 and 16 year olds between January and April is a contributing factor to pupil stress and can damage pupil welfare”.

Seamus Searson added “Teachers can question the pointless and often invalid assessment burdens.  Teachers question the frequency and intensity of assessment faced by our 15 and 16 year olds sitting N4 and N5. Every time a unit assessment, an Added Value unit, a folio piece, a prelim, an exam, is carried out, everyone can see the anxiety across our pupils’ faces. There are relevant assessments, the ones that hone the skills necessary for exams, for progression within the subject, for entering the workplace. Unfortunately, others, whether in full or in part, are NOT necessary for the exam, NOT valuable for progression, NOT developing skills for work and these are the pointless assessments”.

A typical example of the ‘average’ pupil in S4. She is sitting 6 subjects in S4 and in some schools she could be sitting 7 or more.

Our ‘typical’ S4 pupil could be taking 3 subjects at National 4. This could be Modern Studies, Biology and Maths that includes 3 unit assessments and an Added Value assignment for each subject.

In addition, she could be taking 3 subjects at National 5. This could be History (3 unit assessments and a coursework assignment), Music (3 units encompassing between 4 and 6 assessments altogether with the performance element taken into account) and English (2 units, comprising 4 assessed elements and a N4 Added Value assignment thrown in as a fall back.

In short, at best, she faces 24 assessments or assignments – the majority of which will be crowbarred-in between January and April.

Euan Duncan, SSTA President concluded “Teachers have been, by and large, left to develop courses and assessments as they teach them. This has led to overbearing stress that experienced professionals, as adults, are struggling with and that stress is unintentionally, yet undeniably, being transferred and transmitted on to our pupils. The Government and the SQA need to review current assessment requirements and accept that the gathering of naturally occurring pupil classwork together with the use of teachers’ professional judgement are sufficient, and reduce the pressure on our pupils.”

Further information from:

Seamus Searson
General Secretary

1 November 2016

The SSTA urges the Scottish Government to ensure priority is given to supporting young people, particularly those under the age of 16, in all school environments in dealing with the whole spectrum of LGBTI issues and of gender recognition including that of non-binary.

Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said “LGBT rights have been increasingly strengthened, supported by legislation and increasingly recognised and supported in society. Discrimination protections were extended to all, including LGBT people under the Equality Act 2010. Transgender people have had the right to change their legal gender since 2005. Same-sex couples were granted the right to enter into a civil partnership in 2005, and in 2014 same sex marriage was legalised in Scotland. Today, LGBT citizens have most of the same legal rights as non-LGBT citizens and the UK provides one of the highest degrees of liberty in the world for its LGBT communities”.

“This is important to teachers as more young people feel able to express themselves as they wish and believe themselves to be because of the Equalities Act and the inclusion agenda. We as educational professionals have become practised in using more inclusive language and being more sensitive to the needs of the diverse range of young people that we teach. However, recent research by Stonewall Scotland highlights the need for leadership from the highest level to help support teachers in Secondary Schools”.

• 44% of secondary staff say they aren’t allowed to, or aren’t sure if they are allowed to teach about LGBT issues in their school (despite Section 28 (2A) being repealed in Scotland in 2000
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrines rights of young people to live without fear of discrimination but 88% of secondary staff report that pupils have experienced homophobic bullying/harassment/name calling
• Only 16% of teachers have received specific training on tackling homophobic bullying
• Only 43% of secondary school staff say their school has a policy that specifically addresses homophobic bullying
• Over 90% of secondary school teachers say LGBT issues should be addressed in schools but 35% of secondary school teachers have not addressed LGBT issues in the classroom
• Only 14% of secondary school staff say pupils at their school have visible LGBT role models. Evidence shows positive role models are important.

Seamus Searson added “Schools are normally places of safety for all young people and a place for young people to be themselves but there is major work to be done for this to be achieved for all”.

Further information from

Seamus Searson
General Secretary

The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association, Scotland's only specialist union for secondary teachers, expressed its concern today regarding the temporary closure of 5 Edinburgh Private Public Partnership (PPP) secondary schools.

General Secretary Seamus Searson said, "For young people due to start sitting national exams in a matter of days, the timing could hardly be worse.  Edinburgh City Council and the building contractors have known about these structural problems since walls started collapsing in January, yet it is only now that proper inspections are taking place.  Pupil and staff safety is paramount, but youngsters' life chances are also top priority."

SSTA President Euan Duncan said, "In the days before the exams begin, teachers and pupils are under pressure to ensure all Scottish Qualification Authority submissions are complete.  It's incredible that these fairly new buildings may not be fit for teaching. This is an example of how putting profit before pupils damages education.  PPP schools cost taxpayers a fortune, and now we must ask what will be the cost to our children."

Further information from

Seamus Searson
General Secretary

0131 313 7300

11 April 2016

Printable Version

Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
West End House
14 West End Place
Edinburgh
EH11 2ED

The SSTA National Council has sanctioned an Indicative Ballot of members on the Government’s Assessment and National Qualification working group report due at the end of March.

Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said “the situation that many teachers face in schools today in trying to do the best for their young people is intolerable.

SSTA has welcomed the acknowledgement that there are problems and possible measures for the future are being prepared but workload needs to be reduced now”.

“The SSTA has taken part in the working group and has consistently urged for measures to be taken to reduce the bureaucratic and over complicated regime for the 2016-17 qualification cycle. This is in response to SSTA members across Scotland asking for some action to be taken to address the workload in the next qualification cycle that will begin after Easter”.

Seamus Searson added “the indicative ballot will allow members the opportunity to express their views of the working group report. However, the SSTA National Council has sanctioned a ballot for industrial action should the report not meet the aspirations of its members”.

A SSTA survey early this year showed the additional time required for completing the various tasks required by the SQA:

• Internal moderation - 25% of teachers were spending more than 10 hours with a further 15% of teachers spending more than 20 hours per course.
• External verification - 19% of teachers were spending more than 10 hours with 8% spending more than 20 hours.
• Marking Unit Assessments – 32% of teachers were spending more than 10 hours with 54% spending more than 20 hours
• Marking Added Value Units – 31% of teachers were spending more than 10 hours with 34% spending more than 20 hours
• Data entry – 27% of teachers were spending more than 10 hours with 18% spending more than 20 hours

Comments made by SSTA members in schools

“Endless internal assessment that does nothing useful other than allow us to tick a box and then get told we shouldn't have done - no child has ever been improved in any way by what we are obliged to force them through”.

“And then a colleague, whom you regard as one of the most talented and dedicated teachers you have ever worked with, starts to wonder out loud whether the game is worth the candle and that another year like this will see them looking for another job”.

“Over assessment has created serious workload issues, taking away from teaching and is very demoralising for pupils”

“In 30 years of teaching I have never experienced stress levels and workload issues like I have in the past few years. I feel sorry for the young teachers coming into the profession as their work/life balance is extremely poor”.

“The amount of paperwork surrounding each qualification and the micromanagement of assessment standards is beyond ridiculous”.

Euan Duncan, SSTA President said “SSTA has listened to members who want measures in place to protect them from bureaucracy. We must teachers away from administration and return them to teaching and learning”.

Further information from

Seamus Searson

General Secretary

0131 313 7300

22 March 2016

Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association

West End House

14 West End Place

Edinburgh

EH11 2ED