[Alison Patterson]

15/09/2015 at 2:33 pm

We found ourselves in the situation last year of teaching National 4, National 5 and Higher all together in the one class … this year we are finding our classes are going the same way but with the addition of a 2-year higher pupil in with everyone else. Are any other schools out there expected to teach so many different levels within the one class?

[Lee Murray]

16/09/2015 at 7:04 am

I once taught Higher, Int 2 and Int 1 computing along with Higher Info Systems all in the same class. I inherited the class (new post) so couldn’t really say anything about it, but I told them straight that I would not be doing it again. They accepted my stance.

It is completely unfair on teachers, but more importantly the pupils. Could you imagine choosing a subject to find out that you are lumped in with 3 other levels/subjects?

Teaching that class was a nightmare to say the least (though the pupils were great). It impacts on the learners and that is unacceptable in my view. It will then be reflected in the grades which then reflect on you and that is unfair.

If I were you, I’d tell SMT that it’s impossible to give the pupils a fair shake with that much variety in a single class and that if they force it upon you, they are disadvantaging everyone in the class.

[Robert Young]

17/09/2015 at 8:35 am

I taught N4, N5 and Higher last year and to say it was a bit of a mess would be an understatement.
This year we have enough pupils that we only have one mixed class N4 & N5 plus a pure N5 class.