S3/4 Academic Overview
Foundations For Future Study
The choices pupils make for S3 and S4 will form the broad foundations upon which to base their choice of five courses in S5 and three or four courses in S6.
Pupils at Morrison’s Academy study 8 academic courses in S3 and S4, leading to their first public examinations at National 4 or National 5 level.
Heads of House consult closely with parents and offer pupils advice on the best subject choices for them; every effort is made to accommodate these choices.
All pupils are required to study English and Mathematics and at least one Modern Language and one Science. Pupils are presented for SQA examinations in May of S4. Most pupils should be able to gain good passes at National 5 level, though some may gain an award at National 4 where the higher level is not achievable.
Course Structure
National 4 Assessment
Each National 4 course is made up of a series of units. Courses are assessed internally and verified by the SQA.
Most subjects also include a piece of coursework in the form of an assignment, portfolio or performance.
There is no final examination and courses at National 4 are not graded, but are assessed as ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’.
National 5 Assessment
Each National 5 course is made up of a series of units and the majority of National 5 subjects have a final examination which will count for the majority of the marks.
Most subjects also include a piece of coursework in the form of an assignment, portfolio or performance. The regulations for the preparation and writing up of these coursework elements are set by SQA and vary from subject to subject. Almost all are submitted to SQA for external marking and courses are graded A-D or ‘No Award’.
