SCHOOL ORGANISATION
The School curriculum is divided into three distinct stages.
1. S1-S2
In their First Year pupils have a common range of subjects including English,Mathematics, History, Geography, Modern Studies, French, Science, Home Economics,
Technical Education, Drama, Art, Music, Physical Education, Learning to Learnand Religious Education. Some subjects in S1 are offered in rotations. History,
Geography and Modern Studies rotate so pupils spend a third of the year in thesesubjects and Home Economics and Technical rotate so pupils spend half a year inthese subjects.
Pupils are taught mainly in mixed-ability classes and we try to ensure that the sameteacher takes pupils for the whole of their time in each subject.
In some subjects co-operative teaching takes place; that is, the class teacher is assistedby another teacher, usually in the same classroom, in order to provide additional helpfor all pupils. Pupils have access to a Pastoral Care teacher who is ready to give them
any necessary advice or assistance.
In their Second Year, pupils continue the studies they have undertaken in the firstyear, and teaching generally takes place in mixed-ability classes, with some broad
band setting in a few subjects.Towards the end of the second year information is provided for pupils and parents
about the choice of courses that are available in the Third Year and detailed guidanceis given about the decisions to be made by each individual pupil on the basis of his
or her interests, achievements and career aspirations (see sample option forms).
2. S3-S4
In the Third and Fourth Years courses are mainly directed toward the Standard Gradeawards of the Scottish Qualification Authority.
In line with national Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum guidelines allpupils choose subjects in eight modes, or areas, of study:-
English and other languages; Mathematics; Science (including the separate branchesof Physics, Chemistry and Biology); Social Subjects (History, Geography, ModernStudies); Creative and Aesthetic Studies (Art, Drama, Home Economics, Music, PE);Technological Activities (Craft and Design, Graphic Communication, Administrationand Computing).
Core subjects are Religious and Moral Education, Personal and Social Education,Physical Education and all pupils study these.In common with all pupils in Scotland every pupil will take English, Mathematics,Science, a Social subject, a modern European language, a Creative and Aestheticsubject and a Technology subject. In compiling their courses pupils have a choiceof subjects, with some discretion about the amount of time they wish to spend in
each area of study: for example to include one or more branches of Science or oneor more foreign language.
Standard Grade subjects have three levels of award - Credit, General and Foundation- and individual pupils will follow a programme of study leading to presentation
for national examination in two of these levels. Pupils will either be presented forCredit and General levels in a subject or for General and Foundation levels. Many
parts of the Standard Grade work are assessed, during the course of S3 and S4, bythe staff in the school and, since these assessments can provide a substantial part
of the overall award in the subject, it is vital that pupils understand that their effortmust be maintained over the entire two-year period and not simply reserved for the
final examinations at the end of S4. Important too is the fact that those who fail tocomplete a course or miss parts of the school or national exams may receive no award
at all. Poor attendance may also lead to the same outcome.At the end of S4, pupils are awarded Standard Grade certificates, showing the subjectstaken, the level at which they were presented and the “bands” obtained. The bandsindicate how a pupil performed within the level they were presented for. In otherwords, they may be awarded a Credit 1 (band) or a Credit 2, a Foundation 6 or aFoundation 5, and so on. The relationship of levels and bands is shown below;
Level Band which can be awarded
Credit 1 or 2
General 3 or 4
Foundation 5 or 6
7 = “course completed” onlyDuring the course of their Fourth year, all pupils will be offered a place on our Work
Experience programme which will involve them in a work placement, related to theirown interests, of one week’s duration.
As part of our Education for work provision, a selected group of pupils are offereda place on Glasgow City Council’s Pre-Vocational Programme. Pupils can choose
from a number of options, including construction, hospitality and horticulture. Onsuccessful completion of the courses, pupils are awarded a number of SQA accreditedawards.
3. S5/S6
As with S1/S2 and S3/S4, S5/S6 is a two-year stage in education, although there existsan exit point at the end of S5. As a result, arrangements for education in S5 and S6differ from these other segments of the school curriculum as we attempt to providefor the differing needs of those who return to us.
The new Higher Still system, introduced in August 1999, brought together the best ofScottish education currently offered in schools and colleges. There are no artificial
barriers between academic and vocational subjects. The aim is to provide opportunityfor all students to continue their studies after Standard Grade at a level appropriate
to them.The major difficulty for pupils returning to S5 is that the increased amount of timenecessary for study of a subject at Higher Grade. The 8 subjects studied in S3/S4 arereduced to 5 therefore the issue of choosing subjects to study can be a difficult oneto resolve. Senior Management, Subject and Pastoral Care staff are all available tooffer support and advice at this time. These choices should be made provisionallyby the end of February by the pupils. Arrangements may be possible with CardonaldCollege and with other local secondaries to help offer a wider choice of courses thanany school alone is able to provide.
Higher Still builds on Standard Grade, so students can choose courses for S5 basedon what they have achieved in S4. In S5 and S6 courses will be available at five
levels, although not all five levels will be available in every department (see sampleOption Forms). The five levels are:
• Access
• Intermediate 1
• Intermediate 2
• Higher
• Advanced Higher
In Sixth Year the same combination of Higher Still Courses is available, allowing pupilswho have been successful in S5 to progress to an Advanced Higher in a subject or to
widen their range of subjects.
Sample Option Forms showing current choices available to pupils returning to S3 orto S5/6 are included in the School Handbook.
Please note, however, that these reflect the position at the moment of printing and
are subject to change.