High school pupils from the Falkirk area who completed the School-College Opportunities to Succeed (SCOTS) programme, were presented with certificates this week to recognise their achievement.
At the special event held at Forth Valley College’s Falkirk Campus on Tuesday 4 June, more than 30 fourth year pupils were joined by their parents and College staff – including Ernie Romer FVC’s School Partnership Coordinator - and VIP guest David MacKay, Head of Education for Falkirk Council, who were all keen to celebrate the successful programme.
Award winners on the day were Amy McGleave from Larbert High School who won the Inspire Award, Irfan Naeem and Corey Paterson, both from Denny High School who won Outstanding Personal Achievement Awards and Eve Miller from Graeme High School who won the Student of the Year Award.
A special award was also presented jointly to Steve Dougan Bo’ness Academy Head Teacher and Fiona Brown FVC Vice Principal Learning and Teaching who are both retiring this year and who were both instrumental in the creation and delivery of the SCOTS Programme at Forth Valley College.
Amy McGleave from Larbert High School, who won the Inspire Award, said: “I am surprised to have won this award, but very pleased and proud. The best bit of the SCOTS course for me was meeting and interacting with fellow students and being treated as an adult at the college. I would recommend anyone to do it as it is a great thing to put on your CV.
“I have now been accepted onto a Hairdressing course at the Falkirk Campus as that is what I want to do as a career. I am also looking forward to studying at the new Falkirk Campus.”
The ground-breaking partnership between Forth Valley College and Falkirk Council, allowed mainly fourth year pupils to attend college one afternoon per week to experience eight different subjects including: Construction Crafts, Science, Care, Business, Engineering, Salon Services, Fitness, Health and Exercise and Creative Industries and to work towards SQA employability units throughout the course.
Within the local schools, the young people involved worked with teachers to improve their skills for learning, skills for work and skills for life. They also developed employability skills such as - researching for jobs, creating a CV, preparing for interviews and also learning more about the “taster” subjects they were undertaking within Forth Valley College.
Forth Valley College Principal Dr Ken Thomson, said: “This is the sixth Falkirk SCOTS graduation and each year I am amazed by how the SCOTS programme has managed to inspire and encourage pupils, who may well have left school without any experience of the opportunities available to them at college. It is always a pleasure to celebrate the completion of their course along with them and look forward to seeing many of them return in the future to Forth Valley College to pursue further education courses. We hope they found SCOTS to be worthwhile and of great benefit in helping them make up their minds as to which study route they might want to take in life.
“The SCOTS programme has certainly been a great success and an excellent example of the close working partnership between Forth Valley College and Falkirk Council. We are already looking forward to welcoming our next cohort of learners who will be able to experience the benefits of the SCOTS programme at Forth Valley College.
“I am also delighted to be here today to see Fiona Brown and Steve Dougan being rightly honoured for all the creativity, insight, hard work and effort they have put into the delivery of the SCOTS programme from the very start. Without them none of this would be possible and I wish them both all the very best for the future.”
David Mackay, Head of Education for Falkirk Council, said: “This is our sixth cohort graduating and once again the SCOTS programme has delivered for our young people in Falkirk and yet again our young people have risen to the challenge. I am delighted with the positive impact our ongoing partnership with Forth Valley College and Falkirk Council has had.”
