School Awards – Bell Baxter High School

Over the course of the academic year, we have a number of award ceremonies to recognise the excellent work and achievements of our young people. Our awards cover a number of areas for achievements both in and out of school.

School Colours

The Colours system recognises achievement in and service to the school, entitling pupils to wear blazers and braid. The Colours system reflects the wider achievements of pupils and in the last few years has been further developed to include the award of “Half Colours” and a “Colours Tie”.

Colours can be awarded for outstanding school achievement in the following areas:

Curricular Achievement
Aesthetic and Creative Achievement
Sporting Achievement
Service to the School
Service to the Community
Wider Achievement.

Each Colours category is awarded separately from the others, meaning that Colours can be awarded in several categories in the same year.

The award of Full Colours in two or more categories does not merit an overall Colours Tie.

While staff are asked to put forward nominations for Colours, it is also possible for pupils, parents and group/club representatives to do so.

 Nominations for the 2020 Colours Awards are now open. 

Colours Awards will be combined with the end of year award ceremonies in June this year- all academic, sporting and wider achievements will be recognised in the Junior and Senior events.

As always, young people have to nominate themselves, but can also be nominated by peers, teachers, parents or coaches/activity leaders. You may well know of some young people who have achieved success outwith the classroom and can therefore nominate them yourself.

More information about the awards as well as the nomination forms are available below.

Junior Awards

These are used to recognise curricular achievement in school over the course of the year and are awarded in the following categories:

All Award winners are chosen by the class teachers. Subject and Special Awards are generally awarded on performance in class, tests, projects and assignments.

Progress Awards are based partly on performance but also on effort, enthusiasm and commitment to work. They are generally awarded where improvement has been shown over the course of the year.

There are overall Awards in each year group with the overall Bonnygate Achievement Award given to the person receiving the most Subject and Special Awards. This can be shared where there is a tie.

Senior Awards

Senior and Junior Awards are similar in many cases, and are awarded for curricular achievement in the following categories:

All Award winners are chosen by the class teachers. Subject and Special Awards are generally awarded on performance in class, tests, projects and assignments.

Progress Awards are based partly on performance but also on effort, enthusiasm and commitment to work. They are generally awarded where improvement has been shown over the course of the year.

Dux Awards are presented to those achieving the best academic results in the previous year’s exams e.g. 5 Grade A’s at Higher, all at Band 1, would be the best overall result for a pupil in S6. Higher results are used for young people currently in S6. Where there is a tie, we look back to National 5 results.

For young people currently in S5, we use National 5 results from the previous year for the Award of Dux. This can be shared where there is a tie.

Young people in S4 have not yet sat any exams, so the person receiving the most Subject and Special Awards receives the overall Dux Award. This can be shared where there is a tie.