Currie Community High: A shared vision for all learners
Currie Community High is a very forward-thinking school, which underpins all developments with the principles of good curriculum design, effective learning and teaching, and partnerships (HGIOS 4). These partnerships and networks, including social media, have allowed them to drive forward the progression for their students into a positive destination – with 99.2% of school leavers at Currie Community High School going into either FE, HE or employment.
The vision has grown from the establishment of a strategy group in 2016-2017 with representatives from all faculties, including Pupil Support and Support for Learning, who aimed to identify strengths and areas to develop and implement DYW, including discussion with the leadership team. These key areas then influenced their three-year strategy and the opportunities they now offer, as part of their curriculum that develops the young workforce.
They continue to reflect and develop, using data through baseline testing with S1, S3 and S5 (every two/three years), to lead and develop creative and innovative opportunities for students, including :
S3 STEM Networking Event
WOW (World of Work) Week
To enhance their curriculum offerings, they are working as an SCQF Ambassador School, raising awareness of different levels of qualifications and how they can influence an individual student’s learning journey. Included in this are work-based learning opportunities, including Foundation Apprenticeships and work placements. They have created a series of webpages to share information and opportunities with students and parents, while being an effective tool to engage partners.
Each department has conducted an evaluation, through using a revised tool, constructed from the Education Scotland’s CES Learning Resources, to reflect on the teacher/practitioner entitlements. Each department identified two or three areas that need developing as part of their improvement planning. Through their customised CLPL, ’Staff Industry Insight Sessions’, work to meet these development needs, along with industry support and partners such as Scotland’s Enterprising Schools (SES).
Through each year, they work to raise awareness with staff, students, parents and partners on the importance of a curriculum that develops the young workforce.
All of their opportunities embed the Career Education Standards (CES) (3-18) and their own Skills Framework (based on BTC 4: Skills for Learning, Life and Work), giving students the opportunity to become more aware of where their learning, skills and subject choices will lead them on their learning journey.
Once piece of advice that Currie Community High offer:
“manage the workload of staff and members of the strategy group, it is vital that someone has the strategic responsibility for driving DYW forward, however it does not solely sit with them, allowing the sustainable development and longevity of DYW beyond 2021. For this to be sustainable, support from partners for opportunities, including financial support, will allow this to grow and embed for years and students to come!” John Schmidt DYW Lead
Currie Community High have a major focus on skills and careers awareness (CES) which begins from P7 (as part of transitions) to S3, which engages parents, along with plans to expand this throughout the Senior Phase. They are currently reviewing their work placement strategy through utilising the Education Scotland Work Placement Benchmarking tool, based on data and student voice, to provide tailored opportunities for individual pathways. After the successes over the last 3 years, from 2019-20 they are moving forward as a cluster to develop a new ‘Currie Cluster DYW Strategy Group’.
Quotations from young people
S1: ‘I feel inspired to create my own bookstore and read more’
S1: ‘Getting a job or the right person for a job is very competitive’
S2: ‘I learnt about how teamwork is important in real life’
S2: ‘I had a chance to explore different jobs in a calm and free environment’
S3: ‘I learnt about tactics of persuasion and how to trade and invest’
S3: ‘Some parent/carer jobs are high level, which made me think about what I needed to do’
S5/6: ‘I want to go to college and it was great way to see what the different options are for me’
