Welcome to the Fourth and Fifth Year Information Handbook

Dear S4 and S5 Learner

This handbook is for you and your parents.  It includes a range of topics which will help you in some of the important decisions you will require to make for your future in Peebles High School and beyond.

As we adapt our curriculum to suit the changing needs of learners in front of us, you will notice several new courses on offer in the common session (indicated as “new” below). Please take the time to read the information carefully and discuss with your pastoral teacher as you decide the best course for you.

Your handbook is not just about making subject choices but helping you to consider the consequences of whatever decisions you make.  When you have to make decisions, do not just do what you would like to do, but also consider what is likely to have the best or, at least, good consequences for you and make sure to look at the broad range of courses across the curriculum we have.

You should set yourself challenging targets in the senior school and can only expect to achieve them by working hard.  You are and will be in competition with many talented learners across Scotland.  We believe that you can be up there with the best of them.

I hope you have a successful year.

Yours sincerely

Kevin Ryalls

Headteacher

 

Support Programme

This handbook is full of information to support you and your child to make the best choices and contains:

• An overview of the curriculum on offer
• An S4/5 course choice presentation
• An overview of the support programme
• A course choice preparation form to support conversation at home (from the pastoral team)
• The course choice sheet
• The course choice descriptors
• The link to enter choices online at home
• Links to various support websites e.g. PlanIt Plus and My World of Work.

Further support and information:

• 5th December – S4/5/6 Reports
• January: Pastoral S4 interviews begin
• Fri 30th January:  S4/5 course choice handbook for 2025-26 will go live on the website
• Fri 30th January:  course choice preparation form to support course choice conversations at home will be on the website
• 10th February: S4/5 Course Choice Information Evening @ 6:30
• Start of Feb – S4/5 Prelim Results
• February: Pastoral S5 interviews begin
• From February:  targeted 1:1 interviews with Skills Development Scotland (Mr Conway)
• Friday 6th March: S4/5 Options Completion Deadline

Using the handbook

The contents have been thought out carefully to support you.
You should refer to the handbook from time to time for advice.
Please consult with your pastoral teacher if you require clarification on any point.

Which courses are for you?

Before selecting a course you must carry out research to ensure that you understand fully what you are going to study, how hard it will be and how you will be assessed.  You also need to know why you are taking the course.  Is it because it is an essential entry requirement for further study or employment, because you enjoy the area of study and/or because you feel you have talents in this field?  It might even be all three!

Curriculum Pathways

Peebles High School faculties have created a series of maps or pathways to help understand the progression from one course to another throughout your years at school. Click on the links below to help you understand how your senior years in PHS might look. Check on the Meta-skills and Career Pathways pages too to see how the subjects you’re interested in could lead to your future career, and how you can build skills in these areas in your time at school.

• Art & Design
• BCT
• Biology
• CDT
• Chemistry
• Drama
• English
• HLS
• Maths
• Modern Languages
• Music
• PE
• Physics & Science
• RMPS
• Social Subjects

 

Meta-skills

Meta-skills are key skills for the workplace that everyone should look to develop in their time at school. Some may be more important than others for you to develop for your chosen career path, and the school will provide experiences and opportunities for you to develop these skills.

Consider School Service as a way to develop your skills in key areas that will help you on your chosen pathway.

Career Pathways – Life Beyond School

• Apprenticeships
  • Apprenticeships offer a great variety of ways to blend learning with the world of work. Some can be started while still at school (Foundation Apprenticeships), others you can gain qualifications while you work at SCQF Level 6 & 7 (Modern Apprenticeships) or Level 8 and beyond (Graduate Apprenticeships). Click on the link below to find out more
    • Planit : About Apprenticeships (planitplus.net)

• Further & Higher Education
  • Further Education describes any course studied at Level 6 beyond school, while Higher Education describes any course at Level 7 and above. Click on the links below to find out more
    • Planit : CourseMatch (planitplus.net)

• Career Pathways
  • The links below are a way for you to work backwards from the careers you are interested in to the subjects you choose in school, or forwards from the subjects that you like most to see where a career in those areas could take you
    • Planit : Career Areas (planitplus.net)
    • Planit : Career Pathways (planitplus.net)
    • Planit : Schools : Subject Career List (planitplus.net)
    • Planit : Schools : Subject Career Posters (planitplus.net)

Courses everyone will study (Core)

• Personal & Social Education – 1 period
• S5 Physical Education – 1 period
• S5 RMPS – 1 period
• S6 Leadership – 2 periods

Your Choices

S4s  choose either:

• A minimum of 6 courses at any level

or

• 5 Higher or Level 6 courses plus School Study

S5  choose either:

• A minimum of 5 courses at any level, which can include School Service

or

• 3 Advanced Higher or Level 7 courses, LRC School study, plus one other course at any level or School Service

New S6 learners who wish to participate in school service rather than one of their subjects can select this as an option. This must be followed by a successful application. Unsuccessful applicants will be asked to choose an additional course. S5 attendance patterns will be considered before granting such an application.

You also need to choose a reserve in case one of your choices is unavailable. This step is important and you must be aware this is considered a valid choice.

Course Choice Descriptors 

BCT

·       Admin & IT – Higher

·       Admin & IT – N45

·       Business & ICT – Level 6 NPA

·       Business & ICT – N23

·       Business Management – Higher

·       Business Management – N45

·       Computing Science – Higher

·       Computing Science – N45

Borders College (this link takes you to the Schools Academy handbook) Courses include:

·       EW – Active IQ Fitness Instruction ·       Animal Care (An Introduction) ·       Engineering ·       Foundation Apprenticeship Hospitality ·       Foundation Apprenticeship: Automotive Skills ·       Foundation Apprenticeship: NPA Construction ·       Craft & Technician ·       Introduction to Sports Coaching and Fitness ·       Landbased: Rural Skills for Work ·       NPA Cyber Security ·       NEW – NPA Early Education and Childcare ·       NPA Forestry ·       NPA E-Sports ·       NPA in Beauty and Hairstyling ·       NPA Psychology ·       NEW – NPA Step into Healthcare ·       Racing Yard Routine ·       Scottish Racing Academy – NPA Level 4 Horsecare ·       Skills for Work: Early Education and Childcare ·       Skills for Learning and Work

CDT

·       Design & Manufacture – Higher

·       Design & Manufacture – N45

·       Furniture Making – Level 5 NPA

·       Graphic Communication – Higher

·       Graphic Communication – N45

·       Practical Craft Skills and Design & Technology – N3

·       Practical Metalworking – N45

English & RMPS

·       English – Advanced Higher

·       English – Communication & Literature – Level 6  NC

·       English – Higher

·       English – N45

·       Level 6 NPA – Journalism

·       Philosophy – Higher

·       Philosophy – N5

Expressive Arts

·       Art & Design – Higher

·       Art & Design – N345

·       Drama – Higher

·       Drama – N45

·       Music – Advanced Higher

·       Music – Higher

·       Music – N45

·       Music Technology – N5

Drama: Level 6 Combined NPAs in: ·       Musical Theatre & ·       Professional Theatre Preparation

·       Photography – Higher

·       Art/Graphics – S6 Portfolio* *For young people requiring a portfolio of work for further and higher education, the S6 Graphics Portfolio will remain an option which can be completed as part of a School Service application, but will not appear on your Course Choice Sheet

Health & Wellbeing

·       Fashion & Textile Technology – N4/N5/Higher

·       Food Health & Wellbeing & PE N23

·       Health & Food Tech – Level 4/5 NPA

·       Hospitality: Practical Cookery – N4

·       Hospitality: Practical Cookery – N5

·       Mountainbiking – Level 5 NPA

·       PE – Higher

·       Physical Education – Advanced Higher

·       Physical Education – N45

·       Sports Leaders – SCQF Level 6

·       Skills for Work: Hospitality (Events)

Modern Languages

·       ESOL – N4/5/Higher

·       French – Higher

·       French – N45

·       Italian – Higher

·       Italian – N45

·       Spanish – Advanced Higher

·       Spanish – Higher

·       Spanish – N45

Mathematics

·       Applications of Mathematics – Higher

·       Applications of Mathematics – N5

Applications of Mathematics – N4

·       Mathematics – N34

·       Mathematics – N5

·       Maths – Advanced Higher

·       Maths – Higher

Sciences

·       Biology – Advanced Higher

·       Biology – Higher

·       Biology – N4

·       Biology – N5

·       Chemistry – Advanced Higher

·       Chemistry – Higher

·       Chemistry – N4

·       Chemistry – N5

·       Energy – Level 5 Skills for Work

·       Health Sector – Level 5 NPA

·       Human Biology – Higher

·       Laboratory Sciences – Level 5 NPA

·       Mathematics  of Mechanics – Advanced Higher

·       Physics – Advanced Higher

·       Physics – Higher

·       Physics – N45

·       Electronics – N5

·       Science – N34

Social Subjects ·       Criminology – Level 5 NPA ·       Geography – Advanced Higher ·       Geography – Higher ·       Geography – N45 ·       History – Advanced Higher ·       History – Higher ·       History – N45 ·       Legal Studies and Criminology – Level 6 NPAs (S6 Only) ·       Modern Studies – Advanced Higher ·       Modern Studies – Higher ·       Modern Studies – N45 ·       Politics – Higher ·       Social Subjects – N34 ·       Travel and Tourism – N45 Miscellaneous ·       LEAPS Transitions Course (S6 only – check with your pastoral teaching regarding eligibility) ·         School Service (S6 Only)

Course Choice Sheet and Link to Online Choice Entry

S4-5 Course Choice Sheet – February 2026

This year course choices will be entered online with your pastoral teachers. The deadline for this is Friday 6th March. 

A link to the PowerPoint shared on the Course Choice Information evening can be found here.

 

RECOURSING POLICY

Please take the time to read our recoursing policy below:

Recoursing Policy

 

Further information

Further information on curriculum developments and the shape of the new National Qualifications that your child will sit in the Senior Phase can be found on the SQA website.  www.sqa.org.uk

The SCQF is a way of comparing Scottish qualifications to other qualification frameworks. It does this by giving each qualification a level and a number of credit points. See the diagram below:

SCQF Diagram