The 5 Higher Mentoring Programme

Why mentoring?

Taking 5 Highers is a challenge for anyone and for this reason we have designed a programme that will provide students with structured support. Over the course of this session students will receive help to enable them to manage their learning, identify areas of concern and develop strategies and techniques to help them improve.

What is mentoring?

At the beginning of the session students were assigned a mentor; a Faculty Head, a Principal Teacher or a teacher who has volunteered to work as a mentor. The programme includes a series of meetings (formal and informal) in which students will lead the discussion of their own progress and talk through possible strategies to ensure they continue towards achieving their 5 Highers. Mentors will question and challenge students, seeking to provide them with guidance and encouragement.

“Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.”

Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring

Meetings with the mentor

The programme provides for at least 6 meetings scheduled at key times throughout the session. Students know that they can approach their mentors any time to discuss any issues that they have and arrange a mutually convenient time to meet.

What’s new this year?

After discussion and feedback from mentors and students of the previous session there have been a number of additional aspects introduced for the new session.  Two mentors now work with a group of students to further support them in their studies to achieve Five Highers. In addition, students are now part of a group with other five Higher students which enables students to share positive practice and strategies with each other.

If you would like to know more about the Five Higher Mentoring Programme please contact Gillian Pollock, DHT.