This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Private investment to prepare pupils for world of work
19/04/2005
Philanthropist Lord Laidlaw is to invest in a Scottish
school to help young people better prepare for the world of
work, Education Minister Peter Peacock announced today.
He will put £40,000 into Keith Grammar School to extend
vocational opportunities for pupils in S4 and beyond.
The money will pay for the development of links with
local further education colleges to deliver subjects in
school such as care, engineering, hairdressing and rural
skills.
Mr Peacock said:
"We have been working very closely with Lord Laidlaw and
this investment is a tangible demonstration of his
commitment to work with us to modernise our schools.
"Keith Grammar School has demonstrated innovative
approaches to learning and teaching. The money which Lord
Laidlaw is investing will allow the school to aim higher
and to open up vocational opportunities for senior pupils
so that they can develop their talents.
"Greater choice and wider opportunities for pupils are
essential building blocks in our modernisation programme.
They will help us deliver ambitious, excellent schools and
I am delighted that we have successful figures such as Lord
Laidlaw working with us.
"The investment in Keith Grammar School is a good
example of the benefits that private donors can bring to
schools. Through our Schools of Ambition programme we plan
to offer more opportunities for such investments."
Lord Laidlaw said:
"As someone who was born and brought up in Keith, I was
interested to hear about the Grammar School's innovative
approach to vocational education. I firmly believe
education is the key to transforming life chances and
releasing the potential of our young people. So I am
pleased to be supporting Keith Grammar School's efforts to
improve vocational education options."
Keith Grammar School is in the middle of a pilot project
which is being supported through the Executive's Future
Learning and Teaching (FLaT) programme. Phase one of the
pilot focussed on compressing the S1/S2 curriculum into a
single year, thereby allowing pupils to begin their
Standard Grade courses a year early in S2 and to sit their
Standard Grade exams at the end of S3.
Phase two of the pilot is focussing on developing a
three-year senior school that provides increased
vocational, further and higher educational opportunities
for pupils from S4 through to S6. Lord Laidlaw will invest
£40,000 to assist with the provision of vocational courses
for S4 to S6. Pupils on the courses will have two days of
lessons taught by school staff, two days of vocational
lessons and one day on work placements with local
businesses.
An evaluation of phase one is published today and can be
found on the
FLaT programme
website -
www.flatprojects.org.uk . Among the
positive benefits to emerge so far are heightened
motivation, a more positive attitude and sense of purpose,
and higher expectations. Analysis of academic performance
will be undertaken as part of the evaluation of phase two,
which is now underway and due to be completed in 2007.