1. S3/4/5 into S4/5/6 Options Parents Information Evening
Meldrum Academy

2. Purpose of the Evening Broad General Education and Senior Phase
Making good choices
The Choice Process
Learner journeys
Questions.

3. Two main stages in Scottish Education
Broad General Education (from age 3 to the end of S3)
Senior Phase (from S4 to S6 – but could be in school or college)

4. Broad General Education
From age 3 to the end of S3.
To equip young people with the breadth and depth of education to thrive in the future.
Spans the key aspects of learning and development and expresses theses major skills and attributes as Experiences and Outcomes (E&Os).
Broad and balanced yet allows for choice and personalisation.
S1-S3 lays strong foundations for more specialised learning, qualifications and lifelong learning in the senior phase and beyond.
S1-S3 should keep options open for the senior phase

5. Inspection Report
“The S1 to S3 curriculum is designed very well to improve young people’s skills for learning, life and work. This includes effective approaches to developing young people’s literacy and numeracy skills and health and well being across their learning. New approaches and courses are in place in curriculum areas to provide young people with opportunities to progress in their learning.”

6. Senior phase at Meldrum Academy
High quality learning and teaching
Wide range of courses and levels on offer
Flexibility in the courses through college links and arrangements with other schools
Considerable personal support
Wide range of events, programmes, competitions and extra curricular activities
Opportunities to give something back

7. Combined Senior Phase
The school timetable is setup so that S4, S5 and S6 can have the same choice of subjects.
e.g. an Accounting National 5 class may contain pupils from S4, S5 and S6.
This overall allows for a wider range of courses and levels including new courses and subjects.

8. Senior Phase
Pupils moving into S4 will follow 6 courses in S4 (including English and Mathematics.
Pupils moving into S5 will follow 5 courses in S5.
Pupils moving S6 follow a “suitably challenging” programme of courses.
There are options of courses available through NESCOL (Aberdeen, Ellon, Fraserburgh)

9. Qualifications
Courses will lead to National Qualifications awarded by the SQA.
Pupils will follow courses and in some cases sit at exams, at a level most appropriate to their own level of achievement and ability.
SCQF Level 1 – Level 7

10. Building up qualifications
Pupil build up a portfolio of qualifications, achievements and experiences.
Greater focus on partnerships with colleges and universities, CLD, relevant work experience, other schools and volunteering in and out of school.
Greater focus on wider achievements both in and out of school.
Portfolio continues to be developed and added to after pupils have left school at work, college or university

11. Some important points
The majority of S5 students are above statutory school leaving age.
Positive choice to stay on at school.
Post 16 students are ‘senior pupils’ with responsibility of setting tone of school.
Students are expected to be responsible for themselves and the decisions they make

12. Points to Consider
Do I plan to stay on for the whole year, until Christmas or for two more years?
Leaving S5
Leaving S6
What job, course or career am I aiming for?
What are the entry requirements?
If I am a ‘Christmas leaver’. What does this mean?
What is exceptional entry to college

13. Choice Process
Pupils should make well-informed decisions based on what is good for them and their future and not what their friends are doing. Discussion will take place in PSE classes, in individual pupil interviews, with class teachers and Principal Teachers and of course with family.

14. Choice Process
Information on in-school courses and on schools/college (NESCol) links courses is available on the Meldrum Academy blog.

15. Deadlines
Option Form Submission to school office no later than Friday 16th March.
choices signed off by teachers
form signed by your parent
form signed by Pastoral Care
Pupil responsibility to meet this deadline!
NESCol Applications by Friday 23rd March
Make sure you have discussed with Pastoral Care well in advance

16. Options Process & Making ‘Good’ Choices

17. Informed Choices
Pupils should make well-informed decisions based on what is good for them and their future and not what their friends are doing.
Young people get their information from a number of sources.
Parents are the No 1 valued source of advice and information.
But how can you assist in making informed choices?
My world of work for parents

18. Learner Journey

19. Sue’s journey S4 English Level 5 French Level 5 History Level 5
Music level 5
Maths Level 5
Chemistry Level 5
Enjoys languages and music, thought about taking two languages but kept her options open with a science subject.
Plays trumpet in school groups and hopes to pass an audition for North Aberdeenshire Orchestra.

20. Sue’s journey S5 English N5 French N5 History N5 Music N5 Maths N5
Chemistry N5
English
Higher
French
Higher
History
Higher
Music Higher
Spanish Level 4/5
Languages are a key strength. Made very good progress in English and History. Decides to add a second language – Spanish, starting from scratch but will do Higher in S6. Plays in school and Aberdeenshire orchestras.

21. Sue’s journey to study Languages at University
English N5
French N5
History N5
Music N5
Maths N5
Chemistry N5
English
Higher
French
Higher
History
Higher
Music Higher
Spanish Level 4/5
Spanish Higher
French Advanced Higher
Music Advanced Higher
Prefect, Depute House Captain, school & Aberdeenshire orchestra, buddy in French classes, Rotary Club sponsor Euroscola to Brussels, part-time employment as a distillery guide

22. Lauren’s journey EnglishAccessN3 Music N3
Supported Study Maths N3
Skills for Work Child Care College
Steps to Work N3/4
Hospitality N3
Literacy N4
Music N4
Child Care
College
Maths Personal Finance Level 4
Hospitality N4
Lauren has a range of additional educational support needs. She is very hard working and responsible. Lauren enjoys the RDA sessions. In S4 Lauren attended a local FE college and studied Skills for Work Child Care at N4. She enjoyed this and decided to follow this course at the next level in S5 with a view to leaving school at the end of S5 to study Child Care on a full time basis. In addition, in S5 Lauren represented the school in the Taste of Grampian competition and had work experience in a creche.

23. Stephen’s journey English N5 Graph Comm N5 Physics N5
Skills for Work College
Engineerring
Maths N5
Design and Manf. N5
Maths Higher
Graph Comm Higher
Physics Higher
College
Civil Engineering FA
College Civil Engineering FA
College
Civil Engineering FA
College
Civil Engineering FA
Graph Comm AdvancedHigher at Ellon Acad
Maths Higher
In S3 Stephen thought that he could would like to work as a mechanical engineer. In S4 he chose to spend one day a week at local college on practical course. He enjoyed college and joined the Civil Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) in S5. He started Higher maths and the school supported him with classes in Engineering maths for the FA. In S6 he continued the Foundation Apprenticeship continued into S6, completed the H Maths course and studied AH Graph Comm in another school. He got a Modern Apprenticeship with a local civil engineering company.