Staff News - September 2022

Am-Bàta at Plockton High School

The Corporate Communications team recently visiting Plockton Primary School and Plockton High School to find out more about Am-Bàta, a traditional boat building project setup at Plockton High School, and a fun-filled careers fair held at the primary school.

In the morning, we spoke to teachers and pupils to learn more about a fantastic boat currently being built in the school's workshop and about the Am-Bàta, a unique collaboration, running successfully since 2007 between the school's Technology Department and Ullapool based professional boatbuilder, Mark Stockl.

The project provides a service to the local community by building and repairing boats using traditional methods and materials, preserving skills which have been handed down for generations, while also preparing participating senior pupils for the world of work and life after leaving school.

We spoke to Mark Stockl (professional boat builder and teacher), James Phimister (Head of Technology Department), and a group of pupils who have completed the course and those looking forward to beginning next term.

Atc the video below about how the project works and to listen to both the teachers and pupils experiences of this incredible long running project.