Youth Voice Representatives Given Guarantees Over Advanced Higher Provision

Representatives of Highland Youth Voice were given a categorical assurance this week that pupils wishing to take Advanced Higher courses will still  be able to do so. Paul MacDonald, Nairn Academy, and Christopher Oughton, Millburn Academy were given this good news at a meeting with Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Alison Magee, Councillor Andy Anderson, Chairman of the Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee and Director of Education Culture and Sport, Bruce Robertson, at the meeting at Inverness.

Councillor Magee said: "I am very pleased that these young people have the confidence to raise matters that are important to them and I have told them our door is always open if they want clarification on any issue.

"I was happy to give them the assurance they were looking for – that Advanced Higher courses will continue to be delivered in our secondary schools. No pupil will be disadvantaged and where schools identify gaps in Advanced Higher courses, we will work with them to examine a range of options to address matters."

The Council’s analysis of the current situation, arising from a Scottish Executive  directive to reduce the  time a teacher has class contact to 22.5 hours, is that there will be the ability in the vast majority of the 29 secondary schools in Highland to absorb the 22.5 hours entitlement within current staffing entitlements.

Mr Robertson said the options would include the targeting of additional probationary teachers to specific schools and use of the very successful Scholar Programme, a distance learning package provided by Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. In Inverness, where there are five secondary schools, it would be possible to establish a consortium arrangement. Video conferencing could be used to allow schools to work together, particularly in rural areas.  And the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute would be prepared to offer courses to complement the courses provided at schools.

He said: "Highland secondary schools have traditionally been able to offer a good selection of courses to senior pupils and I am sure that this will be no different this coming session."