Pupils from Duncanrig Secondary in East Kilbride are showing that there are numerous ways to celebrate success following the recent exams. The school enjoyed fantastic success, with pupils achieving A grades at Nat 5 and Highers, but for many others vocational qualifications are helping them on their chosen career pathways.
Vocational Success Stories
This includes Amy McKay, who thanks to qualifications in N5 Cake Craft, is looking to study cookery at college next year. She said: "I love cooking and I am pleased I got to do this at Duncanrig." Fellow pupils are now also looking to use the qualifications they have received to move onto the next stage of their learning, such as Ava Miller, who is about to pursue a photography course at City of Glasgow College.
Michael Brown-Lochrie has his sights set on the stage, with the ultimate goal being musical theatre. Charli Harvie completed a successful work placement at Rooftops Nursery and is set for a place at South Lanarkshire College to further pursue this line of work, while Andrew Welsh is about to start a Foundation Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media which will see him divide his time between the school and the same college.
School and Council Support
Head Teacher Annette Alexander said: "We have introduced over 20 new SCQF courses in the past four years (Skills for Work and National Progression Awards) and have strong partnerships with South Lanarkshire College, providing GradU8 and Foundation Apprenticeship opportunities as part of the school curriculum." She added: "This is to ensure we offer relevant, interesting and engaging courses so support young people to achieve and attain now but also to secure a positive destination post school."
Executive director of South Lanarkshire Council's Education Resources, Lyndsay McRoberts, said: "Like schools across South Lanarkshire, Duncanrig recognises the need to offer a wide variety of alternative pathways and vocational opportunities to our young people. I am delighted that so many have been successful and it all contributes to the latest figures which showed more than 96% of young people leaving school in South Lanarkshire are reaching positive destinations."
Broader Success Across South Lanarkshire
Across South Lanarkshire, more than half of S4 learners achieved five or more National 5 qualifications, and more than 60% of S5 learners achieved one or more Higher qualifications. Record numbers of young people were also presented for National 5 and Higher qualifications across all schools.
