Tag: education

Goodbye, Telford – hello, Edinburgh!

 

Telford no more, but new College is a class apart!

The vision to create a bigger, better and stronger college that will serve Edinburgh and the Lothians long into the future became a reality today with the launch of Edinburgh College. The new College is set on a clear path to provide improved opportunities and outcomes to everyone who walks through its door – and in turn help to kick-start the regional and national economy by delivering skilled people to those industry sectors where Scotland enjoys a competitive advantage.

New Principal Mandy Exley said the potential of Edinburgh College, both for students and for Edinburgh and Lothians, is limitless. She said: “This is a significant landmark in the history of education provision in Edinburgh and the Lothians. By being bigger and better, we can combine strengths and resources to give our students high quality skills that will allow them seize life-changing opportunities. Equally we will work hand in hand with businesses to ensure we are not just providing a curriculum of varied courses – but are actually focused on training future staff to work in those key industry sectors where there is high demand or in those sectors which have been identified as growth areas for Scotland. We want to be an economic powerhouse for the Edinburgh and Lothian region – helping to drive growth and prosperity to benefit both the local and national economy.”

The creation of Edinburgh College also marks the end of an era for three of Edinburgh’s most recognisable educational institutions – the College being a product of the merger of Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College.

Edinburgh College, which as a £60m business makes it the biggest FE college in Scotland, will accommodate more than 35,000 students – the biggest student body in Edinburgh. The College will employ around 1300 staff operate from four main campuses; Granton, Sighthill, Milton Road and Midlothian.

Mandy added: “In many respects today’s launch is just a start of a journey. We know there is a lot of hard work ahead to deliver our vision for the college. However, the depth and breadth of our staff talent and resources is enormous. By working together and ensuring staff and students play a key role in the decision-making, we can make Edinburgh College a real success story; a college that is inclusive, innovative and excellent. We know that this is a sad day for some as three institutions from Edinburgh’s educational landscape disappear. However, as Edinburgh College starts to deliver on its aims, I am confident it will become a name that will have real resonance across Scotland, the UK and internationally.”

The college in particular will look to focus on developing and promoting ‘centres of excellence’ in key learning fields; including engineering and construction (particularly renewables), hospitality and tourism services, creative industries, service industries, care professions and performing arts.

Ian McKay, Chair (Elect) of Edinburgh College, said the new Board will be looking to set the management team some tough targets both in the first year, and more crucially, in 2013-14, which will see the new college’s first full curriculum being rolled out.

He said: “Edinburgh College will be challenged to support economic growth by delivering the right people for real jobs through a high quality and evolving curriculum. It has an enormous role to play in offering hope and opportunity to our young people and providing the skills needed to benefit the regional and national economy. To achieve that, we will be looking to agree a series of objectives matched against positive outcomes that the college team can be measured against to ultimately demonstrate that Edinburgh College can deliver on its promises.”

Education Secretary Michael Russell said: “As one of Scotland’s largest colleges, Edinburgh College will have a key role to play across the country and particularly in Edinburgh and the Lothians. I believe it will offer new and greater opportunities for students and help make sure they have the skills and knowledge they need for jobs in the area. I know a lot of work has been required to deliver the new college and I am confident the college, staff and students will reap the rewards of this.”

Named after one of Scotland’s finest civil engineers, Telford College opened on Crewe Road South in 1968. The former Ainslie Park Secondary School was added as an annexe as the College population grew and space became an issue, and the College moved to it’s present – and final – custom-built home on Granton’s waterfront in September 2006.

Minister visits Gaelic school site

Alasdair Alan MSP with Cllrs Brock and Key at Bonnington

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages has visited Bonnington Primary, the site of the new Gaelic School, in advance of works beginning. On Tuesday, Dr Allan met with Councillor David Key, Vice Convener of Education, Children and Families to tour the school which will see extensive work carried out to the tune of £3.53million in order to prepare the school for its new role.

Councillor Key, said; “This time next year we will be into the first term of our new dedicated Gaelic Primary and Nursery School.  We are working with the Scottish Government to help deliver a modern educational facility that will nurture our young Gaelic speakers and help protect the future of the language. Pupils, parents and staff are currently being consulted on the name for the new school and I am pleased to say we should be in a position to make an announcement about it in the coming weeks.”

Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages Alasdair Allan said: “The Scottish Government has been clear on the benefits of funding this exciting development and I am delighted to visit the site to see for myself the scale of work that needs to be carried out over the next year. Edinburgh will soon have its first dedicated Gaelic Primary and Nursery School and I would encourage parents, whether or not they themselves speak Gaelic to consider the great opportunity this now presents for their children. I look forward to returning next summer to a newly refurbished facility ready for its first pupils.”

The school will replace the existing Gaelic Medium Unit (GME) based within Tollcross Primary School which was established in the 1980s – the GME unit has steadily seen its roll rise over the years as demand for GME education has grown.

The new school is due to open in August next year.   Parent representatives are involved in a working group taking forward the development of the new school and the new Head Teacher will be appointed before Christmas.

Does Edinburgh really need a dedicated Gaelic school – isn’t Gaelic a dying language?

Can we afford  this new school – shouldn’t that money be spent improving our existing schools? Let us know!

Council ‘inciting racism’, warns local mum

Royston Primary School closed despite community campaign

A local mum has reacted angrily to news that the city council may have to extend Granton Primary School – just a year after closing nearby Royston. Mandy Eng has written to education chiefs to express her disgust and also to warn that blaming migration for increasing school rolls could ‘make a volatile situation much worse’. 

Earlier this month, Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener of Education, Children and Families, explained the rationale behind another review of school buildings. He said: said: “One of our earliest coalition decisions was to set up a cross-party Forum on Children and Families Estate Evaluation. Parents, union and church representatives have also been invited to participate. By doing this we aim to discuss the issues in an open way from the very start of the decision making process.”

The council believes that while some of the issues are longer term and can be addressed over a number of years, immediate action may be required for five schools – Balgreen, Granton, Trinity, Victoria and Wardie – to ensure they can provide places for their catchment population in August 2013, and plans to build ‘high quality extensions if required to support parents who wish to send their child to a catchment school.’

Councillor Godzik continued: “Thriving schools like Sciennes and Stockbridge Primary schools are delivering first class education, even though space is at a premium. I think it is only right with the predicted rise in school rolls that we consider reviewing GP space across the city.”

Education leaders cite a combination of rising birth rates, migration and economic factors for causing a 5% rise in the city’s primary school population this year and an estimated rise of a further 19% by 2019. However Mandy Eng, parent of a child at Granton Primary, believes there is also another reason – school closures. In a letter to Director of Education Gillian Tee, she said:

‘I am a parent of a pupil at Granton Primary School and have just received a letter from you entitled “Rising Rolls in Primary Schools” and am absolutely furious in regard to its content.

You state that the reasons the school is under pressure to accommodate pupil numbers is “due to a combination of rising birth rates, migration and other economic factors” and this will require you to look at increasing the number of classrooms in the coming year.  However, no where do you mention that one of the other catchment schools in the area, Royston Primary, was demolished last year which would easily have accommodated this rise in number of pupils.  Having failed to acknowledge this I feel you are not taking any ownership of an issue that has obviously arisen through lack of foresight from Children and Families Dept.

I attended all of the public meetings to save Royston Primary School from closure and I myself pointed out to your representatives at the first meeting that their figures on birth rates did not equate, then again at the second meeting when the “altered” figures STILL did not equate and was then surprised to see that the slide in relation to these figures had been omitted from further presentations from yourselves.  Were the Council so desperate to close Royston and use its running costs and the sale of the land to plough elsewhere into the Council that they brushed the birth rate figures under the carpet or are your analysts incapable of working out simple projected figures?  To now be looking at spending public money on extending Granton only one year since Royston’s closure is both appalling and unacceptable.

Also by apportioning blame to “migration” I feel you are causing a feeling of resentment to the migrants in our community and I go as far as to say that the Council is inciting racism and making an already volatile situation in some areas much worse.  Already I have heard parents say that it is due to the amount of foreign children coming into the area that their child may not get a place in their catchment school and I have been forced to remind them that if we still had Royston School then this situation would never have arisen.

I am keen to know why the Council did not take information on the projected number of school age children in the area, that was easily obtainable at the time of the decision to close Royston, into consideration and who is going to take responsibility for this MASSIVE error?’

Mandy Eng told NEN: “I feel that it is something that needs to be brought to the attention of the community, and everyone needs to be made aware that there is a possibility that their child may not get a place at the school – not through “migration”, but through the council’s decision to close Royston School.”

The council is expected to Ms Eng’s letter in due course.

 

 

 

Council 'inciting racism', warns local mum

Royston Primary School closed despite community campaign

A local mum has reacted angrily to news that the city council may have to extend Granton Primary School – just a year after closing nearby Royston. Mandy Eng has written to education chiefs to express her disgust and also to warn that blaming migration for increasing school rolls could ‘make a volatile situation much worse’. 

Earlier this month, Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener of Education, Children and Families, explained the rationale behind another review of school buildings. He said: said: “One of our earliest coalition decisions was to set up a cross-party Forum on Children and Families Estate Evaluation. Parents, union and church representatives have also been invited to participate. By doing this we aim to discuss the issues in an open way from the very start of the decision making process.”

The council believes that while some of the issues are longer term and can be addressed over a number of years, immediate action may be required for five schools – Balgreen, Granton, Trinity, Victoria and Wardie – to ensure they can provide places for their catchment population in August 2013, and plans to build ‘high quality extensions if required to support parents who wish to send their child to a catchment school.’

Councillor Godzik continued: “Thriving schools like Sciennes and Stockbridge Primary schools are delivering first class education, even though space is at a premium. I think it is only right with the predicted rise in school rolls that we consider reviewing GP space across the city.”

Education leaders cite a combination of rising birth rates, migration and economic factors for causing a 5% rise in the city’s primary school population this year and an estimated rise of a further 19% by 2019. However Mandy Eng, parent of a child at Granton Primary, believes there is also another reason – school closures. In a letter to Director of Education Gillian Tee, she said:

‘I am a parent of a pupil at Granton Primary School and have just received a letter from you entitled “Rising Rolls in Primary Schools” and am absolutely furious in regard to its content.

You state that the reasons the school is under pressure to accommodate pupil numbers is “due to a combination of rising birth rates, migration and other economic factors” and this will require you to look at increasing the number of classrooms in the coming year.  However, no where do you mention that one of the other catchment schools in the area, Royston Primary, was demolished last year which would easily have accommodated this rise in number of pupils.  Having failed to acknowledge this I feel you are not taking any ownership of an issue that has obviously arisen through lack of foresight from Children and Families Dept.

I attended all of the public meetings to save Royston Primary School from closure and I myself pointed out to your representatives at the first meeting that their figures on birth rates did not equate, then again at the second meeting when the “altered” figures STILL did not equate and was then surprised to see that the slide in relation to these figures had been omitted from further presentations from yourselves.  Were the Council so desperate to close Royston and use its running costs and the sale of the land to plough elsewhere into the Council that they brushed the birth rate figures under the carpet or are your analysts incapable of working out simple projected figures?  To now be looking at spending public money on extending Granton only one year since Royston’s closure is both appalling and unacceptable.

Also by apportioning blame to “migration” I feel you are causing a feeling of resentment to the migrants in our community and I go as far as to say that the Council is inciting racism and making an already volatile situation in some areas much worse.  Already I have heard parents say that it is due to the amount of foreign children coming into the area that their child may not get a place in their catchment school and I have been forced to remind them that if we still had Royston School then this situation would never have arisen.

I am keen to know why the Council did not take information on the projected number of school age children in the area, that was easily obtainable at the time of the decision to close Royston, into consideration and who is going to take responsibility for this MASSIVE error?’

Mandy Eng told NEN: “I feel that it is something that needs to be brought to the attention of the community, and everyone needs to be made aware that there is a possibility that their child may not get a place at the school – not through “migration”, but through the council’s decision to close Royston School.”

The council is expected to Ms Eng’s letter in due course.

 

 

 

New Edinburgh College seeks talent for Board

Influential and inspirational individuals are being invited to help the new Edinburgh College play a key role in defining the future of further education in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Edinburgh College, the product of a merger of Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College Edinburgh, is looking to attract the best talent possible to join its Board of Management.

The College,a £60m business and the biggest FE college in Scotland, will accommodate more than 35,000 students – the biggest student body in Edinburgh – when it opens on October 1.

Ian McKay, Chair (Elect) of Edinburgh College, said Board members will contribute to the leadership and control of the new College, driving forward improved learning opportunities that will benefit Edinburgh and Lothians specifically, and Scotland, in general.

He said: “The new Edinburgh College is set on a course to change the face of further education in Edinburgh and the Lothians. We want to deliver better opportunities and outcomes for learners, which will support economic growth both locally and nationally by providing industry with the right people for real jobs. We know Edinburgh and the Lothians boasts some of Scotland’s most skilled and talented people – captains of industry, innovators, community champions and such like. How great it would be, therefore, to have some of this incredible talent pool join us as we start this exciting journey with Edinburgh College.”

The new College welcomes applicants from all walks of life and is particularly keen to hear from candidates with skills and expertise in: community and educational leadership, industry and commerce, finance, marketing, international education and IT.

Edinburgh College will consist of four main campuses employing more than 1,500 staff; Granton (formerly Edinburgh’s Telford College), Sighthill (formerly Stevenson College Edinburgh) and Milton Road and Midlothian (both formerly Jewel & Esk College).

The selection  process for Board members is being launched this week with a view to  appointments being made within the next 6-8 weeks.

Requests for further information and applications should be made to amanda.hood@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.

Anne Frank Exhibition at Craigroyston High School

Craigroyston Community High School has been chosen by the Anne Frank Trust to host the Anne Frank Exhibition.  This very special and moving exhibition explains the background to the rise of Nazism, interspersed with personal photos from the Frank family album.

The guides to this interactive exhibition are Craigroyston S2 students who have been trained to lead visitors round the exhibition.

The aim of the Anne Frank Exhibition is to promote positive attitudes, and respect differences through learning about the life and tragic death of Anne Frank.

The exhibition is on now and will run until Friday 14 September. The guided tour will last no longer than 30-40 minutes, conducted by our guides in the assembly hall in Craigroyston Community High School.

Please contact the school to make a booking during the school day for your guided tour. There is also an open session on Tuesday 11th September between 4 pm – 7 pm – there is no need to book this session.

If you would like further information please contact myself in school or call 477 7801.

L. Broatch

(Acting Curriculum Leader of Social Subjects)

Stamp of approval for Forthview project

Forthview Primary School’s P5A class is collecting stamps to raise money for charity – and they could use your help.

New teacher Ian Holden explained: “Since the holidays we’ve carried out some learning about stamps and the Olympics and on Tuesday we were visited by Roberto Catto, the General Secretary of the Edinburgh Philatelic Society. Roberto brought in his collection of London 2012 stamps, including all the stamps issued by Royal Mail following on from Team GB Gold medals.”

Ian went on: “The class will also be collecting used stamps which we will then sell to an auctioneer and give the raised funds to a charity of the children’s choice (not yet decided). If NEN readers would donate any used stamps to Forthview Primary School – for care of Mr Holden and P5a – we would be very much obliged.”

So don’t throw away those used stamps – drop them off at Forthview Primary in West Pilton Place – and remember, philately will get you everywhere!

Adult Education enrolment now open

CRAIGROYSTON a wide range of courses available

With the kids back to school today, what better time to think about going back to school yourself? The city council’s adult education programme offers a wide variety of courses geared to suit your circumstances – and, with venues that include Craigroyston High School and Edinburgh’s Telford College, often right on your own doorstep!

No less than 48 venues are offering courses over the next academic term, and the ever popular programme has some exotic new additions this year – how about some Bollywood dancing or Mexican Cooking to spice up your life?

With day, evening and weekend courses on offer across the city, there is a variety of subjects to choose from, including art, computing, languages, fitness, genealogy, crafts, yoga, belly dancing, wine appreciation, gardening or stress management.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener for Education, Children and Families said: “The amount of classes and subject matter on offer this year is absolutely fantastic, there truly is something to suit all tastes.  Some will see these classes as an opportunity to try something new or take on a hobby but they can also be a stepping stone on to further education or indeed into a new career.

“I would advise anyone who has some time to spare over the coming autumn and winter to look into what’s on offer and to secure your place sooner rather than later.”

Rajni Ravikunar, who is teaching a Bollywood Dancing class this year, says she is looking forward to classes starting   and is encouraging the public to have a go: “The classes are great fun and will give participants a chance to get fit too.  We’ll be bringing a taste of Bollywood glamour to Edinburgh, I’m really excited.”

There are a number of Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) at Higher and Unit levels being run by Stevenson College Edinburgh and Edinburgh’s Telford College. These can be taken as formal qualifications for work, college or university or simply for personal development or interest.

Courses start on 24 September except Highers which begin on 03 September. Enrolment is now open.

TELFORD offers Highers and SQA Units

 

The Edinburgh Guarantee

Ann Confrey with the third in a series of articles on Employment and Training opportunities in North Edinburgh:

The Edinburgh Guarantee

A joint initiative to improve employment opportunities and break the cycle of youth unemployment 

At almost double the adult level, youth unemployment is a growing problem in Edinburgh. Addressing this problem is one of the highest priorities for Edinburgh and the city is meeting the challenge head on with a new political coalition that is working in partnership with business.

The challenge of finding employment is significant enough for those with degrees and good exam results but for anyone without those qualifications that challenge can appear insurmountable.

The numbers tell a bleak story:

  • In the year ending September 2011, 6,000 residents of Edinburgh aged 16 to 24 were unemployed – 36% of the total number of people unemployed in the city
  • In May 2012, there were 2,845 Jobseekers Allowance claimants aged under 24 in Edinburgh – 24% of all claimants
  • Of the 3,423 pupils, who left publicly- funded schools in 2011, 423 – almost 12% – were unemployed nine months later.

So what is the City of Edinburgh Council doing to address this problem and secure a future for our young people?

When Chief Executive Sue Bruce (above) took over as Chief Executive in 2011, one statistic struck her more than any other. She said: “Of the thirty two local authorities in Scotland, Edinburgh was sitting at 32nd for providing positive destinations for its school leavers from publicly funded schools.”

“Scotland’s Capital city was at the bottom of the list when it came to getting its young people into a job, a training course or higher education. That trend had to be tackled, it had to be arrested and reversed.

“It was clear that the problem would not be solved either quickly or by the council working alone. To create an environment where school leavers would have opportunity to realise and fulfil their potential, every sector of the city would need to come together with one purpose, to galvanise business and change the landscape for the better forever.”

The result was the Edinburgh Guarantee, created to drive a cultural change that recognizes the creativity and energy that young people can bring to business, dispel the negative perceptions and unite the public, private and third sectors to achieve a common goal – A positive destination for every school leaver.

On 8 December last year a call went out to city businesses and organisations across all sectors to provide jobs, paid work experience, training or continued education for every school leaver in Edinburgh.

The call was made at a breakfast debate which brought together 120 individuals from Edinburgh businesses and organisations to discuss the ongoing issue of youth unemployment in Edinburgh and to encourage participation in the development and delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee.

Under the Guarantee, Edinburgh City Council has committed to ensuring that “…all teenagers will have the chance to leave school with a job, work placement or apprenticeship secured in order to drive down youth unemployment to zero”.

What is the Council doing?

As a lead partner in the Edinburgh Guarantee, and as the city’s largest single employer, the Council has fully committed to taking positive action to increase the number of opportunities that it offers to young people and to provide additional targeted support to maximise their take up.

In 2011/12 it created:

  • 50 new apprenticeships in the Council using existing Modern Apprentice Framework
  • 80 new training places in the Council offering support and work experience for young people assessed as not job ready
  • 50 opportunities with Council contractors through the use of community benefit clauses

How are businesses encouraged to participate?

The Council will provide support to other employers who join the Edinburgh Guarantee through the services of a dedicated Economic Development Business Liaison Officer. (pam.peters@edinburgh.gov.uk)

The types of support available include:

  • Marketing of opportunities
  • Briefing of young people’s support agencies
  • Pre-screening of applicants
  • Practical support for young person’s transition into work eg bus passes, food vouchers etc
  • In work support for vulnerable young people
  • Training for staff to be coaches/mentors for young people
  • Sign posting to potential funding sources
  • Sharing success and best practice

Facts’n’ Figures update:

Since it’s inception in 2011

  • more than 100 businesses and organisations have joined the Edinburgh Guarantee
  • over 400 additional opportunities have been generated
  • 50 new apprentice posts have been created within City of Edinburgh Council

What does that mean for young people in North Edinburgh? Will this initiative benefit them or pass them by?

From the progress being made it certainly looks like North Edinburgh is benefitting greatly from the initiative and employers are delighted at the choice of talent in the area.

The success of local initiatives has been noticed further afield – so much so that earlier this year Craigroyston Community High School had a very high profile visitor when HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay joined a number of business leaders on a ‘Seeing is believing’ visit.

As part of the visit, two local business leaders talked about their experiences of taking part in a paired reading programme every Thursday to support the school’s literacy programme.

The Duke heard all about the Employability Course – a course that offers pupils in S4 the chance to develop their skills, make the most of work experience opportunities and business mentoring.

Muirhouse Youth Development Group demonstrated how, having become a Social Enterprise, they ran a Bike Project in the school.

Scottish Champions of the ‘Formula 1 in Schools’ programme demonstrated their winning car and explained how business support had been crucial to their success.

Prince Charles visited each of these projects, and commended the links that the school and business leaders had established. He encouraged business leaders to increase their engagement with schools, and encouraged everyone to continue working towards positive destinations for all leavers.

Edinburgh’s Telford College – Junior College

“There are a huge number of young people who could excel in certain areas of employment if they were made aware of them and given access and opportunity to pursue them.“ says Principle Miles Dibsdall OBE (pictured above). Here at our Junior College students are presented with a range of courses to help them chose a route to further education or employment. The College works together with Children and Families and Economic Development teams at the Council to ensure that course planning is linked to both senior phased in secondary school and employment opportunities being created in the city.

“By understanding the areas of work in need of employees and reflecting this need in the qualifications we provide we have a good chance of making this (the Guarantee) a reality.” added Miles.

Other contributing local initiatives include Barnardo’s Works Edinburgh based close to Granton Square. The established team is about to embark on a fourth successive year delivering employment programmes across the city.

Participants of the programme go through a tailored induction to develop their employability skills before moving on to a placement with an employer whilst still able to claim benefits. Placements give the young people opportunity to demonstrate what they can bring to a business while the employer benefits from dedicated support throughout the placement period.

Employers can be part of this success – contact helen.brown@barnardos.org.uk

Facts’n’Figures: So far 40% of young people going through the Barnardo’s programme are now in independent employment across a range of sectors.

Ann Confrey

 

Top class! Pass marks for city pupils

Thousands of Edinburgh pupils will receive the exam results they have been waiting for this morning, and early indications show performance across the City as a whole has surpassed previous years.

Across Scotland, a record number of students have passed Higher exams – the pass rate for Highers increased from 75.2% in 2011 to 76.9% this year, a rise of 7% over the past decade. An increased number of students also passed Advanced Highers and Standard Grades.

Dr Janet Brown, chief executive of the SQA, said: “The increased number of qualifications achieved by candidates not only reflects their hard work and commitment, but also the value they place on qualifications, particularly in this difficult economic climate. I want to congratulate everyone and whether they will be returning to school or college, moving on to higher education or entering the workplace, I wish them continued success.”

Education Secretary Mike Russell also congratulated students on their results.

He said: “This has been another successful year which is testament to the hard work that pupils have put into their courses. Of course, as well as being a time of celebration for many, this is also a time of uncertainty for others. Rest assured, help is available through the exam results helpline on 0808 100 8000 for those who may not have got what they needed.”

He continued: “Behind today’s statistics are thousands of individual young people, each with their own set of results and ambitions for the future. Today is a day to celebrate their achievements.”

In Edinburgh, nine thousand six hundred and fifty-four (9,654) pupils sat 45,775 exams this year, ranging in subject matter from Accounting to Woodwork.

Welcoming today’s results, Education Convener Councillor Paul Godzik said: “We are always looking to improve on performance and the information we have put together so far shows Edinburgh as a whole is up on last year – with a 1 percentage point increase in Highers across the board at S5. It’s great to see improvements in our Standard Grade pass rates too.

“This will have been a red-circle day on many calendars across the city and I want to congratulate all those who sat exams this year.  We have been working hard to make sure all school leavers enter a positive destination of employment, training or further education.

“Initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are going a long way to making this a reality for many of our ex-pupils.  This is something we are keen to build on in the coming years and look forward to seeing many more placements and positive results.”

All candidates will receive their results by means of the traditional postal delivery today, and candidates who have activated their MySQA accounts – through which they can choose to receive their exam results by text and/or email in addition to their results certificate – will also receive these by 09:00 this morning.

Got your results but need some help or advice abut what to do next? You could start with a free call to the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Exam Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000. Open from 8am, it offers advice and support to students and parents about what options are available.

SDS Chief Executive Damien Yeates said: “The Exam Results Helpline will be live from 8am as people begin to receive their SQA qualifications. It’s there to give advice and support to students and their parents whether they are thinking about going to college or university, getting a job or a Modern Apprenticeship.”

This year students will enjoy more support than ever before thanks to the newly launched SDS Facebook page. Offering answers to common problems, handy hints for making the best career move and practical tools and advice from the My World of Work website, it also features useful links to other relevant bodies such as UCAS, SAAS and the SQA.

Mr Yeates added: “As always, our advice is not to panic – making the call is the vital first move in finding out what options are available. Often parents or carers call on behalf of their children and that can enable family discussions on the best way ahead. The helpline is about finding the right path for the individual and we have a wide range of services to help people identify and build successful careers.”

Advisers will be on hand to give unique access to information on UCAS course vacancies at colleges and universities across the UK, Confirmation and Clearing, advice about employment, training opportunities and exam re-sits.

The Exam Results Helpline will run from 8am to 8pm on August 7 and 8, then from 9am to 5pm until August 15.

You can also visit the Scottish Qualifications Authority website sqa.org.uk for further iinformation, and the UCAS website can be found at www.ucas.ac.uk to guide you through the higher education maze.

Good luck!