Planning Course Options

for S4 Students Entering S5

Oldmachar Academy e-Magazine

Inside this issue

Skills for Work 3—7

Higher Courses 8—31

Senior Phase Planning 32—33

Special Features

Read about

Pupils’ Views of S5 Courses

The Transition to S5

“Some of the literature we have put out in the past

about new courses has been very dry and

technical. We are not sure people really engaged

with it. This leaflet provides information by the

young people, for the young people. It is trying to

give people something they will value and use.” Mr

Brown

Our Aim for Learners

This magazine contains information for students entering S5. It describes briefly in a number of articles, written by students, the courses at Higher Level which will be available to them. The magazine has been produced by students of S5, based on their experiences in S4. This is a new approach we are taking, which has been informed by feedback from the young people them-selves. Further information on courses is available for parents on the SQA website.

Some of these courses do not actually run in Oldmachar Academy every year, depending on the uptake for them. Sometimes, we make arrangements with other local schools to accommodate their students in courses we run; other times our students attend a partner school for a course. In recent years we have had such arrangements with St Machar and Bridge of Don Academies.

In the forthcoming session, a number of new Higher courses are being prepared for students who have experienced A Curriculum for Excellence. Obviously, the students writing in this e-magazine have not experienced these new courses. Some of the things they describe may be a bit different for students in S5 next year.

But, they still give you an important flavor of what it is like to study particular subjects at Higher level –and the level of difficulty in new courses or old courses will not change for next year.

An S4 Student’s Guide to Course Options Planning

Clue Yourself Up

David Norval

The Process

The process of making course choices for the upcoming school year begins by simply considering

your options; what can you move on to, and what would you like to study?

What does it mean to ‘consider options’ however? It simply means, thinking about courses. This usu-

ally involves discussion, and above all else, reflection on the previous year. After this period of re-

flection and consideration, it comes to decision time; what you have decided to take, and what you

will be leaving behind. This decision will be based mainly upon what you feel is possible to pursue,

and what you enjoy in school, with consideration to future aspirations.

Once all the choices have been made, and a timetable has been drawn-up, the moment arrives –

your new courses begin.

That’s easy said, but how do you go about with the whole process? What is there to consider?

Things to Consider

This rather appropriately titled section covers the various aspects involved in the consideration pro-

cess. This comes down to four main points: What subjects do I like? What am I good at? How well

can I possibly do in these subjects? And how will this assist in achieving future goals?

The easiest of these steps is deciding what you do and don’t enjoy. Consider the following points: do

I enjoy this subject as a whole, do I enjoy how it is taught and do I enjoy specific topics in this sub-

ject? Or is it just my relationship with the teacher that makes it good?

The next step is to see how good you are at the subject. This may seem to be the simplest question,

but there is more to consider when asking it.

Questions to consider:

Are you good at the whole subject, or are there areas that you find hard?

What makes someone good at the subject? Can you make yourself better at it?

Are you ready to work hard to get on top of it?

Then ask, “Can you become better at the subject?” This could be in respect to, your understanding of

the subject, your use of the subject, your ability to transfer the skills from the subject and so on.

Finally, “How will this help me with future goals and aspirations?” This is perhaps the most important

question to ask, whether your goals are long or short term. A subject will be useful for your future if it

fulfills any of the following points:

- Does it allow you to take future courses (as in, apprenticeships, college courses, university, etc.)?

- Do the skills learned in the course fulfill a goal of some kind?

- Does it allow for progression towards a career?

If you can answer these questions for yourself—and are confident you have the right answers, you are

probably ready to choose your courses.

Help During the Process

The first port of call for help would be to take time to think about the courses on offer. As discussed

earlier, do you enjoy the courses, are you capable of studying them… This reflection or ‘clueing your-

self up’ should hopefully make choices easier.

Then, speak to your friends and family. If in doubt, they will be

able to lend some insight, and although they will be helpful, keep

in mind that it is your choice to make. It is important to note,

however, that as it is your future you will be concerned with, do

not do what your friends do, simply because they are taking the

subject.

Also on hand to offer help with course options are your various

teachers. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses in each sub-

ject, they will be able to offer valuable insight into potential cours-

es.

Guidance teachers will also offer help with the selection process,

often handing out support sheets, and the actual course form.

There is a lot of information out there on the web as well. But, be

careful to check information and ask for advice if you need it.

An S4 Student’s Guide to S5

Reece Gibb

C onsortium Arrangements

T he whole idea of the consortium arrangement is something that I was apprehensive about. I should explain what a consortium arrangement is: it’s going to other schools for specific subjects, which aren’t offered at your school.

I go to Bridge of Don Academy for Tech Studies for example. Following my initial nervousness, I began to enjoy it. It was great to get to see and use some of Bridge of Don’s equipment. They have great computers and a really comfortable working environment. If you have the opportunity to go, you definitely should! Also, it’s nice to get a break for the walk up or to take the bus, a nice change of scenery!

S tudy Habits

O bviously, in fifth year it is vital that you study at home and keep up with any homework. I personally have my own style of working and prefer to take my time doing homework and recap at the same time, then when ex-am times come nearer I’ll start to do past papers – lots

and lots of past papers!

I think you should know yourself if you haven’t done enough studying, and it will show. Really, it’s all down to you how well you do, or how badly. Don’t put off studying, it’ll catch up with you!

P relims

T he prelims for me were good fun – I like tests however. I know a lot of people find them a very stressful time and struggle to cope. The best solution to that is exercise. That’s part of the reason I don’t mind doing tests. The Jesmond Gym provides great facilities to get a work out done and to get your mind off of all the theory and equations you’ll have to learn. I personally

go to Bannatynes gym, I love to go there to lift some weights or have a nice run. It really helps me to de-stress!

If that’s not your thing, then a glass of water and reading a book should help, but DON’T TOUCH YOUR PHONES!

A berdeen Pupil Voice Group

T he Aberdeen Pupil Voice Group is something I’ve been involved in for 2 years. It involves peo-

ple from different schools all getting together and discussing things about our schools. We talk

about the differences, why they exist and how we can eliminate them, all contributing towards

trying to promote a more positive experience for the learners in Aberdeen. So basically we

just all get together, have a chat and see if we can make any schools better. It’s something I’ve really

enjoyed doing and would love to get more people from Oldmachar involved.

Get in touch if you’re interested!

8

Name Course Page

Beth Forrest and Rebecca

Reid

Higher Accounts 10

Corinne Beveridge and Kirsty

Wishart

Higher Administration 11

Bethany Galley Higher Art 12

Daniel Paterson Higher Biology 13

Louisa Simpson Higher Business Management 14

Laura Blaikie Higher Chemistry 15

Greig Bain Higher Computing 16

Rebecca Anderson Higher Drama 17

Erin Scorgie Higher English 18

Melissa Williams Higher French 19

Options Course Information

9

Name Course Page

Hope Wilson Higher Geography 20

Chloe Buchan Higher German 21

David Gilmour Higher Graphic Communication 22

Joanne Mitchell Higher History 23

Sophie Harvey Higher Human Biology 24

Heather Preston Higher Maths 25

Lisa Fraser Higher Modern Studies 26

Josh Richardson Higher Music 27

Danny Middler Higher Physical Education 28

Kurtis Anthony Higher Physics 29

Matthew Smith Higher Product Design 30

Rachel Millar Higher Psychology 31

Taylor Legge Higher RMPS 32

Adam Moxey Higher Technological Studies 33

10

Higher Accounts

What was involved in the course? You learn how to create the accounts of different types of businesses and how they can be used. We learn ratios, allocation and apportionment, break even analysis. Each topic is accompanied by a small amount of theory, although the main course consists of calculations.

What was the experience like? The Higher Accounts course is hard work but rewarding. We have had Ms Rennie teaching us and she has been a very helpful teacher.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? The information you learn can help you in many aspects of your future job. It is vital if you would like to work in the finance sector of business, and would be helpful if you wanted to start up your own business.

Beth Forrest and Rebecca Reid

11

Higher Administration

What was involved in the course? You need to be able to use various ICT applications: Word, spreadsheet, database, Powerpoint. There is also a Theory element – how to run meetings, customer service, recruiting, developing and supporting staff, work practices and the mod-ern working environment, effectiveness in the workplace

What was the experience like? The ICT skills required was a big jump from Standard Grade, however practice at home makes it easier. The different style of questions for theory can be hard and takes a lot of prac-tice.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? Administration is used in a wide spread of jobs now and can be helpful in higher lev-els of education for essays and presentations

Corinne Beveridge and Kirsty Wishart

12

Higher Art

What was involved in the course? The course requires you to do the following:

2 folios (expressive and design) which are 3 sheets of A2 each Art studies (essay writing) on two artists and designers NABS throughout the year on this writing Exam on your writing for your final

This shows that it is a challenging course with many interesting elements.

What was the experience like? Higher Art is good although stressful, especially as we approach important deadlines. There is a lot of effort involved in the course. The development process is time-consuming, but it is worthwhile. You get to explore your ideas and learn about

How you can use what you have learned in the future? A lot of jobs are happy for you to have Art as it shows a crea-tive side to your mind, which can help employers. It is obvious-ly a route to Art school, for those people who aspire to this. Art portfolios need to be prepared for Art and design related cours-es. Doing these well can help you get into college, of universi-ty.

Bethany Galley

13

Higher Biology

What was involved in the course? In the course you learn about the cell and what is inside in much more detail. You also learn about the processes that turn your food into energy and useful substances. We have studied DNA and how it makes cells do what they are meant to; how viruses work in your body and how your body deals with them. We explored chromosomes in more detail and looked at how they are replicated. We found out how genetics make a per-son look like how they do, how animals and plants maintain water and how they get food and defend themselves against predators

What was the experience like? The course has some challenges, for example it requires a lot to remember. It is great for someone who likes animals. There are a few experiments for those that like to be hands on and it includes an essay writing element for those who like to write.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? This course contains information that is used for most scientific courses in universi-ties. It is useful for those who want to study living things. For example, doctors, vets, marine biologists, bio-chemists would all require this to get into the university course that they would need for their career.

Daniel Paterson

14

Higher Business Management

What was involved in the course? In the course we have looked at a range of things that go into managing a business. For example, we explored Human Resources, Business Operations, Marketing, Fi-nance, Internal Organisation, Decision Making, Business and ICT, Business in Contem-porary Society. Each of these issues is important in giving you a good understanding of how a business operates and develops.

What was the experience like? I have enjoyed learning about the topics in greater depth at Higher level. I did not personally find it too challenging, maybe because I was really interested in it. But, there is a lot of course content to remember. It is a very interesting subject and very enjoyable. I would recommend it to future students.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I did the course because I hope that it will help me to follow a pathway into Business Management at university. The course should also help me choose what future path I want to go down. Since the course has shown the many different aspects of businesses, there are a lot of options for careers that I can see.

Louisa Simpson

15

Higher Chemistry

What was involved in the course? The course has a number of theoretical units in which we ex-plore matters concerning energy; a unit called The World of Carbon and another in which we explore chemical reactions in more detail than in the past. There are also a number of practical activities (experiments) for

us to do throughout the course. Calculations and Problem Solving also play a big role

in the course. These skills are really important to learn about.

What was the experience like? I have thoroughly enjoyed the Higher Chemistry course as it is

not only informative, but also interesting. The course is challenging but fun, and is overall a great experi-ence.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I am interested in a job in the scientific field, and this course has helped me to be More prepared for that. You can use this course if you wish to study Chemistry in higher education or want a job which you need this Chemistry course for. But, the course would be useful to anyone thinking about a science related career or university course.

Laura Blaikie

16

Higher Computing

What was involved in the course? There are a total of three topics in Computing which must be completed. Each unit is NAB assessed and two in-class projects must be completed. This includes writing and testing a program and selecting suitable computing items a business should use. The three units are: software development, networking and computer systems. The-se give you a really detailed understanding of important aspects of computing, includ-ing computer science and also information systems handling.

What was the experience like? Overall, I am enjoying the course. It is harder than I thought it would be, however once I understood how fast I had to work, I was able to increase my marks in the unit NABS. A big part of making the jump to higher is getting used to the challenge.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I have a personal interest in following a path towards a career in computing. Hope-fully, at the end of Fifth Year, I will leave to attend HND Compu-ting: Software Development at Aberdeen College. But, the course would suit anyone who wanted to follow a path to uni-versity or work in the computer science industry.

Greig Bain

17

Higher Drama

What was involved in the course? In Higher Drama we had to do quite a lot of essays practising for unit tests. We had to understand concepts involved in dramatic production. We also had to do our own productions for the na-tional examinations. Our class focused on The Crucible for our dramatic piece, which was fun. The play was set in an age of puritanism in America. We also had to do a Scottish dramatic piece, so that we could interpret something that we enjoy exploring.

What was the experience like? Higher Drama was really fun. It was one of my favourite cours-es. It gave us opportunities to act, which was why I picked up the course. It was really intense and pressurised because we had deadlines to meet and had to, for example, learn lines, which involved a lot of preparation. But, because we got to act and use our acting skills we got to develop a more well rounded understanding of what it means to be on stage and to become a character through the acting pro-cess.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? Personally, it helped me to develop more confidence and I found it much easier as a result to speak to people. It also helped me to develop my essay writing skills. It benefited both my educational and personal skills. People who do this course could use it for lots of different things. Lots of people who want to study drama do it; it is a requirement for some college courses in drama and theatre, for example.

Rebecca Anderson

18

Higher English

Erin Scorgie

What was involved in the course? There is a lot of focus on critical analysis of text, e.g. poems, novels, plays. Identify-ing techniques and explaining how they help to convey the writer’s point features heavily. There is not such a strong focus on imaginative or personal writing as in S1—S4, only one or two of each throughout the course. Timing is more of an issue in the Higher course as you move through work quickly and it is important to meet deadlines and keep on top of work.

What was the experience like? I enjoy Higher English as I found the course interesting and like the way that much of what you are doing is open to your interpretation. It gives you a greater understand-ing of underlying meanings in writing, such as novels, that you would beforehand have read without noticing.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? English is useful for many careers in the future, especially when it comes to applying to universities. There are a lot of courses which prefer you to have a good grade in Higher English, even if the course itself is not English-based. Good English skills will also help with getting a job, and will make writing a CV much easier.

19

Higher French

What was involved in the course? In Higher French, it is not really done as a sequence of units like other subjects. But, you cover a number of different top-ics as you go through the course, building up vocabulary and grammatical understanding that you then draw on when it comes to doing tests. The exam at the end is extensive, but by that time you are prepared: you are tested in listening, talking, reading and writing. A really good part is when you watch an entire movie in French and then analyse it. Teachers give you a script so that you can read along with the film.

What was the experience like? I really loved Higher French—it was my favourite thing in school. I particularly liked the teacher, Miss Cussac, and this probably helped a lot. It gave me a lot of confidence because I learned important skills.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I really want to be bilingual and have heard that it is a fact that you are 70% more likely to get a job. I think it is important that people learn languages and that they don’t just rely on English. I think that knowing a foreign language is a great skill to have.

Melissa Williams

20

Higher Geography

What was involved in the course? In Higher Geography, there are three units that you have to do. We focused on gla-cial features in one part of the course; atmospheric issues (clouds, pressure, etc); hu-man population issues, including agriculture and overcrowding of cities. There was also a whole section on the importance of water—how it works and effects the rest of the eco-system.

What was the experience like? I thought that we would have focused on counties, as we did earlier in school. But actually Higher Geography was quite different. You have to have a really good under-standing of how maps work (grid references, et cetera). A good understanding of English helps, because in answering questions in tests, you need to write extended responses—like short essays. There is a lot of information to remember for the as-sessments, such as examples of rocks, and glacial features form.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? It is good to have an understanding of global issues, such as population trends, over cultivation of crops in certain parts of the world and the factors affecting weather. These things can be helpful to you in understanding the world. Geography would be useful for geologists and meteorologists, so there are careers that Higher Geography can lead to. It could also help people who want to be journalists, or teachers.

Hope Wilson

21

Higher German

What was involved in the course? In he course we have been reading a short novel in German then writing an essay on it for the end of unit test. After every topic we explore, you write an essay on it using vocab-ulary learned in that topic. This material is then used as part of the speaking exam. To develop your speaking skills, you need to learn all of the top-ics and be able to have a discussion using the vocabulary you have used. It is also important to be able to deliver a presentation in the language as well.

What was the experience like? There is a lot of homework in this course but it is worth it in the end. It is a fun, en-joyable subject and there is a large variety of things to do. This keeps your interest.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? A knowledge of a language at a Higher level is good for potential employers. The course opens up many pathways, including the study of German at university. But, even if you do not want to study the language further beyond higher, you are still gaining important skills and knowledge that can be used in other careers.

Chloe Buchan

22

Higher Graphic Communication

What was involved in the course? The course is made up of three components:

A Folio (2 Folios) This involves completing about 30 drawings on a variety of different topics such as orthographic, sectional and tangency. A Thematic Presentation

This involves choosing an object and creating sketches and drawings from a 3D model of it. At the end you make advertisements based on your object. This counts for 30% of your final grade.

The Exam (Theory and Drawings) It involves completing questions and several drawings.

What was the experience like? I enjoy Graphics as the teachers are all very helpful and I personally find everything is very straightforward. The atmosphere is relaxed but there is a lot of work to get through.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? If I could start the course again, I would start my thematic presentation during the summer holidays so that it could be done to a very high standard and there would be no pressure to complete it. The course opens up a number of potential path-ways to college, university or work. The skills could be used in draughtsmanship, architecture, or the creative design industry.

David Gilmour

23

Higher History

What was involved in the course? The course involves three different units, chosen by your teacher. This year we completed The Impact of the Great War 1914 – 1928, USA 1918 – 1968 and Britain 1851 – 1951. The Higher History exam expects you to write two essays and answer questions. Throughout the course you will be asked to complete essays and will be given formulae to answer the questions. You will also need to complete and extended es-say where you resource your own information. It is worth 30/100 marks in the exam.

What was the experience like? Higher History has been one of my favourite subjects this year. If you enjoy learning about your own and other coun-tries cultural heritage, are interested in finding out about how people used to go about their daily lives and how the society we live in today came to be, then I would recommend Higher History to you. However, it does involve a large amount of information and I would recommend regu-lar revision.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I am undecided what I want to do in the future but would love if History could be a part of it. History can open up a variety of options – you do not have to want to be a historian or an archaeologist. Many universities look for students to have studied History and it can be helpful if you are looking at a career involving English or Law.

Joanne Mitchell

24

Higher Human Biology

What was involved in the course? This course involves 3 units:

Unit 1 – Cell function and inheritance Unit 2 – The continuation of life Unit 3 – Behaviour, populations and environment

In each of the units there is big emphasis on problem solving and you need to write up what you learn in essays.

What was the experience like? I really enjoy Human Biology as it is a great follow on from what you do in S4. I like how this course goes into more detail about the human body and how it works. This course is not just for people wanting a medical career but also for those just interest-ed in finding out about the human body. It can help you be more aware of human health issues, for example.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? The course could be used to help you prepare yourself for a wide range of jobs, such as: Doctor, Nurse/Midwife, Physiother-apist, PE Teacher, for example. Or, alternatively, you could just have an interest in the human body and want to do this course because you are interested in the subject.

Sophie Harvey

25

Higher Mathematics

What was involved in the course? In the course, we have followed three units:

Unit 1 – Straight line, composite and inverse functions, algebraic functions and graphs, trigonometric functions and graphs, introduction to differentiation, using differen-tiation, sequences Unit 2 – Polynomials, quadratic theory, integration, calcu-lations in 2 and 3 dimensions, compound angle formulae, the circle Unit 3 – Vectors, further differentiation and integration, the exponential and logarithmic functions, the wave func-tions

What was the experience like? I have found that the course involves a lot of work. It has been much harder than I expected. I need to revise a lot and do extra work at home nearly every night to keep up with the work load.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? Higher Maths will look very good on a CV and also any application. I hope to become a teacher in the future and I an sure that my Higher Maths knowledge will come in very handy. Maths is the basis of many other subjects, so is part of a broad curricu-lum. Since many universities and employers would require it, it is really important to get as high a qualification as is possible in Maths.

Heather Preston

26

Higher Modern Studies

What was involved in the course? There are four main topic areas in the course. These are: Health and Wealth in Brit-ain, Politics in Britain (which is split into two: voting systems and factors affecting vot-ing), and we also had an international theme as well—we focused on international de-velopment in Africa. On USA, we also focused on immigration issues and those facing ethnic minority groups.

What was the experience like? There is a real emphasis on extended writing—you need to be able to explain your ideas in detail. The Decisions Making exercises were new to me. In these activities we were presented with an argument about whether or not something should hap-pen, or was true: a smoking ban will increase everyone’s health; there should be well man clinics as well as well woman clinic. These propositions were explored: you’d have two text sources—one for the argument and one against. There would also be a number of statistical sources. You had to use the sources to make three arguments for your point of view and two arguments against. You had to reference the sources in developing your argument, as well as use background knowledge.

How can use what you have learned in the fu-ture? The course gives you a better understanding of how the world works. It helped me to develop awareness of politics. This is the same with issues we covered (immigration, Africa, etc). When I chose the course, I wanted to pursue law. However, I have now changed to forensic psychology. But Modern Studies gave me more general knowledge and awareness of things in the world.

Lisa Fraser

27

Higher Music

What was involved in the course? There are three units in Higher Music. The first one being Literacy and Listening. This involves doing a lot of theory workbut it is good fun and you learn a lot of concepts about different music styles and how things are played. The second unit is Performing and in this you choose two instruments out of a selection. You have to learn pieces of music to perform in an examination at the end of the year. The third unit is Inventing. This is where you use a pro-gramme called Guitar Pro 6 to compose your own pieces of music. You are set different objectives, such as producing a sound track. You have to write programme notes detailing the steps you undertook in producing your composition. You get assessed at the end of the year

What was the experience like? I thought the course was fun. It was my favourite subject, so I knew that I’d enjoy it. I got to learn new pieces on my base. I got access to different styles of music and dif-ferent concepts. I found this really enjoyable.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? It’s obviously a good head start if you want to get into the Music Inductsyr, either into sound engineering or performing. But, it is also a good hobby—it’s fun and worth-while doing.

Josh Richardson

28

Higher Physical Education

What was involved in the course? The course is completely different from Standard Grade. With 5 units a week, the in-tensity is pretty high. If you take Intermediate 2, the course is 50% practical and 50% theory. If you take Higher, the course is 40% practical and 60% theory. You do 3 sports in the practical and you cover 3 sections in the theory (preparation of the body, structures and strategies and skill learning).

What was the experience like? My experience has been tough. At the start, my work was of fine quality but I think as the homework increased, my work started to deteriorate. Although it is a lot of work and a lot of writing, I would recommend seeing common sense in your answers. You’ll find that the questions are to do with you and your per-formance.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? I believe that doing the practical activity more often really im-proves your performance. I think that the theory side of things would help you understand Sports Science better and structure and strategies would help you become a coach.

Danny Middler

29

Higher Physics

What was involved in the course? Higher Physics has three different, main topics that we study throughout the year. These are: Mechan-ics; Electricity and Electronics; Radiation and Mat-ter. The course also includes multiple practical tests and a practical assessment. These things allow you to build up the knowledge you need as you go along.

What was the experience like? Higher Physics is a hard subject and requires a lot of commitment. However, t is very interesting at the same time and is well worth your time and ef-fort.

How you can use what you have learned in the future?

As a subject, Physics contains a lot of learning situations that I can draw on every day and I see myself using a lot of the physics I study at Higher in the future, as I hope to pursue a career in Engineering. Physics is a very relevant option.

Kurtis Anthony

30

Higher Product Design

What was involved in the course? In Product Design you learn many manufacturing processes and many things about the properties of materials: wood, metal, plastic, etc. I personally think that this sub-ject is a combination of Craft and Design, Graphic Communication and Business Man-agement as there are parts of the course which relate to other subjects. You make a prototype of an idea for a design assignment, which counts towards your final grade, following a brief given by SQA. You go through the whole process of in-venting a product from design ideas and researching your target market. You also complete various unit tests: for example, you learn how to use Anthropometric Data (Human Body Sizes) in the designing the product.

What was the experience like? Overall, I enjoy this course. I am now working on my own product and about to start making a prototype of my it. I aim to market it and am looking into getting a few hundred units manufactured to test the reaction! I recommend this subject as the staff in the Design and Technology Department are very easy to get along with and the subject is very good if your interested in this field.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? In the future Product Design will be beneficial if you want to be-come a Product Designer obviously, or a designer of any other type: for example, Kitchen, Graphic, or Architectural. Some companies like to see product design if you want to become an engineer also, as engineers are involved in design processes to find solutions to problems.

Matthew Smith

31

Higher Psychology

What was involved in the course? The course has several main areas including Memory, Early So-cialization, Atypical Behaviour and Conformity and Obedience. Each segment has a set of experiments and case studies which are studied in more detail and there is a lot of interesting infor-mation within this course. It is a writing based subject and the exam questions are mainly in essay style. There is an investigation part of the course which is worth about 20% of the final marks and involves pupils carrying out their own experiments and using their results to write up a re-port at the end. Since the psychology course is provided by Ab-erdeen College, the lessons are only once a week for three hours and so it is key to keep up to date with work and look at what you’ve done several times over the week. What was the experience like? I enjoy the higher psychology course and have always looked forward to taking the course. The information in the course is brand new since we are not able to take higher psychology at an earlier stage in school and I find the information we learn in class really interesting and I am keen to learn more. How you can use what you have learned in the future? I enjoy the higher psychology course and have always looked forward to taking the course. The information in the course is brand new since we are not able to take higher psychology at an earlier stage in school and I find the information we learn in class really interesting and I am keen to learn more. * This course is only available to S6 students

Rachel Millar

32

Higher Religious, Moral and Philosophical

Education

What was involved in the course? The course is made up of three topics – Morality in the Modern

World looking at Crime and Punishment and Capital Punishment.

Christianity looking at Heaven and Hell, Adam and Eve and why peo-

ple sin. Belief and Science looking at Big Bang Theory, Scientific

Method and comparing views between science and religion. The

skills used in RMPS include comparing viewpoints and giving your

own opinion and explaining sources.

What was the experience like?

There are a lot of visual tasks used in class to help us un-

derstand. The learning is very interactive, working in

groups or as a whole class; Miss Forrest seems to change

the layout of the room to suit the task. The lessons are recapped from

the last lesson to help us remember and understand.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? The course allows you to understand different people’s viewpoints which is important

in daily working / university life. It also allows you to give your own view on im-

portant issues which helps you to express your own opinions which is essential at uni-

versity. We also visited the Sheriff Court during the Crime and Punishment topic

which would benefit anyone who wants to work in the legal system.

* S6 stuidents have priority in applying for this course

Taylor Legge

33

Higher Technological Studies

What was involved in the course? The course involves learning about structures and materials. It covers lots of equations including trigonometry. There is also important learning about electronics: how to describe circuits and components. Lastly, there is a section on learning about programmable control, programming circuits and writing code. One task we had to do involved selecting an electrical device and writing a report about it.

What was the experience like? This is a difficult subject that requires a lot of dedication. It is good for logical thinkers. You really need to be relatively good at Maths. It is probably a good choice of course for anyone interested in engineering.

How you can use what you have learned in the future? It is a useful course to have done if you are trying to get a University place in an En-gineering course. It is also a desirable qualification for anyone looking for an engi-neering apprenticeship. * In 2013—2014 this course was delivered as part of a consortium ar-rangement at Bridge of Don Academy—this may occur again in the future.

Adam Moxey

Websites that Can Help You

http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/

http://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

http://www.planitplus.net/

http://www.careerstudio.co.uk/

http://www.workingcareer.co.uk/

https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/yourcareer/careerchanges/

http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120176/student_services/128/careers_advice

http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-discipline/medicine/careers-

and-recruitment/careers-guidance.aspx

http://www.rehis.com/about/careers-advice

http://www.indeed.co.uk/Careers-Adviser-jobs-in-Scotland

Helping Learners Plan Their Options

S4 Course Options

Col A Col B Col C Col D Col E Col F

English Maths

Students choose a Skills for Work

course option Students choose three aca-

demic courses at National

2—5 levels Students choose an additional ac-

ademic subject

Learners in S4 undertake six curricular options, all of which lead to accreditation through courses offered by the

Scottish Qualifications authority. At National 5 level, these courses involve examinations and lead on to courses

Higher level. English and Maths are mandatory. The other four courses are chosen by students. A range of

Skills for Work programmes are offered, which can be chosen by students interested in gaining experience of

particular industries.

Some of the courses we offer include some which are delivered in school: Early Education and Childcare

(delivered by Aberlour Trust); Energy, Retail, Practical Craft Skills and Hospitality (delivered by our own teach-

ing staff). Additionally, some students undertake courses offered by the College of the North East of Scotland

(Construction, Automotive Engineering, Hair and Beauty and Beauty Therapy).

Importantly, these courses need to be perceived as pathways by students. And, indeed, collectively, the group

of courses undertaken make up the pathway overall that the young person has decided upon.

The best idea is to keep a range of options open, unless the young person has a very definite goal in mind. It

should be remembered, however, that young people can change their attitudes significantly over time. A very

definite plan in S4 can be changed considerably by S5.

Also, National 5 courses can be failed in a way the Standard Grades could not be—you would be given a grade

at a lower level. This means that it is really important that young people are committed to what they are stud-

S5 Course Options

S6 Course Options

Col A Col B Col C Col D Col E

English Maths

Students choose

a Skills for Work

course option

Two other academic subjects Students choose

an additional ac-

ademic subject

Col A Col B Col C Col D Col E

Academic

Subject

Academic

Subject

1 / 2 more subjects:

Students can do three sub-

jects, if they are all Advanced

Highers, or if they are under-

taking a Baccalaureate Pro-

ject

SQA

Leadership

Award

In the vast majority of cases students will choose Maths and English as part of their S5 programme of studies.

In exceptional cases, this stipulation can be waived. In addition, students can select a Skills for Work option as

part of their curriculum. Again, the options available in S4 remain possible at this stage.

In S6 students are given the dispensation to follow only four courses, leaving five hours of non-contact time

available to undertake leadership development activities. This can involve placements, meetings, or working on

recording achievements in e-portfolios. All students work towards the SQA Award in leadership.