Name of School

Currie Community High School

What is your role?

Acting Depute Head Teacher (New Currie High Coordinator, Creativity & Employability, Transitions (16+) & Digital Innovation/Literacy)

John Schmidt

Malcolm Cochrane

Key Facts (description of the project)

Currie Community High School has been pivotal in developing the Currie Cluster which incorporates Juniper Green Primary School, Currie Primary School, Nether Currie Primary School and ASN provider Woodland School along with its associated primary school Redhall.

Currie has always aimed to engage students, parents, community and business to develop the priorities of the establishment. The Cluster have devised a three-year strategy with a focus on career awareness, work experience opportunities, the development and articulation of skills and engaging stakeholders such as parents, carers and businesses.

How did the project develop?

Through the Currie Cluster, Currie Community High School has worked in partnership to map the Career Education Standard across all establishments, developing strategy groups, a cross-cluster World of Work Week and developing transitions that are focused on skills-based learning.

Due to the changes made in order to adapt to COVID, Currie High have worked with stakeholders to develop a range of enterprising and entrepreneurial opportunities to further enhance their offering such as a virtual WOW Week.

In addition to the work being done to really drive home the importance of skills for learning, life and work; Currie High also gave learners the opportunity to be personally involved in the development of their new school.

What did pupils gain from taking part in the project? (Impact) How effective was the project? (Outcome)

In the last year, the focus within Currie High has been on encouraging students to continue participating in a wide range of opportunities whilst home learning. The range offered to learners includes YPI, Career Ready, school-college partnership courses and leadership opportunities such as Prefects and Captains.

Currie High is very proud of the entrepreneurial learning offered, they have really focused on encouraging the ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ from S1 onwards through the use of idea.org.uk to develop learners own awareness of the entrepreneurial mindset and the participation in online courses to prepare for the next stage in their learning.

Young people had the opportunity to participate in a Virtual Enterprise Challenge to design the layout of a space or a piece of furniture for the new school. After this, students could choose to apply for an Interior Design Consultant post and take on a leadership role for their year group whilst having the opportunity to work closely with interior designers.

Students have been provided with opportunities through their curriculum to develop enterprising skills such as creating and 3D printing Lego bricks in Design Technology. By supporting staff through digital CLPL, it has facilitated increased student engagement throughout lockdown as staff skills have improved leading to more innovative digital experiences which in turn can look to address the current skills shortage.

Artists impression of new school building

Taken from @CurrieCHS on Twitter

Is the project sustainable? How do you see it developing in the future?

Various staff provide leadership, through organising different activities – staff access and develop networks along with opportunities for students to access the workplace to reinforce their learning.

Departments each identified three priorities linked to the Career Education Standard and through using resources like SES, MarketPlace and SDS they shape the learning experiences with this in mind. Currie are utilising a framework to support staff in developing their digital skills. This framework is underpinned by research and staff-sharing opportunities. As these skills continue to develop, Currie will have the ability to continue adding partners both virtually and face-to-face throughout the learning experience.

Did you get other organisations/partners involved?

Over the years Currie have formed various partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, through social media, great support from parents and carers, the community and the regional DYW group – Edinburgh, Mid Lothian and East Lothian. The Marketplace has been essential in sourcing various activities to engage with business, and this had led to evolving opportunities. For each event Currie work closely with stakeholders to enhance the opportunity, e.g. Road Trips, Roadshows and Career Networking Events.

As part of the curriculum, stakeholders share their experiences and help to deliver various topics such as having Chefs in to deliver elements of Health & Food Technology, sports specialists working with the PE departments and having individuals representing Napier University, BIMA and RBS in to work with the computing department.

Do you have any advice for practitioners thinking about organising something similar?

Learners at Currie High are provided with wide-ranging opportunities to experience enterprise, business and the world of work in a way that enhances the curriculum and supports them into a positive post-school destination. The local and national reputation that Currie has built as an innovative school is led at all levels, from skills development in the classroom to roadshows with business partners and My WOW ambassadors providing peer leadership opportunities. There is a real sense that ‘this is how we do things’ and staff are continually offered professional learning throughout the year. Each faculty plays a part in driving DYW and skills for work forward in a sustainable way and this way of working is not a bolt-on; it’s an integral part of learning for life and work at Currie.

Contact

John.schmidt@currie.edin.sch.uk