BCHS strikes gold with languages award
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BUCKIE High have become the first Moray school to strike gold with a major languages award.
The school finished the term on a high by celebrating achieving their Gold Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA), which is valid for two years. The award helps schools and businesses to build partnerships through languages in order to develop young people's learning about the world of work and the value of language skills.
It follows on from BCHS claiming their silver award last year when they worked with major local employer Associated Seafoods Ltd (ASL), a collaboration which has been running for the last six or seven years. This time around, Buckie High expanded on the employer base involved, with Chivas Bros, Johnston's of Elgin and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Moray joining ASL in working with the school.
PT Modern Languages Catherine Eadon said: "To go for the gold award we had to work with all year groups across two languages and multiple businesses.
"There was very much a local business focus, we wanted to make sure the pupils knew who the local companies were, that they could potentially work for them in the future, so it was about getting to know that environment.
"We're very proud to become the first school in Moray to get the gold award. The pupils have definitely benefited from this, it's given them many more opportunities."
BCHS Rector Neil Johnson praised the achievements of staff and students and the partnerships forged with local businesses.
He continued: "One of the things which is fantastic about this is the connections which have been made don't just sit in modern languages, Catherine has been really good about making connections between modern languages and other areas in the school.
"Young people can be quite insular and sometimes only think about their own area. SLEA makes them realise how businesses they probably think are just a Scottish thing are actually based around international markets, something which is going to become more and more the case.
"You need to know about modern languages right here in Buckie and it can make young people much more employable."
ASL health and safety manager Jonathan Curtis commented: "Associated Seafoods is delighted to learn of Buckie Community High School’s Gold award for Scottish Languages Employability.
"We have worked in partnership with the school for several years, participating in the Career Ready initiative, recipe projects, demonstrations, and talks.
"The gold award is well deserved for all the hard work the school, under the leadership of Catherine Eadon, has put in to achieve this feat. The engagement and commitment from the students have shown their appreciation of the importance of languages and how they can play a key role in business and indeed life.
"Associated Seafoods is proud to be a part of their success and we look forward to continuing our support and partnership with the school."
Ross Keddie, senior bulk operations manager at Chivas Bros said the co-operative venture with BCHS had been a "valued opportunity".
He continued: “As part of our ongoing commitment to engage with Developing the Young Workforce and the local schools of Moray, we are always keen to promote and share all the career prospects available at Chivas Brothers here in Speyside, the UK and across the world.
"We valued the opportunity to connect with the students of Buckie High School on the importance of learning modern languages and the incredible personal and professional opportunities available to language learners. Our International Graduate Programme is a prime example of a career path in which a passion for Scotland and authentic Scottish produce can be combined with foreign language abilities.
"The team at Chivas Brothers are delighted with the success of this initiative and we look forward to working with the schools and young people of Moray in the future.”
Samira Nicholson from DYW Moray added: "Part of what we want to do is promote relationships between businesses and schools and have that sustainability long term.
"This means that whatever happens we'll always have those connections in place and those opportunities that young people can get access to which will support them into the world of work."
