Outstanding exam results at BCHS and Milne's High hailed
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THERE was plenty to cheer about for students at Buckie Community High School (BCHS) and Milne's High when the exam results were announced.
Reflecting the trend across Moray, which saw students achieve the highest number of five or more A grades at Higher for 20 years, both schools produced some outstanding results.
At BCHS there were special celebrations for S5 Dux Scott Davidson who was awarded five A grades at Higher.
There were many other tremendous results to hail at Higher at the school.
Four As and a B were on the cards for Kallum Aitchison, Samuel McLean and Finlay Wood, while Isaac Clarke claimed three As at Higher and two As at Advanced Higher and Neve Fraser scooped three As at Higher and a B at Advanced Higher.
Rich pickings were to be had in the Nat 5 results. A hugely creditable seven A grades were earned by Kaydee Cowie, Yasmin Mair, Emily Stewart and Joe Sutherland. Rakin Amin and Ella Grant were awarded six As and a B while Rosie Clarke received six As.
The efforts of these students and the others who sat the most recent diet of exams were lauded by BCHS Rector Neil Johnson, saying that these results were part of a much wider qualifications picture for the young people at the school.
He said: "Today is really about national qualifications – which are the National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers – because every year we're getting more and more young people doing qualifications that are not announced today.
"Some they've already got or have still to get while some are across two-year courses like foundation apprenticeships, so it's nowhere near as clear a picture as it used to be at this time.
"The results are as good as we've had over the past couple of years across the piece. Nationally, I think the results have gone down slightly but we've pretty much stayed the same when you add in results like college and the partnership stuff.
"We're pleased with it and the kids have worked really hard. There's a huge amount of work gone in as each year for the last couple of years more has been added in so they've all worked really hard to get themselves up to speed. For many of them they've very little exam experience compared to what they'd normally have [due to Covid]. At this point in time we've still got kids who missed out on that preparation for exams in fourth year so it's good see them doing so well."
BCHS very much has a focus on a rounded education, with the experiences students have in activities and commmitments outside the classroom taking on an importance parallel to that of the academic side of their schooling.
Mr Johnson commented: "You tend to find that the ones who do very well are the ones who do a lot outside school – like the Boys' Brigade, the Scouts, the Guides the Cadets, the volunteering at schools, things like that – but that has come back [after Covid] more slowly than the stuff in the classroom. We're still nowhere near the stage we were at before in terms of opportunities for young people to do volunteering and do things outside the classroom.
"The more of that which happens the better because things like work experience and work placements are more difficult now, since going through Covid people haven't got their confidence back yet and the systems to support it [having young people in the workplace] so it's not as high as it was.
"We've been working on trying to raise this. We've been working hard with DYW [Developing the Young Workforce] to get more connections. It's really important for future success, there's a big gap between doing exams and working. The more we can bridge that gap, the better.
"Things like today are great, we've got some great results but we shouldn't be diverted from the fact that it's the whole package that's important."
Mr Johnson that the results provided an encouraging foundation for the new school year at BCHS.
There was plenty to celebrate over at Milne's High where three S5 students – Hebe Muckle (who amassed no fewer than eight Nat 5s last year), Catherine Lewis and Eilidh Hay – were basking in the glow of achieving five A grades at Higher.
S4 was a major success story on the exam results front, with 16 students receiving five As at Nat 5, 10 claiming six As and five earning themselves seven As.
The 16 students with five As are: Finlay Reid; Leyton Sim; Phoebe Lindsay; Cormac Marshall; Ameila Lockhart; Arran Morrison; Beth Manson; Darcy Matheson; Cali Rattray; Hannah Jupp; Alexa Mann; Calum Macpherson; Rowan Morrison; Mia Jackson; Niamh Sidney; Finn Askew.
Achieving six As: Beth Manson; Darcy Matheson; Cali Rattray; Hannah Jupp; Alexa Mann; Calum Macpherson; Rowan Morrison; Mia Jackson; Niamh Sidney; Finn Askew.
With seven As are: Darcy Matheson; Cali Rattray; Calum Macpherson; Mia Jackson; Finn Askew.
There were a number of notable awards for S4s who presented early for their Highers. Gaining two Highers at A was Alexa Mann.
Earning one Higher at A: Cali Rattray; Calum Macpherson; Mia Jackson; Siena Clark; Finn Askew.
Hannah Jupp and Lauren Murray each got a B grade at Higher, with Caitlin Parnaby being awarded a C.
The results left Milne's rector Jemma Playfair delighted.
She said: "They've excelled themselves this year, there're a lot more young people getting A awards in their qualifications.
"Last year we didn't have three pupils getting five As at Higher so that's really good for the size of school that we are, with around 480 pupils.
"We had a lot of early Higher presentations, which is good because it lets you know that they're able to work at that level and will be able to make that jump from Nat 5 to Higher.
"In terms of things that we're hoping to move forward, we're looking at more awards we're able to offer kids. Our curriculum has expanded for this year, we've put in new qualifications and new awards so that there's something for everybody.
"Not every young person is going to get five As at Nat 5 or six As at Nat 5 so we want to make sure that our curriculum is as robust and accessible as possible. Also, the courses are going to get widened quite a lot and that's something we're looking forward to. We're giving kids the opportunity to excel in the areas they're strong in."
Ms Playfair went to pay tribute to the S4s – who were early in their secondary school career when Covid struck – for their "resilience" in coming through the travails of the pandemic and going on to excel.
She continued: "I'm really proud that they've managed to demonstrate the resilience that they've needed.
"Their whole school experience has been really different, they've witnessed other year groups have different models of qualifications and then they've been the ones who've been told they're back to it doing exams.
"Last year there were exams but there were more supports in place for staff and young people whereas this year the support hasn't been as there for them. This group have been really resilient and they've just knuckled down and got on with it.
"I'm confident they'll do really well in fifth year just because of the work ethic they've got."
Ms Playfair went on to laud the staff for their efforts in helping their students excel, adding that they habitually went "above and beyond".
Across Moray over 90 per cent of students achieved an award (A-D) at S4 National 5 with an increase in three, five and seven or more passes (A-C) at level 5 based on last year’s data.
In S4, performance is stronger compared with 2019, the last comparable SQA exam year prior to last year, with the five, six, and seven or more qualifications at S4 National 5 marker in particular seeing a positive increase.
This year also saw schools increasing the breadth of qualifications offered to young people, with 43 pupils achieving seven or more A passes in S4 at National 5 and 25 young people achieving one or more Higher (SCQF level 6) passes in S4, as a further level of study appropriate to their individual learner journey.
Positive performances in S4 are noted in Administration and IT, Applications of Maths, Art and Design, Chemistry, Drama, English, French, German, History, Music, Physical Education, Practical Cookery, Practical Woodworking and Spanish.
Performance at S5 Higher remains comparable to last session with 91 per cent of young people achieving an award at (A-D). In particular, five or more qualifications at level 6 increased, with 15 per cent of young people achieving these qualifications.
In particular, young people performed well in Art and Design, Business Management, French, German, Graphic Communication, History, Music, Physical Education and Politics.
