The very first of our school’s documents about Curriculum for Excellence was directed to teachers and began with the phrase “The shackles are off”. And so it has proved to be.

We’ve been able to transform some of our personal enthusiasms into good solid elective courses for first year pupils, like Sharks, Chinese culture and Music Journalism. And in the senior school, good teachers have looked again at good teaching and developed new courses to catch the interest and commitment of this first generation to come of age in the 21st century.

On Thursday, the Cabinet Minister, Mr Mike Russell, was able to observe one of these courses in action – the S5 logistics challenge. Bathgate Academy has a well-established link with the logistics industry and has worked with the Sector’s Skills Council over the past 4 years.  In the annual challenge, pupils establish their own logistics firm and work to win a tender to transport goods from China to the UK.

This year the event is of added importance because we are planning next session to deliver an SCQF Level 5 qualification in Supply Chain Operations in partnership with staff from the local TESCO distribution centre.

In a series of joint meetings to date, Andrew Millar, the school’s coordinator, has established the need for relevant work experience, possibly within Tesco, for teaching materials and mentoring programmes.  It is a truly unique programme which we think will lead to a genuine partnership that opens doors for our pupils when they move on from school. Curriculum for Excellence can remove the shackles from youngsters too.

Joe Boyd, Head teacher, Bathgate Academy