State pupils could go private as councils axe advanced courses

Published on Monday 12 January 2009 21:14

STATE pupils could have to visit private schools in order to study for qualifications dropped by cash-strapped councils.

Local authorities across Scotland have been forced to cut the provision of some Advanced Higher courses because of a lack of funding.

The toughest exam available at school level is expensive to run as it is taken only by the most able teenagers in the country, meaning teachers often have just a handful of pupils in a class.

It has now been suggested that private and state schools discuss ways to make sure the courses remain available, with pupils from the two sectors attending classes together at one of the locations.

In Renfrewshire, the need to cut costs has resulted in the Advanced Higher being dropped at schools such as Paisley Grammar, which no longer offers the qualification in chemistry, physics or English to the "outrage and disbelief" of staff.

Pupils in the Borders are similarly affected, with Peebles High pupils reportedly going to a private school in order to take both modern studies and history at the Advanced level.

Highland Council was faced with having to drop the qualification in all schools, apart from five in Inverness, after a 3 per cent cut in its staffing budget last year, while Aberdeenshire is looking at making the courses viable by linking pupils across the area through video link.

The idea of a joint approach has the support of schools from both the state and independent sectors.

Judith Sischy, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, said: "It seems sensible for schools, wherever they are, to share resources if it will give young people opportunities to study subjects that would otherwise be denied to them."

Liz Smith, the Scottish Tories' schools spokeswoman, said: "It is an idea we are keen to foster on both sides because it is important for pupils to get to do the courses they need to get into university.

"The last thing we want is for the future careers of pupils to be compromised by the fact that their school doesn't offer the courses they need.

"Advanced Highers are quite specialist and not every school can possibly run every Advanced Higher course, as you need quite specialist teachers."

She believes finances may not even be a factor. She said: "If it was perhaps a handful of pupils in each local area, then I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be a charge.

"I believe every pupil in Scotland who wants to study a particular exam should be given the opportunity to do so."

The Scotsman has learned that private schools suffer from the expense of offering the minority subjects as much as state schools, and would welcome a reciprocal arrangement with the state sector, without money exchanging hands.

The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland also indicated it would be supportive of the idea.

A spokesman said: "There is no reason why it shouldn't work, particularly in cases where you have schools very close together with pupils studying minority subjects."

BACKGROUND

ADVANCED Highers were last month given greater weight as qualifications, bringing them more in line with A-levels.

The universities admissions body, UCAS, gave the exams a higher rating which will make it easier for candidates to win places at universities.

An independent review judged the value of some Scottish qualifications to be too low.

The move will come into force from 2010. Last year, 18,854 Advanced Highers were taken by pupils, up from 17,831 the previous year.