WHEC: Making the grade

A NEW approach at Wester Hailes Education Centre has seen an incredible rise in Standard Grade attainment amongst pupils there.

Until three years ago not a single pupil at the school had achieved five or more credit-level passes.

But yesterday the News told how a remarkable turnaround had seen 21 per cent of S4 pupils hit that target this year.

The results have been put down to a series of new measures at the school, including a mentoring system which sees pupils spend 30 minutes going over the previous day’s lessons with a teacher.

Monthly staff meetings also allow teaches to discuss and devise ways to motivate pupils more.

Attendance at the school has also been tackled, with new schemes and incentives, including free swimming for junior pupils and their friends and family.

The education centre had a 70 per cent attendance record last year, but that has now risen to 90 per cent, and helped boost exam results.