Doreen MacKinnon, Head Teacher, Currie High School

President Elect Peter McGavigan welcomed Doreen MacKinnon, Head Teacher, Currie Community High School (CCHS) and Percy Farren, Senior Deputy Head to our Club meeting.

Doreen McKinnon explained the size of CCHS - 720 pupils, 59 teaching staff and 20 support staff. These plus the various visitors to the premises for community activities result in around 1,000 people in any one day. The school rates highly in relation to the usual criteria - exam results; exclusions; wider achievement and positive destination. The last of those has a score of 93% including 48% to higher education and 19.5% to employment.

As well as a variety of subjects which can be studied, the curiculum also covers inter disciplinary learning - playing a part in the overall ethos and life of the school. A current survey of pupils into the Core Values of the school has some interesting results giving, in order, a Positive & Happy Ethos followed by Togetherness & Community, Equality & Fairness, Respect, Caring & Supporting. Only then does Academically Successful appear on the list.

Doreen continued by saying that, while their overal position was 'very good', they were striving for 'excellent' by enhancing community partnership. Such activities as workbase support, shadowing/mentoring, sharing skills, individual meetings or lectures and sponsorship of activities were all possible when working with the wider community. She hoped that our Club would consider expanding our current level of involvement into one or more of these opportunities.

And then to a Q&A session - from the searching questions and the ideas that were explored, it was clear that our members found the presentation of great interest giving us ideas for the future. It was agreed that we should ensure that future communications between the school and the Club should work well and effectively.

Our Schools Officer Hendrik Nahler gave the Club's vote of thanks.

Report by ian Greig