S3 Appendices

Appendix 1:  Our S1-6 Curriculum

S1 

All students experience learning in each of the seven curricular areas. 

Students elect to participate in one of our 'Schools Of'.  Further details available in February.

Learning Skills (pink bar) incorporated into S1 Social Studies course. 

S2 

Students continue to experience learning in all curricular areas. 

Students continue to personalise their learning in two periods of 'Schools of'. 

Learning Skills incorporated into 'Schools Of' programme. 

S3

Students continue learning in Maths, English, and choose in all other curricular areas. 

Students make a choice of one further subject in our Options column. 

Students continue participation in two periods of 'Schools Of'. 

S4 

Students completely personalise their learning by selecting seven subjects at National 4 or National 5 level (4 periods per week).

These courses are also available to S5 and S6 students.  

All students continue to learn in core subjects (PE, RE and SE). 

S5 

Students may study up to 5 subjects at Higher level (6 periods per week). 

Students may also select National 4 or 5 qualifications (4 periods per week). 

All students also participate in core SE and an S5 meeting. 

S6 

Students may study post-Higher qualifications (6 periods per week). 

Students may also select National 4/5 courses (4 periods per week) or Higher courses (6 periods per week). 

S6 students also participate in core SE and an S6 meeting. 

S4/5/6 

All students may participate in the Wider Achievement Opportunities programme (WAO), which provides a broad set of learning opportunities through college courses, foundation apprenticeships and vocational learning.

Participation in one of these programmes counts as one curricular choice for such students, replacing one of their subject choices.

Abbreviations 

• CDT: Craft, Design & Technology 

• Eng: English 

• Exp Arts: Expressive Arts 

• Geog: Geography 

• HE: Home Economics 

• Hist: History 

• IT: Information Technology 

• Lit: Literacy 

• LS: Learning Skills 

• MFL: Modern Languages 

• Mod St: Modern Studies 

• Mus: Music 

• Nat4/5: SQA National 4/5 level 

• Num: Numeracy 

• PE: Physical Education 

• RE: Religious Education 

• Sci: Science 

• SE: Social Education 

• SO: School Of 

• Soc St: Social Studies 

• WAO: Wider Achievement Opportunities

Appendix 2: How does S4-6 work at Preston Lodge?

Introduction 

Each East Lothian secondary school is adopting a different approach to the S4-6 curriculum to meet the needs of their students.  At Preston Lodge High School each student studies five to seven qualifications in S4-6. 

What SQA qualifications are offered? 

National 3/4/5s are the qualifications that replaced Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications.  Each National 4 or 5 course has 120 notional study hours attached to it.  These study hours encompass in-school and out-of-school learning. 

New National Qualifications started in August 2013, and our certificated courses open to S4-6 students in session 2024-25 will be as follows:

At Preston Lodge we offer a number of One Year Foundation Apprenticeships. Full details of these exciting new courses can be found within our Senior Phase website. 

In addition, National Progression Awards (NPAs) are now available in a number of areas of our Senior Phase.  These are qualifications that are aimed at assessing a defined set of skills and knowledge in specialist vocational areas. 

Youth Achievement Awards are also offered.  These awards offer formal recognition and accreditation for young people’s achievements in a wide variety of areas.

Further detail on both of these new qualifications is contained at our Senior Phase website, too. 

There has been much debate across Scotland about the right “curricular model” that schools should adopt.  We have been charged with developing the model that we think best meets the needs of young people at Preston Lodge High School.  It is our firm conviction that an S1-3 Broad General Education followed by an integrated three year Senior Phase best allows Preston Lodge High School to meet the requirements of Curriculum for Excellence and the needs of our students.  You may have seen this model described as “3+3” in the national press. 

We currently have a fully integrated S4-6 Senior Phase where classes comprise S4, S5 and S6 students sitting National 4s, 5s, Highers or Advanced Highers.  Each course is a one year experience.

How will my child achieve their best in Senior Phase courses? 

Our S1-3 Broad General Education will provide students with many experiences and outcomes that will prepare them well for the rigours of S4 courses.  Indeed, by the end of S3 many young people will have already encountered work of an equivalent nature to National 4 or National 5.  This means that students will be well prepared for the Senior Phase.  We are confident that our Broad General Education better prepares students for formal SQA assessments in S4-6 than our old S1-3 curriculum. 

How did Preston Lodge High School design the S4-6 programme?  

• Our S1-3 Broad General Education has provided breadth.  Specialisation in S4-6 is now more appropriate and many students already know exactly what they hope to do and can start to focus in on that work.  

• Greater time in each subject chosen will allow for richer learning, more practical experiences and a greater consolidation of course content than if the three hours per subject per week which S3 offered.  

• S4-6 students have 120 in-school study hours per subject which supports improved attainment levels within each subject for each student. 

Appendix 4: Course choice sheet