School College Partnership (SCP) is the opportunity for pupils in S5/S6 to study a course part-time at Edinburgh College, as part of their school curriculum.
The majority of SCP courses are taught on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, and take place at an Edinburgh College campus.
A small number of courses are also offered as 'open-learning' where pupils are taught either online or blended, but the majority of courses are taught in-person.
The Senior Phase Guide produced by Edinburgh College provides a useful overview.
Every year a small number of S5/S6 pupils choose to participate in SCP. There are a vast variety of courses on offer, and this can be an excellent choice for some pupils - especially those who have an interest in a particular vocation.
SCP can be chosen as an option in column 6 of the school timetable. However, it is highly unlikely that pupils taking advantage of the SCP would be able to attend all their timetabled classes at both Watson’s and Edinburgh College and hence some compromise would be necessary.
Browse School Partnership Courses on the college website - please note courses for the 2025-26 session usually go live from mid-January. We recommend applying within 6 weeks of courses opening as they can be popular and places are limited.
There are a number of important things to consider before deciding whether an SCP is the right choice for you or your child. Please contact Ms Paula Melville (p.melville@gwc.org.uk), our Careers Adviser, to discuss on an individual basis. We prefer that pupils do not complete the online SCP application process without prior consultation with the school.
School College Partnership courses usually start at 1.30pm on Tuesday and Thursdays. Pupils travel independently to college, using public transport. When looking at courses, it is important to check which campus they are taught at and consider how your will travel there. Often pupils need to leave school part way through Period 4 in order to get to college on time.
It is worth noting that Edinburgh College has slightly different term dates and holidays to GWC. The main difference is in October where the college has a 1-week holiday, while GWC has a 2-week holiday. The start of session can also vary. Furthermore, prelim dates also differ with other schools.
Pupils are expected to attend their SCP course throughout the session. This requires some compromise and flexibility.
Records of attendance will be shared by the college with the school and unjustified absences will be queried in the usual fashion as this is an integral part of a pupil's curriculum.
Pupils are welcome to bring a change of clothes to attend their college course, but will be expected to wear their school uniform in the morning lessons.
The school completes a Transition Support Form at the start of session to share any key information with the college (for example, any additional support needs or alternative assessment arrangements).
In school, Paula Melville (p.melville@gwc.org.uk) is the point of contact for pupils and parents.