S5/6 FAQ

The My World of Work website gives lots of information with interactive tools around jobs and job families. Please see link below.

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

For students particularly those who wish to access college and/or university it is a good idea for them to look at the individual college prospectus for information regarding minimum entry qualifications for courses.

Please see below the link to the S4/5 Option Booklet

S5/6 Options Booklet

The following subjects are compulsory:

• S5: Religious Education & Tutor Time

• S6: Religious Education & Tutor Time

Please see below the link to the S5/6 Option Booklet

S5/6 Options Booklet

Students may not realise that they are in competition with young people across Scotland for college/ university places, modern apprenticeships and jobs.  It is in our students’ best interests to maximise their attainment and therefore in their best interests to maximise the opportunities available to them.

Students in S5 must pick 5 subjects. Tutor Time and core Religious Education are compulsory.  

The majority of students move onto university after S6. Therefore, our S5/6 programme is looked upon as a two-year study programme where all our students will be able to access the qualifications required. However, in the unlikely event of this occurring we have excellent consortium arrangements with both Stonelaw High School and Cathkin High School and will endeavour to meet the young person’s requirements.

Please see below the link to the subjects on offer at Trinity High School.

S5/6 Options Booklet

It should be noted that subject availability is dependent on student uptake & staffing.

We advise our students to undertake a minimum of 4 subjects. This may be a combination of Higher and National 5. S6 students undertaking National 4 or 5 subjects only must choose 5 subjects. Core Religious Education and Tutor Time are compulsory.

Our previous experience demonstrates that the majority of students who take less than the 4 subjects do not commit to “additional‟ study. Students who undertake the minimum of 4 subjects are focussed, have excellent time management and achieve greater success.

Trinity High School has a reputation of providing a wide range of Advanced Highers, however this is always dependent on student uptake and staff availability.

The Advanced Higher courses currently on offer in session 2024-25 are:

• Advanced Higher Art & Design

• Advanced Higher Biology

• Advanced Higher Chemistry

• Advanced Higher Computing Science

• Advanced Higher Drama

• Advanced Higher English

• Advanced Higher Graphic Communication

• Advanced Higher Maths

• Advanced Higher Music

• Advanced Physics

• Advanced Higher Spanish

However, should we be unable to offer the Advanced Higher the young person wishes to undertake we have excellent consortium arrangements with both Stonelaw High School and Cathkin High School or through SLCs Virtual Academy. We endeavour to meet the young person’s requirements however, this is not always possible for a small number of students.

The following subjects are  on offer for session 2024-25 through SLC's Virtual Academy.  Due to limited availability, students are required to submit an application form for any of the subjects that they wish to study.  Further details on how to apply will be shared at a later date.

• Higher Engineering Science

• Higher Politics

• Higher Psychology

• Advanced Higher Biology

• Advanced Higher Computing Science

• Advanced Higher English

• Advanced Higher French

• Advanced Higher Geography

• Advanced Higher Graphic Communication

• Advanced Higher History

• Advanced Higher Maths

• Advanced Higher Modern Studies

• Advanced Higher Physical Education

• Advanced Higher RMPS

• Advanced Higher Spanish

More details on the SLC Virtual Academy subjects can be found here:  SLC Virtual Academy Option Booklet

For our students progressing from S4 to S5 and S5 to S6, we design our option structure based around the needs of our students. However, this comes with the caveat that subject availability is due to student’s uptake and staff availability.

Please check out the school website where you will find the following information/ links regarding the range of subjects available:

S5/6 Options Booklet

• A paper copy of the options form will be distributed to all pupils.  On this form, pupils will list their subject choices in order of preference.  Pupils will have each subject choice approved by Principal Teachers of each subject area by signature on the form. Parents/ carers must sign this form.  Pupils should return this form to their Pupil Support Teacher on or before the deadline.

• The final check will be an interview between the pupils and their Pupil Support Teacher when final choices will be entered onto a Google Form for submission. 

The Aspire programme, provides targeted, flexible one-to-one support to students who need that extra bit of help to progress to employment, training or further learning when they leave school. The programme includes opportunities to take part in groupwork, personal development, work placements and vocational tasters. Aspire can also support students who are still attending school but need support to move onto a positive destination and students who have completely disengaged from school.

South Lanarkshire Council’s GradU8 programme offers senior phase students (S4-S6) an opportunity to study towards a vocational qualification. The GradU8 programme includes courses that have been identified as they provide an introduction to vocational areas where there continues to be progression opportunities into further study and employment. The courses both give students an introduction to that area of work and support their attainment by providing an opportunity to complete a number of units in the chosen subject area at SCQF level 4 or 5.

As well as providing an opportunity to learn new vocational skills, the GradU8 programme also gives students experience of a college environment and equips them with transferable skills including working with others, problem solving and communication which can be of huge benefit as they plan next steps after leaving school.

Foundation Apprenticeships help young people gain valuable, real-world work experience and work-based learning while you’re still at school.  Whether you want to go to college or university, do a further apprenticeship or go straight into work, a Foundation Apprenticeship can help.

You’ll contribute to work-based real-life projects which will complement what you’ll learn in the classroom and at college. The qualification usually takes two years to complete although can also be completed in one year, depending on circumstances. You do a Foundation Apprenticeship alongside your other subjects like National 5s and Highers. It all adds up to an industry-recognised qualification equivalent to one or two Highers.

Courses at South Lanarkshire College, East Kilbride:

• Accountancy (2 year course) 

• Business Skills (1 year course) 

• Creative Digital Media (2 year course) 

• Social Services and Healthcare (1 year and 2 year course options)

• Social Services Children and Young People (1 year and 2 year course options)

• IT Software Development (2 year course)

Courses at New College Lanarkshire, Motherwell campus:

• Engineering (2 year course) 

• Creative Digital Media (1 year course) 

More information...

How to apply

In consultation with your Pupil Support Teacher, you can apply to the courses above.

• You must complete an online application form on the course of your choice through South Lanarkshire's website.

• Please apply as early as possible and at least by the end of February if you plan to start college in August.  

• Arrange a meeting with your Pupil Support Teacher for further information and advice on how to apply.

Foundation Apprenticeships are part of our curricular structure.

The 2-year Foundation Apprenticeship, Year 1 is timetabled for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. We try to ensure that there is minimal impact on other subjects (maximum of one period on maximum two subject areas). By providing catch up periods and specialist subject teachers (if required) students can maintain their level of study across all subject areas.

In the 2nd year of the 2 year and in the 1-year Foundation Apprenticeships students are required to be out of school one full day, and therefore will inevitably miss some classes from other subject areas. Again, careful timetabling and catch-up periods are used to support our students through this pathway.

For those who wish to pursue  a career in engineering through the university route this is the course for you!

This programme is delivered by New College Lanarkshire in collaboration with University of Strathclyde

This course runs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in year one and for one and a half days year two.

This programme is aimed at current S4 learners who are in receipt of free school meals or those who live in SIMD 1 - 4. 

By the end of S6, learners would need to pass Higher Maths and Physics and the Access course to apply for the Engineering Academy. 

The routes are explained in the link below. 

SWAP Engineering pathway

Anyone wishing to undertake this programme, please contact Mr McGowan: gw12mcgowanchris@glow.sch.uk

The Pope Benedict XVI CARITAS AWARD encourages and promotes the ongoing faith journey of students. It recognises that some are already active and committed within their homes, schools, parishes and dioceses and it invites others to respond to God’s call of love. It supports and celebrates the faith witness which students give within their communities.

Any students in their final year of schooling at Trinity High can be enrolled to participate in the CARITAS AWARD. The award is designed to be inclusive of all students and is open to all students who can meet the success criteria for the award. Students can choose how they would like to record and share their learning, reflection and witness from a number of formats. Students studying at all levels will be able to achieve the requirements for the award. Mrs Marks of the Religious Education Department supports our students in the achievement of this award.

Saltire Awards is the Scottish Governments national scheme for recognising and rewarding youth volunteering. The Saltire Award is run by Scotland's network of 32 local Third Sector Interfaces and supported by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. This includes support for finding volunteers and volunteering opportunities and enabling students in your area to claim Saltire Awards certificates for their volunteering.

Saltire Awards certificates are made on completion of a short challenge event and/or at 10 hours, 25 hours, 50 hours, 100 hours, 200 hours and 500 hours volunteering.

Mrs Stewart of the Social Subjects department supports our students in achieving this award. Volunteering can be recognised both within and out with the school.

The Scottish National Qualifications Framework is Scotland’s lifelong learning framework.  It  can help you understand and compare the wide range of Scottish qualifications on offer.  The framework covers achievements from school, college, university, youth clubs and the workplace.  It clearly shows that qualifications have the same worth whether achieved through school, college, university, the workplace or another route. Altogether the framework has 12 levels (the learning programmes become more difficult as SCQF levels increase).  

Please take a look at the link below for further information.

SCQF - About the Framework

At Trinity High School, we are lucky to have 2 Careers Advisers who can support you with your option choices and career pathways. Please see contact details below.

agata.swiderska@sds.co.uk

gavin.jackson@sds.co.uk

Initial contact should be with the young person’s Pupil Support Teacher. They may be able to assist with your query. Failing this they will direct you to the appropriate Head of Faculty/ Department.

For Pupil Support contact details see the contact us page.

The Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) provide financial support to eligible 16-to-19-year-olds who want to continue learning either at school or college. EMA will be paid according to the total taxable household income.

• £30 will be paid per week for families with a single child in full-time education with an income of less than £24,421. 

• £30 will be paid per week for families with more than one child in full-time education with an income of less than £26,884.

• If you are 16 years of age or over before 1 October 2025, you may be eligible for an EMA from August 2025, the beginning of the school term. 

• If you are 16 years of age between 1 October 2025 and 28 February 2026, you may be eligible for an EMA from January 2026. 

• To apply please visit: https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200259/education_benefits/158/education_maintenance_allowance_-_financial_help_for_senior_studentss

Our students will have a good idea of the areas that they wish to continue with into S5/6 due to their progress within each of their subject areas highlighted in their report cards and conversations with subject teachers.

Hopefully at the end of each year our students will receive the result expected or better and will transition into the next appropriate qualification level.

This may not be always the case. Opportunities will be made available, after SQA results in August,  for our students to contact Faculty Heads through an online form to change subjects/ levels. Again this is dependent on subject availability.

Contact details for pupil support teachers can be found here.