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Bathgate Academy

The logistics industry and global connections

The following is based on Bathgate Academy's Action Research Project application for funding. 

Bathgate Academy has a roll of 1,023 and is located in the centre of the M8 road corridor with numerous national and multi-national logistics firms located locally. To accompany a Curriculum for Excellence Project, we are planning to incorporate a vocational qualification relating to the logistics industry — namely Intermediate 2 National Progression Award in Supply Chain Operations. The course was validated in August 2008 and will be included in our S5/6 option choices for February 2009 with the course going live in June 2009.

Bathgate Aacedmy pupils working

The course will follow on from a 'taster' session relating to the sector. This exciting project will establish stronger links with these firms opening up the possibility of pathways to employment for our students within this sector. We are hopeful of establishing work placements and increasing career-related experiences following this event. We intend to make this project an annual occurrence. Every February we host a mock interview session for all S4 students. In excess of 170 students experience a real-life interview with a local employer. Next year, we intend to use this project to add a logistics element to this successful programme.

Bathgate Academy pupil reading from a text book

Joe Boyd, Headteacher at Bathgate Academy, recently visited China to establish a partner school in the Weifang region of the country. Weifang was the area in which Scottish Olympic Athlete Eric Liddell died in 1945. The area has strong emotional links with Scotland as a result and the students of the area are desperate to visit Bathgate to learn more about education in Scotland. This desire to work together will be realised in this project where it is intended that Weifang will link up with Bathgate Academy at the end of the project via a live video link. Thus making this event much more than merely a local exercise and raising students understanding of the wider world and the nature of the logistics industry in the process. Next session will see Bathgate Academy become a Confucius Hub for Mandarin with a new Mandarin teacher becoming part of the staff from August 2008. Mandarin is already on our timetable for senior students and to our S1 Masterclass Students.

Bathgate Academy pupils and staff

Bathgate has experienced a great deal of change over the past 25 years and as a school our goal is to equip our young people with the correct skills to succeed in life beyond school and this project will kick start a new vocational pathway into work. This project will meet all four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence and will inspire them to be confident individuals, effective contributions, successful learners and responsible citizens.