Castlemilk High School pupils gain hands-on experience with Rural Skills course
19 August 2025
Pupils at Castlemilk High School are developing practical, hands-on experience in horticulture, landscaping and food production — all as part of a qualification that’s opening doors to employment and further education.
The National 4 Skills for Work: Rural Skills qualification by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), introduces young people to estate maintenance, crop production, soft landscaping, animal care, and land-based career options. In 2025, over 280 learners completed the qualification, with the number remaining steady over the past few years.
At Castlemilk High School, the course is brought to life through the school’s thriving on-site garden project - a green space where pupils grow, harvest and sell produce.
Rural Skills teacher Dougie Weir explains: “Pupils help build our planters, prepare and turn the soil, grow our plants, look after crops, harvest crops, and then the Home Economics department cook with the produce.”
It’s a fully collaborative effort, with Home Economics and Practical Cookery pupils making use of freshly grown ingredients in class.
Katie Haddow, Home Economics teacher at Castlemilk High School, says: “We’ve had produce such as potatoes, leeks, and spring onions to work with. We’ve made lots of different soups and pasta dishes, and even sweet dishes like courgette cookies which allowed pupils to explore their creativity.
“Pupils have gained a deeper understanding of seasonality and food waste. When we have lots of ingredients in abundance, they create their own recipes. These are skills they can take home and use in everyday life.”
The course is helping young people see the value of outdoor learning, not just in the garden, but for future careers. Dougie Weir notes: “The Rural Skills course is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to get involved in a large range of outdoor activities.
“They develop transferrable skills that are very useful for employment: teamwork, discipline, problem-solving, initiative and the ability to guide each other. These are all soft skills vital for the world of work.”
The qualification has inspired many Castlemilk pupils to continue their learning after school: “A large number of our pupils who do the course have chosen to study it further at college,” says Dougie.
“Others have gone into apprenticeships in horticulture or landscape gardening because they’ve had the opportunity to work with it in school.”
For Castlemilk pupil, Jay, the course offered the chance to build practical skills from the ground up: “It’s enjoyable and fun and you learn new things every day. At the beginning of the course, I couldn’t build much but now I can build a wall.
“It’s a good thing for your CV, which is great for college courses - I used it to help me get into college on a construction course.”
Another pupil, Brandon, has followed a similar path: “It’s a good experience if you like doing horticulture and working with plants and gardens. I’m at college too doing a course in landscaping to try it out, and it was the Rural Skills qualification that inspired me to do so after enjoying it so much.”
The course supports wider learning across the school, encouraging partnership and community links. Louise McFadzean, Depute Head Teacher at Castlemilk High School, said: “We introduced the Rural Skills qualification to encourage more outdoor learning, build new life skills for young people, and involve local businesses. It’s enabled cross-curricular partnerships and is providing real opportunities for interdisciplinary learning.”
The Rural Skills course is designed to prepare learners for progression into the land-based sector, with strong emphasis on employability. Pupils develop confidence, problem-solving abilities, and a positive attitude to learning, all while engaging with nature and contributing to a greener future.
Find out more about the SQA’s National 4 Skills for Work: Rural Skills.