There were 171 exam presentations from 139 students attending 28 Glasgow City Council schools. The pupils studied Advanced Higher English; Mathematics; Biology; Chemistry; History; Business Management and Modern Studies, with 41% of the pupils receiving A grade at SCQF Level 7, and a further 34% receiving a B grade.
Pupils studying Business Management and History received 100% pass rates, while those studying English saw a remarkable 83% pass rate at A grade.
Eleanor Wilson, Strategic Lead for Engagement and Outreach at GCU said: “To have surpassed our 90% pass rate last session, and deliver new Advanced Higher courses, is a great achievement. This is all down to the commitment, enthusiasm and hard work of the pupils and the Advanced Higher Hub team. Working with our partners Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Funding Council, we are delighted to continue to provide this unique widening-participation opportunity to young people in Glasgow and build on our successes year on year.”
Jordan Stewart, a pupil from Rosshall Academy, took the step of studying Advanced Highers to enable him to study Medicine at university. He has received A grades in Advanced Higher Biology and Chemistry. He said: “The Hub has improved my independent learning and critical thinking skills, which are essential for university. I have met lots of new people, building my communication skills, which have been further improved through the different teaching styles at the Hub. Overall it has given me an in-depth insight into student life and is really enjoyable.”
GCU Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE said: “I am delighted by the successful results generated by our Advanced Higher Hub for yet another year. The pupils should be so proud of what they have achieved, and so should the staff who supported them. This initiative is an excellent example of GCU delivering on our mission as the University for the Common Good, as we widen access to educational opportunities in partnership with Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Funding Council.”
The Advanced Higher Hub supports GCU’s strategic commitment to delivering excellence in learning and an outstanding student experience which equips students with the employability and entrepreneurial skills to succeed as global citizens. As the University for the Common Good, GCU supports widening access and articulation, raising aspirations and creating flexible learning pathways in partnership with schools and colleges.
GCU’s Advanced Higher Hub opened in August 2013 as the first project in Scotland to employ school teachers on a university campus. During the first teaching year, the pass rate was 74%, rising to an outstanding 90% in 2014/2015.
The Advanced Higher Hub recently secured a new two-year funding partnership between the University, the Scottish Funding Council and Glasgow City Council to continue this innovative initiative.
John Kemp, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “The Hub has been hugely successful in helping pupils to study the subjects needed to progress to university, with 87% going on to university in the first two years. It’s an excellent example of working together to widen access to education and I look forward to seeing more pupils progress over the next two years.”
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