SCOTS

Stirling SCOTS Programme

School College Opportunities to Succeed in partnership with Stirling Council

Welcome to SCOTS 2023

At Forth Valley College, we work in partnership with Stirling Council to provide a unique course for S3 to S6 pupils who are unsure what they want to do when they leave school or what to study at college or university.

We have designed the SCOTS programme to provide an opportunity to experience learning in a college environment and to take part in 3 taster sessions on subjects, 2 subjects that you are interested in finding out more about and 1 wild card chosen by the college.

The subjects that are delivered through the SCOTS programme are:

Pre-induction

The SCOTS programme starts with a pre-induction course in June run by your school. This will give you more information on what you will be doing and what you can expect when you come to college.

Induction

The first week is your induction and you will meet the other pupils who are attending the SCOTS programme as well as meeting your lecturers. You will also have a chance to see around the college so you become familiar with it.

Taster Sessions

From the eight subjects above, you will select two subjects that interest you and will study these for approx. 5 weeks each. This will then let allow you to have a better understanding of the subjects and know which route you would like to follow.

Length of Course

The SCOTS programme runs for about 18 weeks, twice a year. If your application is successful you will be allocated to either Block 1 or Block 2. The first session (block 1) starts on 21 Aug and finishes at the Christmas break. The second session (block 2) starts in Jan and runs to the end of May.

Subjects

Hospitality

Hospitality is a good subject to take if you would like to work or study further in this industry. Working in the kitchen, each week you will be cooking or baking. Studying this subject could lead on to our FA Hospitality course.

Science

Working in a science lab is not only good fun, it can lead to jobs in industries you may not have thought of such as Aerospace, Gas & Oil sector, Renewables, Healthcare, Forensics, this list goes on. This course will give you a chance to get hands on practice and see how science relates to the different industries.

Social Services: Childcare

Working in childcare is very popular and can lead to lots of different careers such as Early Years Educators, Primary and Secondary teachers, Classroom Assistants. It also can lead to you setting up your own childminding business. This course will get you started on this path and can lead to our Skills for Work or Foundation Apprenticeship programmes.

Social Services: Healthcare

Healthcare is another of our popular courses and can lead to a wide variety of careers including medicine (Doctors, Nurses, Social Carers), Paramedics, Social Work, Police etc. This course will look at how to support people who need additional care and help as well as learning about physical and mental health.

Construction

Construction is a massive area with lots of different trades you can work in, for example bricklaying, joinery, painting & decorating, plumbing, surveying and architecture plus many more. This course will focus on one of these areas and give you a taste of working in a workshop. You will be measured for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as overalls, safety boots etc and learn skills as well as the associated health and safety elements of this trade. This course can lead on to FA Construction.

Creative Industries focusing on Digital Media

This course will focus on the practical use of digital media technology including elements of sound and video production. It would be suitable if you were interested in a career in the media or sound production industries.

Travel & Tourism

This course will give you an insight into the Travel and Tourism industry and the exciting opportunities it can offer. You will learn about holiday destinations and attractions including current trends in travel and tourism and will gain experience planning a basic itinerary.

Salon Services

This course will introduce you to all aspects of Salon Services including make-up artistry, nail care and hair care. This popular course can lead to careers in TV and Theatre industry, High Street Salons or even setting up your own business.

Progression from SCOTS

We want you to have a positive experience from college and we will do all we can to help you settle and enjoy your time with us. We work closely with your school to ensure that any issues you may have are addressed quickly, so you are supported well.

Our staff are encouraging and keen to work with you to get the best out of the programme. Successful completion of the SCOTS programme can lead to further school partnership courses such as Skills for Work, NPAs and then even on to our Foundation Apprenticeship programme which is equivalent to a Higher.

However, some pupils choose to leave school after SCOTS and apply directly for full-time courses.

SCOTS will give you confidence to follow these routes and if you are still unsure what to do, staff are on hand to talk you through your options.

Expectations as a student at Forth Valley College

As well as being a pupil at your school, when you are on the SCOTS programme you will be a student at Forth Valley College. Our Stirling Campus is one of our busy campuses with students studying a wide range of subjects. As it is busy, there are always students walking about from each class, sitting in the canteen or using spaces to study.

When studying at Forth Valley College, we place a lot of trust in our students to be respectful at all times and behave appropriately. This means we take a Zero Tolerance approach to bullying and expect appropriate behaviour in the classroom and around the college. If any pupil is seen to be behaving disrespectfully or in a bullying manner towards another pupil, student or staff member, this will be reported back to the school for immediate action to be taken and may lead to you losing your place on the SCOTS programme and could affect any future applications.

If you experience bullying or someone being disrespectful or making you feel uncomfortable, it is important that you speak to a member of staff at college or at your school so we can help to resolve the situation quickly.

We also take your safety very seriously. Our main doors are always open as students are entering and leaving the building at all times. However, when you have a class, it is expected for you to be on time and stay to complete the full class. As the SCOTS programme is delivered in partnership with schools, if a pupil does not attend the class, or leaves early, this is reported to the school immediately as we have a duty of care to ensure no harm comes to you while on the programme.

If you are interested in applying for a space on the 2023/24 SCOTS programme, please speak to your Pupil Support Teacher and Parent/Carer before completing this form: https://forms.gle/Sp7cSRnMtrA8qbtn8

We want SCOTS to be the start of your college education and look forward to seeing you.

SCOTS Graduation 2022