Stow College

Secondary school pupils got a taste of college life last week when they Take Part in the Focus West Seminar.

Secondary school pupils got a taste of college life last week when they travelled to Stow College to take part in the Focus West seminar run by both the College and Strathclyde University.

The day aimed to give the pupils a sample of the college experience through a number of workshops delivered by Stow College. Aimed towards pupils from S3, the workshops included recording music in the studio, investigating forensic science, computer animation and learning about childcare.

Thirty-two pupils from St Roch’s and Smithycroft Secondary Schools attended the day at Stow College. The morning session, led by Strathclyde student mentors, saw the pupils participate in a series of short, fun, ice breaking activities designed to provide them with more knowledge about college life. In the afternoon, pupils got the chance to attend workshops on Engineering, Social Care, Childcare, Music Recording and Forensic Science workshops, led by College lecturers.

Amanda McLeod, Development Officer at Innovative Routes to Learning, University of Strathclyde, said: “The feedback from students was very positive. 100% of pupils have ticked Agree or Strongly Agree in response to the statement ‘I enjoyed today’. All of the College staff who led the workshops were fantastic and I am very grateful to them and to Alan for hosting the day.”

Focus West College Campus Days aim to bring S3 pupils onto a college campus in order to give them an insight into the opportunities available to them at college, and a taste of the experience of studying within this type of institution. The remit of the programme is to encourage young people to progress to Higher Education courses, introducing young people to college as a possible option for study, or as a route to university.

Alan Roseweir, Head of the Engineering Technology Department at Stow, said: “At Stow College we’re keen to maximise the learner experience for students. Projects such as this give students the oppourtunity to visit the college and experience different pathways, allowing them to make more informed choices. Working partnerships between colleges, schools and programmes like Focus West, helps to contextualise the learning experience for young people”