Falkirk district schools form educational partnership with police

Falkirk youngsters are learning the ways of the force thanks to a partnership between education and Police Scotland.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Apr 2018, 12:30 BST
Pupils in the Falkirk area have been learning about what being a police officer involvesPupils in the Falkirk area have been learning about what being a police officer involves
Pupils in the Falkirk area have been learning about what being a police officer involves

The initiative sees Forth Valley College, Graeme High School and Larbert High School offering pupils the opportunity to work towards a new Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Police Studies.

The HNC, which includes subjects like law, criminology and sociology, was created to enable fifth and sixth year pupils interested in joining the police a chance to work towards a qualification while gaining hands on work experience at the same time.

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The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) supported Forth Valley College in the development of the HNC, which was launched in 2016, and, with lessons taking place at the college, the first intake of pupils on the two year course have gained an insight into post-school learning and have also seen first hand what life as a new recruit to the police is like, through visits to the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan.

Graeme High School head teacher Lesley Carroll said: “Our pupils love activities which bring their learning to life. We’re trying to contextualise their learning so it makes sense to them, and this really motivates them.”

Larbert High School pupil Sarah McDuff, now in the second year of the HNC, said: “I’ve gained a huge amount of experience from it. If I was to go for an interview for the police I could say I’ve talked to police officers and I know the role I’ve got to play if I was successful.”