High Flyers Project

View the film made by Pilton Video about the High Flyers residential project

The three schools which serve the most deprived areas in Lothians (Castlebrae and Craigroyston Community High Schools and Wester Hailes Education Centre) have, in the past, had very low rates of progression to higher education. In late 2006, a project was established at LEAPS to address that issue, assisted by funding from South East Forum.

In the short term, additional mentoring support was given to S6 students which resulted in doubled progression of pupils from these schools into higher education (in 2007), a number of whom commenced degree courses following a successful LEAPS Summer School experience.

A longer term initiative has been the introduction of the High Flyers event, aimed at talented pupils entering S5. Assisted by colleagues from Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh Napier and Queen Margaret Universities, LEAPS was able to offer 22 pupils a 4-day, campus-based residential experience in June 2007. This developed into a group of 35 students in 2008, and included a group of pupils from Inveralmond Community High School.

Based at the Heriot-Watt campus and staying in student accommodation, the group spent one day in each of the universities which contributed to the programme. The pupils participated in a wide range of workshops including Psychology, Law, Engineering, Media and Entrepreneurship. They also contributed towards the creation of a film about the Higher Flyers residential programme, with filmmakers from Pilton Video. When they weren’t working hard, pupils had the opportunity to mix with university students and also experienced the more social side of university life.

The event culminated in a graduation ceremony where pupils took part in presentations about their experience to parents and other invited guests. Those involved are now part of an ongoing process which, we hope, will give them the motivation to achieve the grades needed for progression onto degree-level study, alongside the confidence to apply to university in due course. The majority of the original group have now applied to start University in September 2009. High Flyers 2009 will run with the same format and numbers as in 2008.

The High Flyers project is coordinated by Roy Crichton who can be contacted in the LEAPS Office on 0131 650 4676 and Ian Sutherland, Widening Particpation Manager at Heriot-Watt University. Roy is the designated LEAPS point of contact for Castlebrae Community High School, Craigrosyston Community High School and Wester Hailes Education Centre.