School leaver success

Published 20 Jan 2012 09:00

THE number of kids in Dumbarton and the Vale leaving school and joining the dole queue has fallen.

A record number of youngsters are moving into jobs and further training.

However, the number of youngsters going to university is down.

Terry Lanagan, West Dunbartonshire Council's director of Education, says that cuts in funding have seen less university places made available.

However, he is delighted his staff have succeeded in encouraging kids to apply for college or training.

West Dunbartonshire is now seventh in the 'Positive Destinations for School Leavers' league table, and doing better than 25 other areas across Scotland.

Mr Lanagan said: "The number going to university is down slightly. There are less university places available now and although Scottish students don't pay fees, all the publicity around tuition fees may have put some people off.

"Factors which help to explain the overall increase in positive destinations include the combined efforts of both teaching staff, centrally deployed council staff, and partners such as Skills Development Scotland to ensure that a 16 plus offer of learning was made to those young people who were leaving school.

"For those young people who may not have been able to progress to higher education, it was imperative that alternative provision was made available through either further education or training.

"A number of young people effectively use further education as a stepping stone to higher education.

"The significant number of school leavers from the Clydebank area entering employment in 2011 is also very encouraging given the current economic climate."

Musician Kayleigh Roberts, 17, who will be leaving Vale of Leven Academy in the summer, is one of those going to college, hoping to eventually move on to university and study music.

She said: "I was actually hoping to get into university but the one thing that's stopping me is maths.

"I'm going to college first to get my maths and to pick up some more highers.

"I'm hoping to become a music teacher."

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This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 17 Jan 12

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