At Hawick High School, the message is clear: there is no single pathway for every learner.
With around 835 young people, the school community is diverse, with learners who have a wide range of needs, interests and ambitions. Around 52% of learners have an identified additional support need, while more than 60% live within high levels of deprivation.
For Hawick High, this makes it particularly important that young people can see the full range of opportunities available to them – whether that is through academic study, vocational learning or wider achievement.
This commitment has been central to the school’s journey towards SCQF Silver recognition through the School Ambassador Programme.
Making the SCQF part of everyday school life
Over recent years, Hawick High has continued to expand its range of vocational and accredited learning opportunities.
As this offer has grown, the school has also focused on helping young people understand what they are achieving, what level they are working at and where their learning could take them next.
The SCQF plays an important role in this.
By providing a common way to describe the level of learning, the Framework helps young people understand their achievements and see how different qualifications and learning experiences can support progression into further education, training, apprenticeships and employment.
The school has taken a number of steps to make the SCQF more visible and easier to understand.
A dedicated SCQF display has been created in the main entrance, where it can be seen by pupils, parents and carers, employers and other visitors. It explains the different SCQF levels and highlights the range of learning opportunities available at Hawick High.
SCQF levels have also been built into the school’s course-choice information, while an interactive resource on the school website links subjects and pathways to their relevant SCQF levels.
The aim is to make the SCQF something that pupils encounter and understand, rather than something they only hear about when they are choosing a course or qualification.
Giving young people a voice
The school’s SCQF Ambassadors are playing an important role in raising awareness of the Framework.
The ambassadors have received training and are developing a programme of activities to help pupils, families and the wider school community learn more about SCQF.
One of their plans is to run an SCQF information stall at parents’ evenings, course-choice information evenings and careers fairs. This will give pupils, parents and carers the chance to ask questions and hear about the framework directly from young people.
The ambassadors have also suggested introducing an SCQF pop quiz for pupils. As well as making learning about the Framework more engaging, the quiz will help the school understand what pupils already know and identify areas where further information may be needed.
One of the school’s SCQF Ambassadors said:
We are excited to learn more about the role but also have our voices, and the voices of the other young people, heard and to help shape our learning at the school. The role seems fun and you’re learning at the same time.
Expanding learning opportunities
The school’s work around SCQF has developed alongside a wider expansion of its curriculum.
Hawick High now offers a growing range of vocational and accredited learning alongside more traditional qualifications. These opportunities reflect the different interests, strengths and future plans of its learners.
Current opportunities include Employability, Early Learning and Childcare, Barista Skills, Communications, Exercise and Fitness, Forensic Science, Esports, Leadership, Sports Coaching and Volunteering.
The school also works with partners to provide industry-focused opportunities, including CSCS card training and a textile training programme.
For pupils, these experiences can provide a chance to develop practical skills, gain recognised learning and explore careers before leaving school.
From school learning to a Modern Apprenticeship
The impact of this approach can be seen in the experience of one former Hawick High pupil.
While at school, the pupil completed an SCQF Level 5 Early Learning and Childcare course, alongside work experience.
The combination of classroom learning and practical experience helped them understand more about the sector and make an informed decision about their next steps.
After leaving Hawick High in June 2026, they successfully secured a Modern Apprenticeship in Early Learning and Childcare.
They said:
Taking part in the SCQF Level 5 Early Learning and Childcare course and completing work experience has helped give me the skills and knowledge I needed to make a decision about my next steps and successfully getting a Modern Apprenticeship in Early Learning and Childcare. This gave me a better understanding of what working in Early Learning and Childcare would involve. This also made me feel much more confident going into my interview because I understood the role and knew what I wanted to say.
Looking towards Gold
Achieving SCQF Silver is an important milestone for Hawick High, but the school is already looking ahead.
The school is exploring what it needs to do to progress towards Gold recognition and continue building on the work it has already undertaken.
For Hawick High, the ambition is to make the SCQF visible, understood and relevant across the whole school community.
By helping young people recognise the value of their learning and understand where different pathways can lead, the school is helping its pupils see that there is more than one route to achieving their ambitions.