HUNDREDS of secondary pupils across Glasgow are to receive extra lessons in the evening and during holidays as part of a drive to improve exam results.
Glasgow City Council has announced an investment of almost £100,000 to help secondary schools put on additional supported study sessions outside normal school hours.
The money will be distributed to secondary headteachers to pay for 4000 extra hours of supported study.
Headteachers can decide to run classes after school in March, over the Easter holidays or in the run-up to exams.
The scheme is aimed at driving up the number of Highers pupils take, as well as ensuring they do as well as possible.
Stephen Curran, the council's executive member for education, said: "This year Glasgow's young people delivered the best ever exam results for the city and we want to build on this success.
"The £100,000 I'm announcing is to be distributed to secondary headteachers for them to use as they see fit, to help raise attainment and in turn the aspirations of all pupils in Glasgow."
One school that has taken advantage of the supported study is Lourdes Secondary.
The denominational school has a high number of pupils who do not have English as a first language. It also has a high percentage of pupils on free school meals – 20% compared to the national average of 15%.
However, the proportion of pupils who passed five or more Highers jumped sharply from 4% in 2011 to 10% last year.
Speaking to The Herald last month, headteacher Patricia Lennon said many measures had helped. She said one innovation was the introduction of a residential supported study weekend.
Some pupils enjoyed a residential weekend on the shores of Loch Lomond where teachers held workshops. She said: "Pupils are able to concentrate on specific areas of need and the close and more informal relationship which can be built up with teachers really helps them."
She said a more rigorous monitoring system ensured pupils were not falling behind.
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