HIE Location Assistant - Education

Use the Education Assistant

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UHI Millennium Institute, the future University of the Highlands and Islands, is also to be found in Elgin, as is UHI Academic Partner, Moray College. Moray College with over 7,000 students offers a wide range of courses with study tours and work placements.

For wide-ranging information on schools through to university degrees, just click on the assistant.

Please note that there are differences between the Scottish and English schools systems.
The Scottish school year starts in August (approx 20th). The entry class is primary 1 (P1) and a child must be 5 before the end of the following February to gain admission to P1. To enter secondary school (S1) a child must be 11 by the end of February to enter secondary school the following August.

In Scotland children follow the 5-14 curriculums. External tests are devised for each level with children tested internally by schools when the school believe the child will achieve that level. Test are marked by the schools and reported nationally.

GCSE & Standard Grade: These are broadly equivalent exams. Standard grades are sat in S4 (ie 4 years after entering secondary school). The mix and range of subjects will be similar to those on offer at GCSE which is taken in England by those pupils in Y11 (ie 5 years after entering secondary school).  In Scotland there is only one exam board the SQA in England there are many with a corresponding broad range of syllabi.

Grading: Standard Grades are awarded passes at grades 1 & 2 (Credit suitable for continuing study to higher level)) 3 & 4 (General passes at this level would suggest a pupil should follow Higher still courses at Intermediate Level 2 ) 5 & 6 (Foundation passes at this level would suggest a pupil should follow Higher still courses at Intermediate Level 1).  

A-Levels, AS and Highers:
Highers and Advanced Highers are broadly equivalent to As and A-Levels these would be accepted by Universities as evidence that a student was capable of degree level study.  Highers are not as in depth as A-levels and students would be expected to gain more higher passes than A-levels. 

University Education:
Students already living in Scotland, normally pay no tuition fees for full-time courses, but they will be liable to pay a Graduate Endowment - a one-off payment at the end of their course. This was £2,289 in 2006-07. You will not need to start paying this until the April after you have completed your course. Depending on their circumstances, some students do not have to pay the Graduate Endowment.

For further information about 5-14 curriculum visit the Learning and Teaching Scotland website. Also visit the learning pages of Moray Council's website. For further information on higher education visit the UCAS website.

For more information about HIE or Careers Scotland, please click on the logo's in the left hand corner of this page.