Balwearie High School

Personal Development Award

RUTS have worked successfully with pupils from Balwearie High School to deliver SQA Personal Development Award units throughout the course of the COVID19 pandemic. This qualification has been delivered online/remotely and involves planning a project, doing the project and then reviewing the project. As the title suggests, each project is centred on different aspects of personal development.

Completing the award online/remotely has been an opportunity for pupils to develop their IT skills, for example by logging onto Zoom calls and using the internet to research for their projects. Participants have also had to use their communication skills by talking over the phone and via Zoom as well as written communications with their assessor. 

Pupils have had to be creative by coming up with their own project theme and targets that they would be able to complete from home. Subject matter has been very varied and has included Roman History in Scotland, Gaming YouTube channel setup and maintenance, researching and writing a magazine article, learning and recording a new song on the guitar and creating and following a fitness plan. These projects have allowed students to develop specific practical abilities such as gathering and organising information, communication, creating an item and providing a service.  

Each project concludes up by allowing students to reflect on the progress they have made to enhance their chosen practical abilities. In addition there is an opportunity to learn from any mistakes or to identify areas for improvement. With each finished project, successful or unsuccessful, we see growth and maturation in the individuals making the PDA a fun and engaging qualification whist remaining aligned with the traits required by the modern world and more specifically, the world of work.