BRAEVIEW ACADEMY in Dundee is one of 20 secondary schools across Scotland have become the country’s first Schools of Ambition, First Minister Jack McConnell announced yesterday.

Each school chosen has committed to radical programmes of development to secure significantly improved outcomes for their children.

The schools will each receive substantial resources—in excess of £100,000—to meet their plans plus possible further support from the private sector.

The schools are a mix of already high performing schools wanting to reach even higher, those that need to improve after poor inspection reports and those that recognise they can move their performance up several gears.

The money will be used by the schools to drive up their own performance and to help set new national standards of excellence.

Announcing the schools during a visit to St Margaret Mary’s Secondary in Glasgow, Mr McConnell said, “Schools of Ambition are a major innovation at the head of our wider education reforms. They represent everything we want our schools to be about—aiming high, stretching, challenging and inspiring their pupils.

“Our schools need to have high expectations and ambitions for each and every one of our pupils, they need to offer every pupil the opportunity to recognise their talents and achieve their full potential.

“These, the first Schools of Ambition, have been chosen because they have demonstrated the vision and drive to transform themselves, to realise their own potential and to get the best for every child. Many are building on the enterprising approaches of Determined to Succeed, the highly successful enterprise education programme.”

Twenty bids have been selected out of the 42 bids put forward as Schools of Ambition.

Braeview Academy head teacher Brenda Hadcroft said, “I am absolutely thrilled and delighted that Braeview Academy’s bid for Schools of Ambition status has been accepted.

“It certainly is a tribute to all the hard work of the staff. Braeview Academy is a school which is moving forward very fast and we have an enviable depth of artistic talent among our pupils as is shown in our recent school productions.

“The additional funding will allow us to develop that talent and extend our drama provision to even more pupils in the school.”

Dundee-based north-east Scotland Labour MSP Marlyn Glen welcomed the success of Braeview and Arbroath academies.

She noted that for Braeview, the school will use the performing arts to raise aspirations and achievement, and there will be opportunities for teachers to work with professional artists to improve their skills and offer pupils an enhanced curriculum.

For Arbroath Academy she noted that the school wants to focus on raising pupils’ aspirations and fostering self-belief by further developing an enterprise culture. Through a strong commitment to staff development, they will support teachers to actively engage in pupil care and support.

Mrs Glen said, “Braeview Academy’s performing arts programme can be inspired by the city’s artistic strengths.

“Dundee is building a new reputation for dance through the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance at Dundee College as well as the Scottish Dance Theatre with its own £1 million studio at Dundee Rep.

“Dundee can also justifiably boast of its good name in contemporary, classical and traditional music, and Dundee Rep is the current toast of the critics in Scottish theatre.”

Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said, “I welcome the fact that Braeview has been chosen. It is obviously a school that has had poor inspection reports in the past and has required to improve its performance.

“A lot has been done through the hard work of teachers to do that. This money will make that task a lot more achievable and will help to turn the fortunes of Braeview around.