Glasgow learners celebrate results as we mark first Results Day
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Learners at Glasgow Kelvin College's Springburn Campus celebrated their exam results as Qualifications Scotland’s Chief Qualifications and Examinations Officer, Donna Stewart, visited the campus to mark our first Results Day.
Several adult learners gathered at the college on Tuesday morning to open their results, including those who had completed National 5 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), National 5 Applications of Mathematics, and the college's Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) Access to Humanities course.
Natalie Bailey, who achieved an ‘A’ in National 5 Applications of Mathematics, said: 'I chose to return to education because I wanted to build a better future for myself and my daughter. I left school at 16 and went straight into work, so going to college as an adult was a big step. I wanted to prove to myself that I could achieve more and work towards studying Psychology at university.
'My confidence has grown so much throughout the year, and achieving grades beyond what I expected has shown me that it is never too late to go back into education. Long-term, my goal is to build a career where I can support and make a positive difference to other people's lives, while also showing my daughter that hard work and determination can help you achieve your goals, no matter where you start.'
Zoia Hryhorova came to Scotland from Ukraine enrolled in the college’s National 5 ESOL course to develop her language skills. Zoia – who achieved a ‘B’ in ESOL on Tuesday – said: 'The course gave me the opportunity to improve all aspects of my English, especially speaking and listening, while learning in a supportive and encouraging environment. Before moving to Scotland, I worked in the IT sector in Ukraine. I hope that achieving this qualification will help me find a job that matches my previous experience and skills.'
The SWAP Access to Humanities course is designed for adults who want to go to university but don’t yet have the formal qualifications to apply. It provides a supportive, structured route back into education - helping learners rebuild their confidence, develop strong academic skills, and prepare for degree-level study.
Learner Iqra Ahmed said: 'I chose to take the SWAP Humanities course because I wanted to return to education and gain the qualifications needed to progress to university. I have always been interested in subjects such as history, sociology and politics, and I felt this course would help me build my knowledge and academic skills.
'The biggest challenge for me was getting back into the flow of learning after being out of education and adjusting to writing essays again. At first, it took time to get used to academic writing and meeting assignment requirements, but as the course went on, my confidence and writing skills improved significantly.'
Staff from Qualifications Scotland also visited Springburn Academy to meet pupils who received their results in a number of subjects including English, Maths, Physics and Chemistry as well as vocational course including Barista Skills and First Aid.
Donna Stewart, Chief Qualifications and Examination Officer at Qualifications Scotland said: 'Learners across the country have delivered a fantastic set of results, and the achievements of learners who have returned to education later in life deserve special recognition. It was fantastic to meet the adult learners at Glasgow Kelvin College and hear their stories about how they've come back to education and meet with young people at Springburn Academy and celebrate with them as they consider their next steps!'
Joanna Campbell, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Glasgow Kelvin College, said: 'Everyone at Glasgow Kelvin College is incredibly proud of what our learners have accomplished, and I'd like to thank them for letting us share in this special moment. Congratulations to everyone at Glasgow Kelvin College, and learners across the country, celebrating their achievements today.'
Councillor Christina Cannon, Executive Member for Education and Early Years at Glasgow City Council, said: 'The good news again this year for our senior pupils is that the overall attainment and achievement across Glasgow continues to be strong and make good progress across results at each year group and I know that our secondary schools will be over the moon for their young people.'