Celebrating Success at West Coast Schools Mini Festival

As an education and social inclusion charity, School Of Hard Knocks (SOHK), is incredibly proud of the growth and success of our secondary school students across Scotland. 

We were especially thrilled to see over 120 amazing young people from Broxburn Academy, Whitehill High School, Clydebank High School, and St. Paul's High School get together to have fun, showcase their skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship at our recent West Coast Schools Mini Rugby Tournament in Glasgow. 

An S2 student from Whitehill High School said:  'I am really happy with how far my rugby has come from when I was at the mini festival last year as an S1. We just won our first match too!” 

This special inter-school event is a chance to celebrate all their hard work and dedication, and we couldn't be prouder of our valued SOHK participants. Not to mention everyone involved, from our fantastic coaches, volunteers, and school staff! 

10/10 from the Teachers 

Depute Headteacher, Whitehill High School said: 'I've been so impressed with how organised everything has been. It's been such a great day out for our students, and we just saw them win their first match. They're thrilled!” 

Depute Headteacher, Broxburn Academy said: "This is our first mini festival with SOHK and we've been amazed at how well our groups have been working together. It has been a great atmosphere for everyone - even the staff!” 

SEL Impact in Scotland 

As part of our focus on social and emotional learning (SEL), we are delighted to share the positive impact our programmes are having on young people in schools in the West of Scotland.  

This term, our students have been diving into the first of our four focus areas: Positive Relationships. From building confidence and improving communication to bringing about strong group cohesion, the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. 

Roisin Murray, Programmes Manager, SOHK (Scotland) said:  

“We are really impressed and motivated about the progress our young people have made. We can’t wait to see how their confidence, communication, and relationships continue to grow in the upcoming sessions. The enthusiasm and willingness to engage in these sessions and continue to develop these important life skills will set these young people up for success both on and off the field.” 

Some Scotland School Highlights… 

Clydebank High School has set a high bar with their fantastic participation in our friendship session. The students took part in a challenging blindfolded obstacle course, using the experience to identify the qualities of a positive versus a negative friend. Their confidence and commitment were inspiring. 

In Broxburn, the boys became 'young architects' during our family and community session. As they designed and built cardboard homes, they reflected on the residents of their homes - both now and in the future - demonstrating strong communication and problem-solving skills. 

In St. Pauls, we’ve noticed the leadership roles some of our older students who have been on the programme for a couple of years now have taken with the younger, less experienced groups. This positive peer influence has given our young participants an extra confidence boost and motivator that if they stay committed and work hard they will continue to improve their skills and increase their resilience. 

Our returning student group at Whitehill continues to impress with their dedication. Now in their second year of SOHK, they have shown consistent commitment and progress, especially through 1:1 mentoring, which has played a key role in their personal development.