Nick Page, Chief Executive of Qualifications Scotland, visited Orkney on Tuesday 17 March as part of a five-day engagement tour of the Highlands and Islands, meeting with education leaders, school head teachers and local employers to hear first-hand about the opportunities and challenges facing learners in island communities.

Nick met with Wendy Bowen, Head of Children’s Services at Orkney Islands Council, and joined a roundtable with secondary school head teachers and coordinators. He also visited Orkney Brewery to see apprenticeship programmes in action, reflecting Qualifications Scotland’s commitment to ensuring its qualifications are relevant not just to schools but to employers and the wider economy.

Wendy Bowen, Head of Education at Orkney Islands Council said:

“It was really important for Nick and his team to visit Orkney and see first-hand the unique context for education and learning here.

“It was encouraging to have the opportunity to discuss how qualifications can support learning in its broadest sense, and I felt Nick genuinely listened and responded to the points we raised.”

Orkney’s education landscape has distinctive features that Qualifications Scotland is committed to understanding. Boarding arrangements at Kirkwall Grammar School support pupils travelling from the North Isles, while partnerships between schools and UHI Orkney offer important vocational pathways. The islands serve approximately 1,270 secondary pupils across five secondary schools.

Nick spent time with head teachers and quality improvement colleagues from Orkney Islands Council, and also met with and Kerry Spence, Chair of Orkney’s Local Employability Partnership.

Nick Page said:

“What struck me in Orkney was the strength of the relationships between schools, colleges and employers — relationships built out of necessity, but which have produced genuinely innovative approaches to learning and qualifications delivery.

“That spirit of collaboration is exactly what Qualifications Scotland wants to learn from and build on. Our job is to make sure that the qualifications we offer reflect and support what communities across Orkney need.”