Department of additional support

Teaching Staff

Mrs Bathie PT of the department

Mr Sim PT1 of the department

Ms Goff - Class teacher

Ms Green - Class teacher

Ms Spokes - Class teacher

Ms Zikou - Class teacher

Ms Ritchie - Class teacher

Ms Stockdale - Class teacher

About Us

The Department of Additional Support in Lochgelly High School is a small community within the High School and very much part of the wider community. Currently we have fifty five pupils split into 6 classes from S1 to S6. Teaching staff are supported by a team of fourteen PSAs who assist with learning needs and personal care. Pupils have a wide range of additional support needs with a significant number having multiple complex needs. One of the challenges of this is to ensure that all pupils achieve their potential, that all needs are met and that youngsters leave at the end of their school career with a sense of self-worth and a positive post school destination. To ensure that our pupils achieve their potential as outlined in Curriculum for Excellence a wide range of strategies are deployed to access, track and celebrate learning and success whenever it occurs.

The pupils are in small group class settings and are taught English; Maths; Social Studies; Health and Wellbeing, RME and ICT within the department. Teachers in our senior classes deliver a wide range of SQA units across the curriculum at National 1 and National 2 including National awards in Personal Development and Personal Achievement.  

The pupils in the Department are placed in mainstream classes as appropriate to meet their needs.  All pupils experience a broad balanced curriculum accessing subject specialist teachers for all practical subjects either as a DAS group or within a mainstream class.  There is a high level of adult support in all classes.

 Our vision
To encourage young people to achieve their potential and pursue positive pathways in life.

Our Values
Self-respect and respect for others

To be independent in life and responsible

To know how to work to the best of their abilities

To embrace all opportunities

Our Goal
To provide a broad range of experiences that prepare our pupils for adulthood.

Our Successes

Class 1 have been studying the traditional and Disney versions of Beauty and the Beast in Literacy. After all that study what better way to end the term than with a visit to the Adam Smith Theatre to see the pantomime version of Beauty and the Beast. The pupils loved the funky costumes and the many comic moments. As an extra treat the pupils got to meet the cast backstage after the show. Oh no they didn’t! Oh yes they really did!

Class 2/3 chose a frosty morning to visit the German Market in Edinburgh. However they got there nice and early and skipped the queues! There were a lot of Christmas gifts to choose from and plenty of stalls with food, which made their bellies rumble from the beautiful smells!

After all the hard work put into the DAS Xmas Fair, on the last week of term DAS SP1 enjoyed a day at the Cinema to see The Grinch. Our other Senior Phase class DAS SP2 also deserved a reward for their weeks of SQA preparation and assessments. Using their initiative the students created their very own social event where they planned and organised a trip to Pizza Hut.

Even though it’s cold outside, DAS youngsters were still keeping active this month with a football session led by Barry from Glenrothes Strollers Inclusion Football. Pupils practised dribbling, passing and shooting skills in the Games Hall and Barry will be back in the New Year to help them keep improving.