CHANGES to Largs Academy's curriculum will see pupils able to take more classes and have greater access to college courses.

At present fourth year pupils can take up to six National Qualifications, however proposed changes will allow them to take a seventh subject in a bid to give them 'more flexibility' when choosing their subjects later in their school career.

The move has been made following a curriculum review which considered the views of the pupils, parent and the staff.

The new powers to make changes come following the Curriculum for Excellence's decision to provide greater flexibility for head teachers to design an individual school curriculum.

Vice chair of the parent council Cara McKee said: "Changes are coming and we want to make people aware of why the school is making them.

"The Curriculum Working Group set out to consider was the number of subjects pupils can study at National Qualifications level in S4.

"The initial feedback demonstrated that most people wanted pupils to be able to study more subjects in S4 than the six which North Ayrshire Council had previously said they should be taking.

"The main reason people wanted more was to allow pupils to have more flexibility when choosing their subjects in S5 and S6.

"The timetable changes mean that in the next academic year the current S3 will be able to take seven National Qualifications classes when they progress into S4.

"More research and consultation is required on whether this should increase further."

The move will also bring about greater access to college courses in subjects like childcare, engineering, criminology and hairdressing.

Cara added: "It's clear that while academic subjects are important they are not the best route for all children."

Work is ongoing and it’s hoped that more subjects will become available more locally in future years.

Cara added: "Trying to ensure that as many people as possible can get the subjects they want is an incredibly complicated process which Largs Academy’s Curriculum Working Group has worked very hard to drive forward.

"The parent council at the school would like to thank the group for all their efforts to make our children’s education provision better in what’s already a good school."