Castlemilk High in Glasgow is celebrating exam results success

Head teacher Lynn Gibson credits the success to the hard work of her staff, the dedication of pupils and back up from supportive parents.

But a speedy roll out of new technology also helped the school achieve its aims during a tough year.

The week before last March's lockdown every pupil and teacher was given an iPad along with intensive training on how to use it.

This meant live classes over Teams were delivered and pupil engagement could be measured and recorded on an app, making sure no young person fell through the cracks while learning at home.

Lynn said: "Glasgow City Council heavily invested in digital technology so all of our young people and staff got iPads.

"The staff and young people were involved in intensive digital training so that helped us to continue to support the young people's learning and health and wellbeing.

"We developed a package of learning and support around health and wellbeing that allowed us to move at the same pace we would have done if they had been in school.

"Our exam results have increased this year and when lockdown happened we just weren't expecting that."

Lynn said health and wellbeing was a priority alongside academic attainment.

She said: "This year was difficult in that the young people were sitting assessments which were given to us by SQA and the time scale was much shorter to undertake these assessments.

"That was a more pressured environment for young people.

"We supported the young people by doing intensive revision and they were given three options for assessments and they chose the one that fitted them best.

"Last year we ran a summer school, which was really well attended and showed the commitment of our staff when things were changing all the time, they stayed committed.

"When we first went off for lockdown I was deeply concerned about learning but health and wellbeing was foremost in our minds.

"Through the iPads we had constant contact with pupils as well as two phone calls a week and 24 hour access to us through the iPads.

"It certainly way exceeded our expectations, what we were able to offer young people."

Josh Gallacher, 17, earned five As in Higher chemistry, computing science, English, maths and psychology.

This was his second round of cancelled exams after taking his National 5s last year under similarly unsettling conditions.

He said: "Learning from home was difficult and a lot of people struggled at the start and took a while to get used to the situation.

"The iPads massively helped and made learning from home possible - without them we would have had no equipment for home learning.

"Teachers were always available for us to go through the work and explain to us what we were supposed to be doing."

Josh is "excited" to return to school and get stuck in so he can work towards his future plans.

For sixth year he'll study Higher biology in sixth year along with Advanced Higher Physics and computer science with a view to going on to take a degree at Strathclyde University.

Josh's classmate Kal Gaughin is another high achiever, also earning five As and winning the head teacher's award for his efforts during fifth year.

His proud mum Pauline praised Castlemilk High School for its work during the lockdown and also said the iPads had made a huge difference to learning.

She said: "The school has been really, really good over the year - they have helped Kal an awful lot."

Kal gained five A grades in maths, English, computer science, drama and PE and next year wants to take three more Highers and an Advanced Higher so he can go to university to study to be a PE teacher.

The 17-year-old said: "I was over the moon when I first got my results in June - I felt I had worked hard for it.

"The school was really good with supporting us and giving us a mixture of online classes and independent work to do.

"It felt weird at first to be studying at home but then it came to feel normal.

"Then it felt strange to be back in school but after a week or so I got used to it again.

"You just had to get on with it and be focused on the work and put everything else out of your mind. I pretended I was in the classroom and got on with it."

Emma Kane has just finished sixth year at the school and starts at the Glasgow School of Art after the summer holidays to study architecture.

She earned four As in fifth year in English, maths, physics, music and a B in photography at Higher level and this year scored an additional three As in administration, business management and art and design.

Emma also won the head teachers's award for excellence in sixth year, which was handed to her at a ceremony just before the end of term.

Emma said: "It was so different from my National 5s. I felt last year that there wasn't the same lead up to the exam and then that sense of achievement when it was over.

"This year the in-school tests were better.

"The school was offering a lot of supported study and Saturday classes to come in and the teachers were putting in a lot of effort.

"Our pastoral care teachers were in touch with phone calls and there were counsellors too, so we had support in that way.

"The iPads made everything seamless coming back in to school and the apps meant you could keep in touch with your teachers really easily."

Emma said her parents are very proud of her efforts and she's "definitely getting spoiled".

She added: "The head teacher award meant a lot to me because I felt validated in working my hardest both in and out of school."

As Lynn and her staff work to prepare the school for opening next week, she says she is proud of what Castlemilk High has achieved during the past year.

She added: "The young people have merited these results as much as or more than ever, our young people have embraced everything and come out on top.

"I couldn't be more proud. The staff were incredible, our young people have been wonderful and we are very lucky to have supportive parents."