Aberdeen Inside Guide
Section 5 - The Learning Curve (schools and
education)
5.0
The Learning Curve (schools and education)
5.1
Education in Scotland in detail
5.2
The Education System - a closer look
5.3
List of schools popular with Shell families
5.4
International Schooling
5.5
Specialist Schools
5.6
Useful Websites on Education
5.7
Local Opportunities for Adult Education
5.8
Employment opportunities for spouses
5.9
Voluntary work
5.10
Support for partners from Shell
5.0
The Learning Curve (schools and education)
Nursery Schools (for children from 3
months to 5 years) are well established in and around
Aberdeen with many to choose from.
Shell has an excellent purpose built
nursery adjacent to the Shell site at Tullos which
caters for babies and children up to school age. The
nursery is open all year round from 8.00am-6.00pm. It
gives preference to children whose mother is the Shell
employee and is often heavily overly subscribed. If you
are interested in using this nursery you should contact
the Nursery Manager to register your child. (contact
details available from Outpost).
In Scotland primary school is compulsory
from the age of 5. When they are 11/12, children move on
to secondary school, which is compulsory until the age
of 16. Most schools come under the State system and no
fees are payable. They usually have uniforms which
pupils are requested to wear. French is usually the
first foreign language to be taught in Scottish
secondary (and some primary) schools. However, many
schools also teach German, Spanish or Italian. There are
also a number of independent fee-paying schools, which
have entrance exams. Strict uniform codes apply at these
schools.
5.1
Education in
Scotland in detail
It is important to be aware that there is
no such thing as a British curriculum. If your child has
been in a British International School (such as in The
Hague) or in a Shell run primary school (such as in
Nigeria or Oman) your child will have been following the
English national curriculum as offered in primary and
secondary schools in England and Wales or the
International Primary Curriculum (IPC). Scotland has its
own education system. It is as different to the English
system as the New Zealand or Australian systems are.
Expect then, a period of adjustment.
While there are some differences at
primary level, the differences in curriculum will be
most obvious after the age of 14. It is particularly
important to note that students mid GCSE course or mid A
Level course will not be able to continue with these
same courses in Aberdeen.). While it can be difficult to
move from the English to the Scottish system at this
point it is not impossible. If your child is at this
crucial stage of schooling, it would be wise to contact
Shell's education adviser Henk van Hout, or Shell's
education adviser assistant Yolanda Achterkamp. (contact
Outpost for telephone/email details)
The good news however, is that the
education system in Scotland is of a high standard, both
in the state and the private sectors. Indeed many Scots
who are financially able to send their children to
private schools choose to send them to a state school
because they are satisfied with the level of education
offered. Whether you are considering state or private
what will please you is that you have a choice - and a
good choice at that. The only gap being there is no
single sex school for boys in Aberdeen anymore.
The main difference usually cited between
the Scottish and English systems of education is that
while the English system has depth, the Scottish system
has breadth. In secondary school Scottish students are
able to take a broad mix of science and arts subjects
studying 7 or 8 to Standard Grade level (slightly lower
level than English GCSEs) and then 4 or 5 to Higher
level (slightly less specialized than English "A"
levels). If your child is a "good all rounder" and finds
it difficult to choose between arts and science, the
Scottish system allows them to delay specialization
until the last possible moment. It is only in the final
year of school (6th Year) that two or three subjects are
studied at an intense level, Advanced Higher (between
English "A" level and 1st year university level).
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5.1.1
School years
To give you an idea of where your child
will fit into the Scottish system:
> Nursery
School:
Age 3 - 5
> Primary
School:
Primary 1, age range 4 - 6
Primary 2, age range 5 - 7
Primary 3, age range 6 - 8
Primary 4, age range 7 - 9
Primary 5, age range 8 - 10
Primary 6, age range 9 - 11
Primary 7, age range 10 - 12
> Secondary
School:
Secondary 1 (First Year), age
range 11 - 13
Secondary 2 (Second Year), age range 12 -
14
Secondary 3 (Third Year), age range 13 -
15
Secondary 4 (Fourth Year), age range 14 -
16
Secondary 5 (Fifth Year), age range 15 -
17
Secondary 6 (Sixth Year), age range 16 -
18
See also section "Primary Education" for
cut off dates for school entry. For those coming from
the Southern Hemisphere, where the school year runs from
February to December, you will find that you either have
to skip ahead half a year or repeat. Those who opt to
repeat do so because they feel that their child has
other issues to cope with besides the curriculum;
repeating a year can give time to adjust to a new
environment, culture and education system. Having said
that, others report jumping half a year with only a
short period of catching up needing to be done.
5.1.2
The School Year
The Curriculum and the School Year are
organized differently to that in England and Wales. In
the state schools the school year commences in mid
August (some 2-3 weeks ahead of schools in England) and
ends at the end of June/beginning of July. This is
generally when our best weather is. You will also find
it advantageous to holiday at the start of the summer
break as at that point Europe is relatively quiet and
flights and hotels are often still at "off season"
rates. There are 2 - week holidays in October, Christmas
and in April and some schools now get almost a week off
in February, when many families go skiing. The main
summer holiday lasts between six and seven weeks in
state schools and can be longer in private schools.
There are also "in service days" throughout the school
year which are days off for the children but work and
training days for the teachers. And, depending on where
you live, there are normally a few days in winter when
schools are closed due to snow- usually to the great
delight of the children. In the city of Aberdeen this is
quite rare, but country schools can often be closed for
4 or 5 days, particularly if children are bussed in.
There is a good system in place (a number to call) to
notify parents if schools are to be closed.
5.1.3
School Zoning
All state schools are zoned; this means
that you have to live in the catchment area of the
school in order for your child to attend that school.
Please note, you cannot "book" your child into a state
school in advance of arrival for this very reason. Note
also that the offer of payment to secure a place for a
child at a school is an offence, no matter how it is
disguised. It is usual in Scotland for children to
attend the nearest school in the area in which they
live. However, under the 1981 Education Act, parents
have a freedom of choice of school. Although all state
schools are zoned, parents can request a place for their
child in any school they choose. In reality, their child
may not always be admitted as local authorities have the
power to restrict entry for certain reasons such as
overcrowding and this may well be the case with very
popular schools.
If you want your child to go to a
specific state school, you need to find a house in the
area. Often four or five primary schools feed into one
secondary school. For more information see:
www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acc_data/information/edu_centres.asp
and click on "Neighbourhood Area Lists".
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5.1.4
State and Private
Schooling
There are both state schools (funded by
the government and free to pupils) and independent
(private schools for which fees are payable each term).
In Aberdeen you have the beauty of being able to choose
which you prefer.
> Why
choose a private school?
-
Your child may be used to going to a
private school
-
Class sizes are likely to be smaller
-
Subject choice should be greater and
there may be more extra curricular activities
-
Your child will in general be amongst
children from a similar socio-economic background
-
You can live where you choose - no
school zoning
-
Your child will probably wear a
uniform (though not in the International School)
-
There will be a higher degree of
individualisation - any strength your child has is
likely to be noticed and developed
> Why
choose a state school?
-
Aberdeen has some excellent state
schools which are among the best in the country
-
Education is free
-
Your children will live amongst other
children attending the same school and their social
life will be local
-
Your child will be able to experience
children from all walks of life and all
socio-economic backgrounds
5.1.5
Support for Learning
The Scottish Education System encourages
inclusiveness in education, so where possible children
with special learning needs will be included as much as
possible in mainstream classes, often with the help of a
classroom assistant. For more information see:
www.ltscotland.org.uk/inclusiveeducation/additionalsupportforlearning/index.asp
If you are opting for private education
it is best to check the support for learning facilities
at that school.
5.1.6
International or
Scottish Schooling?
-
With so much choice in Aberdeen you
might be wondering whether to choose international
or Scottish education. There are advantages in both.
Some points to consider:
-
If you are starting out and expect to
spend many years moving from country to country, you
might find it preferable to stay within the
international system. The International
Baccalaureate qualification provides access to
universities in 90 countries. For more information
on the IB:
http://www.ibo.org/. For a parent's view of the
IB see the article entitled "An Attractive Option"
by Nicole van Voorst Vader in Destinations magazine
issue number 37:
www.globaloutpostservices.com/destinations/
-
The adjustment for a child is likely
to be less in an international school as there is no
"home culture" to break in to. Your child is likely
to encounter children from a similar multi-cultural
background.
-
If your child attends a Scottish
school then both parents and children have a better
chance of integrating more fully in to Scottish
society and to make Scottish friends for life.
-
Scottish education is well respected
and the Scottish "Higher" gives entrance to all UK
universities and other universities in English
speaking countries.
5.1.7
English as a Second
Language
Pupils whose first language is not
English are entitled to additional support. They could
be temporarily withdrawn from certain classes. The
International School in Aberdeen has a good English as
an Additional Language (EAL) department, with many staff
trained to assist second language learners in the
classroom.
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5.2
The Education System - a closer look
5.2.1
Pre-school Education for
3 and 4 year-olds in
Scotland
The school system in Scotland is such
that the Government guarantees nursery places for all
children in the school term following their third
birthday, prior to the start of primary school education
at the age of 5. Many of the state primary schools have
a nursery class on their premises and children attend up
to 5 sessions a week (each session is usually 2 and a
half hours), either each afternoon or each morning.
This type of education in Local Authority
Nurseries is provided free of charge to all residents of
Aberdeen, irrespective of nationality or time already
spent in the city. Normally Pre-schoolers will join the
nursery class at the beginning of the new school year.
However, provided a place is available, a child may
start at any time of the year.
Three year olds may apply for an
ante-pre-school year place and there is assistance from
the Local Authority, but provision varies from council
to council.
There is no deadline for the application
of a local authority nursery place. The Education
Department advises that in order to secure a place at
the nursery of the parents' choice, it is advisable to
complete the necessary forms before the end of February
preceding the August start of term. The catchment area
for Local Authority Nurseries is the same as that of the
Primary School housing the nursery. For stand-alone
nurseries, the catchment area is that of the secondary
school in that area.
As not all parents want, or are able, to
use local authority places, there is also the provision
to place a child in what is called a 'partner provider'.
These are recognized, quality assured, private day
nurseries, which care for a child on behalf of the
parents for a full day or half day or days to suit the
parents' need from 08.00 till 17.30. If a parent wishes
to use a partner provider, local Government will
contribute towards the fee of the nursery based on
attendance for 5 sessions. The funding is paid directly
to the nursery upon the parents' application.
Pre-schoolers must attend the day nursery for 5 sessions
minimum. Ante pre-schoolers (i.e. 3 year olds) may
attend a minimum of 3 sessions to qualify for funding.
Parents can, of course arrange for their child to be in
that nursery out with the time covered by the
contribution and pay the remainder themselves.
General Child care information in
Aberdeen is available at:
www.childcarelink.gov.uk/aberdeencity
All the private schools in Aberdeen have nursery
provision.
5.2.2
General Childcare
Shell provide employees with access to My Family Care to help
manage child & dependent care responsibilities. You have
access to 3 unique services:
- Search & Guidance - Free expert one to one help in sourcing
permanent childcare
- Emergency Childcare - book backup childcare (nursery places,
childminders and nannies)
- Helpline - free child and dependent care advice and information
For more information please visit www.myfamilycare.co.uk/shell
or call 0845 676 7690
5.2.3
Primary Education
Primary education is provided for
children from the age of five to twelve. In the North
East, Primary One entry is compulsory in August for all
pupils who will have reached the age of 5 years by the
beginning of the school year. Pupils who will have
reached the age of 5 by the end of February in the
following year may start school in August, but entry can
also be deferred to the following August. (This is
different to the system in England where pupils start in
September as long as their 5th birthday falls before the
end of the following August). What this means, of
course, is that children as young as 4 and a half can
start primary school. For some cultures this is
considered very young indeed. At the other end of the
spectrum it means that they will start university at
just 17.
It also means (for the 2006/07 school
year) that children who are born in April 2002 would be
in nursery school, whereas in the English system they
would be in Primary 1 (reception class). Furthermore,
the majority of Scottish primary school children do not
move up to secondary until they are 12, whereas in
England they are 11. It can be then, that pupils will
face the prospect of returning to Primary School.
5.2.4
The Curriculum
The primary curriculum covers a number of
areas: Language, Mathematics, Environmental Studies,
Expressive Arts, Information and Communication
Technology, Personal, Social and Health, Physical
Education and Religious Education. [As emphasis is
placed on the process of learning, pupils are encouraged
to develop skills such as discussing, enquiring, problem
solving and thinking]
At the end of Primary seven, when pupils
are between the ages of 11 and 12 they move on to
secondary education. Schools generally prepare their
children well for the transition from primary to
secondary, as they know that this is a big step for the
children. The children often spend a week at the
secondary school before the primary school year ends.
Once in secondary school each child is allocated a
"Guidance Teacher" who is responsible for their welfare
throughout their schooling. It is usually to this
teacher that parents turn if there are any concerns. It
is good to get to know your child's guidance teacher.
Parents are kept informed of their
child's progress at Parent's Evenings, which are
generally held once a year. Parent's evenings usually
run to a very tight schedule, so it is vitally important
to be punctual.
5.2.5
Secondary Education
In the first two years of secondary
school, all pupils follow roughly the same course, which
offers a wide range of subjects. They are usually taught
in mixed ability groups in state schools, although some
schools will teach core subjects such as English and
Mathematics according to ability. During their second
year, pupils are required to choose subjects from eight
modes of study. This will be the basis for their
curriculum in the next two years. It may seem very early
to choose subjects, which affect your future (and it
is!) but remember, the Scottish system does allow you to
have a broad range of subjects for longer. If a child
has no idea what they might want to do later on in life
(as most do not at the age of 14) it is advisable to
keep as many options open as possible, by studying both
arts and science subjects. All children in state schools
have an opportunity to have an interview with a Careers
Adviser and this is a good idea prior to subject choice.
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5.2.6
Exams
Pupils in third year and above study
courses lead to external certification. The principal
examination body is the Scottish Qualifications
Authority (SQA).
Towards the end of the fourth year,
pupils may sit Standard Grade examinations, (these are a
slightly lower level than the English GCSEs). Most
pupils will have reached the age of sixteen by this
stage and those who wish to may leave school.
Standard Grades are a little bit complex
but Figure 1 should help to explain how the system
works.
The able student will gain Credit passes
at Standard Grade, move on to Highers in 5th year and
Advanced Highers (or additional Highers) in 6th Year. If
however, you gain a General pass (band 3 or 4) at
Standard Grade, you will be encouraged to continue that
subject at Intermediate 2 level, completing your Higher
over two years. Make sure you have a good understanding
of how your school operates and check in 3rd year as to
whether your school is putting your child forward for
Credit, General or Foundation level at Standard Grade.
(Please note, some schools submit children for both
Credit and General papers).
Standard Grades lead on to Highers (or
Intermediate 1 or 2 - see Fig. 1). The Scottish system
tries to remain as broad as possible for as long as
possible. For the good all round student the Scottish
system has the benefit of allowing the pupil to keep
their options open and study four to six Highers in a
mix of science and arts subjects thus delaying
specialization. Generally students will complete their
Higher courses in less than one Year. Any child who
successfully attains good grades in 5 Highers has proved
their worth. There is a big difference between the
Standard Grade and Higher and the student has very
little time to make that adjustment. The Higher year is
very demanding and students have to be prepared to work
very hard to succeed.
If a teacher feels that a child would
benefit from taking two years to achieve a Higher
instead of one he will suggest that the student takes a
particular subject at Intermediate 2 level.
Those who have gained a Higher pass in a
subject may wish to pursue it at a more advanced level
and they can do so in sixth year by following a course
leading to Advanced Higher. Some other pupils who return
for a sixth year do so in order to gain more Highers or
improve the grades of those they have gained already.
Highers and Advanced Highers are recognised entrance
qualifications for Scottish universities, with those who
have attained Advanced Higher being considered for "fast
track" entry into second Year. All universities in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland will consider
applications from students holding Highers but entry is
at the discretion of the individual universities.
5.2.7
Should my child stay on for
6th year?
Staying on for sixth year can enable your
child to:
-
Resit Highers
-
Take more Highers or
Advanced Highers. Some university courses insist on
an Advanced Higher in a certain subject.
-
Have a relaxing year,
prior to the demands of university, if the student
has successfully passed all Highers and achieved
university entry. It gives the student an extra year
to mature - remember, they may only just have turned
17.
-
Partake in community
work. 6th year students are involved in the
community, as well as being involved in leadership
roles in school.
-
Improve English language
skills - (where applicable)
-
An increasing number of
Scottish children who have successfully achieved
university entrance in 5th year take a gap year and
either work or travel for a year. Of course, if your
child has spent his or her entire life living
amongst different cultures you may not feel that
they will benefit the same from a gap year.
5.2.8
Vocational Subjects
It is also possible post 16 to gain
Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs), which are
based on national standards agreed by industry and
commerce. They are available at up to five levels, and
cover virtually all occupations in Scotland. The "Higher
Still' system has allowed students to follow a wider
curriculum covering academic and/or vocational subjects
and to take a series of qualifications at five
recognized levels.
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5.3
List of schools popular with Shell families
School choice is always highly personal.
The list below is only a selection of Aberdeen's many
excellent schools. The schools below are listed because
they have been recommended by Shell families. Members of
the Outpost Team have visited (and continue to visit)
most of these schools with a view to offering the best
information to potential parents. We cannot and would
not wish to show bias to any of the schools listed
below. We are simply able to help you to come to a
decision based on the type of education your child has
accessed before. Ultimately, the best way of choosing a
school is to visit several on or prior to arrival.
5.3.1
Some Aberdeen State
Schools
-
Aberdeen Grammar School,
Tel +44 (0) 1224 642299,
www.grammar.org.uk
-
Ashley Road Primary,
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 588732,
www.ashleyroad.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
Cults Primary School,
Tel +44 (0) 1224 869221,
www.cultsprimary.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
Cults Academy, Tel +44
(0) 1224 868801,
www.cults-academy.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
Mile End Primary, Tel:
+44 (0) 1224 636457,
www.mileend.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
Milltimber Primary, Tel:
+44 (0) 1224 732517 (feeds into Cults Academy),
-
www.milltimber.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
Culter Primary, Tel: +44
(0) 1224 733197(feeds in to Cults Academy),
www.culter.aberdeen.sch.uk
-
St Joseph's Roman
Catholic School, Tel: +44 (0) 1224 322730,
enquiries@Stjosephsprimary.aberdeen.sch.uk
5.3.2
Some Aberdeenshire State
Schools
-
Aboyne Academy, Tel: +44
(0) 13398 87722,
www.aboyneacademy.com
-
Aboyne Primary, Tel: +44
(0) 13398 86638,
www.aboyne-pri.aberdeenshire.sch.uk
-
Banchory Primary School,
Tel +44 (0) 1330 823351,
www.banchory-pri.aberdeenshire.sch.uk
-
Hill of Banchory
School ( primary), Tel +44 (0) 1330 825500, Email:
hillofbanchory.sh@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
-
Banchory Academy,
Tel +44 (0) 1330 823357,
www.banchoryacademy.co.uk
5.3.3
Some
Aberdeen Independent Schools
-
Aberdeen
Waldorf School (independent primary and secondary school),
www.aberdeenwaldorf.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)
1224 868366
-
Albyn
School (independent primary and secondary school),
www.albynschool.co.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 1224 322408
-
Hamilton
School (independent primary), www.thehamilton.aberdeen.sch.uk,
Tel +44 (0) 1224 317295
-
Robert
Gordon's College (independent primary and secondary),
www.rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk, Tel +44 (0) 1224 646346 (senior)
and +44 (0) 1224 626241 (junior).
-
St
Margarets School for Girls (independent primary and secondary),
www.st-margaret.aberdeen.sch.uk,
Tel +44 (0) 1224 584466
- Lathallan School, an independent co-educational
primary with secondary school about 30 miles south of Aberdeen,
www.lathallan.com,
Tel +44 (0) 1651 362220. This school is open to day pupils
and also offers weekly boarding (Monday - Friday) and flexible
boarding where children can opt to stay at school for occasional
nights following extra-curricular activities. There is a school
bus service from Aberdeen and Stonehaven.
5.4
International Schooling
5.4.1
The Dutch Schools
We are fortunate to have 2 schools who provide
Dutch Education in Aberdeen.
The International School (ISA) provides NTC
lessons - Nederlandse Taal en Cultuur- for children between
4-12 years of age. The lessons are given during school hours.
For more information, please refer to the ISA
NTC handbook for 2009-10 (PDF format).
If parents have any questions or would like
to visit the school for a tour, please contact Don Newbury,
ISA Elementary l Principal on +44(0)1224 732267.
e-mail: olga.vanhaastert@isa.aberdeen.sch.uk
Rijnlands Education Worldwide - in Co-operation
with Cults Academy and Cults Primary School- provides Secondary
and NTC education for children between 4-16 years of age.
3 hours a week of NTC lessons are given during school hours
at The Primary School. From Cults Primary School pupils can
automatically go on to Cults Academy where they can do the integrated
programme of the Rijnlands Lyceum Aberdeen (RLA). The RLA provides
secondary education in a number of subjects - Nederlands, Frans,
Duits en Wiskunde. The rest of the subjects are within the Scottish
system in Cults Academy. If pupils wish to sit Dutch exams,
they are required to return to The Netherlands to complete the
last 2 years of their course. However, pupils can opt to remain
in the Scottish system and complete their Scottish exams.
The RLA does offer the opportunity to sit a Cambridge A-level
exam in Dutch. They also run a Dutch after-school class for
those children who are not at these schools, but want to maintain
and expand their Dutch language skills.
For more information, please contact: Hanneke Klep/Ada Renwick
(location leaders).
Tel: +44(0)1224 866266
e-mail: rlaberdeen@gmail.com
website: www.rijnlandslyceum.nl
5.4.2
French School
An independent primary and secondary,
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 645545 There is a French school run by
Total, which provides education based on the French
system for children aged 4-17. Secondary school is
focused on the Baccalaureate examination.
5.4.3
International School
Aberdeen
An independent primary and secondary,
www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk. Tel. +44 (0) 1224 732267.
This school follows the American system up to the age of 16
years and then follows the curriculum for the International
Baccalaureate.
5.5
Specialist Schools
Scotland has a number of state specialist
schools. They are free and costs, such as travel and
boarding, are paid for. Students can be weekly boarders
and return home at weekends to be with their families.
Entry is, of course, competitive, but schools can be
approached at any time for auditions. Standards are
high, and would suit students who are working at
national levels and want to continue with specialist
education.
Other Specialist schools elsewhere in
Scotland:
> Dance
and Theatre
The Dance School of Scotland
is part of Knightswood Secondary School in Glasgow. For
more information see:
http://www.knightswoodsecondary.org.uk/. They also
offer courses in Theatre.
> Music
Aberdeen is very privileged to
have the Aberdeen City Music School, which is a school
for gifted musicians. The music school is part of a
state school, Dyce Academy, and pupils divide their
school day between the Scottish curriculum and
additional musical tuition. Contact Stephen Pinnock,
Director, Aberdeen City Music School. Telephone: +44 (0)
1224 774773, Fax: +44 (0) 1224 772571 or e-mail
sdpinnock.music@dyceacademy.aberdeen.sch.uk.
Website:
www.dyceacademy.aberdeen.sch.uk.
Click on Departments - Aberdeen City Music
School.
Douglas Academy, Milngavie, Glasgow, Tel:
+44 (0) 1419 562 281 or email:
office@douglas.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
Broughton High School, Edinburgh, Tel:
+44 (0) 1313 327 803 or
www.broughton.edin.sch.uk
> Sport
Bellahouston Academy, Glasgow,
www.glasgowschoolofsportbellahoustonacademy.co.uk
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5.6
Useful Websites on Education
5.7
Local Opportunities for Adult Education
Aberdeen Colleges and Universities offer
many courses, part-time, full time, open learning,
community learning in local centres, or E learning. For
information check the following websites:
5.8
Employment opportunities for spouses
5.8.1
Employment climate in
Aberdeen
There are many opportunities to work in
Aberdeen, a city which has one of the lowest
unemployment rates in the UK. However, if you are not
British and in particular, if English is not your first
language you will have to be prepared to put some extra
energy into finding the right job for you. There is a
wide range of jobs available in the both the state
sector (hospitals, schools and local government) and in
private companies: there are many other oil and gas
exploration and service companies based in and around
the city. If you try to remain as flexible as possible
and consider how the skills you have acquired previously
could be adapted to new situations you will stand a
better chance of success. Remember to bring all your
education certificates with you, both from school and
university. If these are in a language which is not
widely spoken like French or Spanish, you may wish to
consider having them translated into English before you
come. You should ensure that these are certified
official translations.
If you wish to work with children or with
other vulnerable groups such as the disabled or the
elderly your employer in Aberdeen will obtain a
Disclosure Statement (see section 3.1.1) regarding your
past record to ensure that it is appropriate to allow
you to work with such vulnerable groups of people.
5.8.2
Employment formalities
Immigration laws are complex. Where any
doubt exists, or special circumstances apply, you should
seek advice from your local HR adviser.
As formalities are regularly changing it
is highly advised to check the current requirements on
visas before your departure on your local British
embassy website.
www.ukvisas.gov.uk
can provide some useful general information.
All work permit dependent visa holders
can work in the UK without any restrictions (after
relevant landing conditions are placed in the
passport). Permission to stay in the UK will be on the
same basis as indicated in the permit holder's passport,
i.e. their resident's permit. The dependent partner and
children under the aged of 18 of a work permit holder
will usually have the words "Work permit Dependent"
stamped in their passport.
Partners who are passport holders of
other EU countries have the right to work in the UK
without a work permit. However, a non EU partner who
accompanies a Shell employee who is an EU national and
who therefore does not require a work permit , will not
have the automatic right to work here until the
appropriate visa is issued. For further advice on
immigration issues in general you can contact the local
office of the Immigration Department on +44 (0) 1224
722890 or consult the Immigration Service website on
www.iasuk.org
To know more about partners' work permits
all around the world go to
www.permitsfoundation.com. Permits Foundation is an
international non-profit corporate initiative to promote
access of accompanying spouses and partners of
international staff to employment through an improvement
of work permit regulations.
You will also need to obtain a National
Insurance number to give to your new employer in the UK.
Your employer uses this number to deduct tax and
National Insurance contributions from your salary. This
can only be obtained in person following a personal
interview so cannot be applied for from overseas.
Further information on how to do this will be given to
you once you are in the UK, but remember that to obtain
it you will need to present certain documents to prove
your identity such as passport, birth and marriage
certificates etc. so ensure that you have the ORIGINAL
documents with you- copies will not be accepted.
5.8.3
Special requirements for
professionals
If you have a professional qualification
such as teaching, medicine, dentistry, accountancy or
legal qualifications there are opportunities to use
these skills in Aberdeen, but for some of these you will
need to be registered with the appropriate regulatory
body in the UK which regulates your chosen profession.
These associations will be able to advise you on whether
your professional qualifications will be recognized in
the UK or whether you will need to undertake any further
training before you can find employment here. These
processes are often straightforward, but can take some
time and it may be wise to start the process going
before you leave your home country, particularly if you
are keen to find work very soon after your arrival in
the UK. Set out below are the contact details for the
main regulatory bodies.
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5.8.4
Careers Guidance and
support
Careers guidance and support is available
at the University of Aberdeen careers guidance centre if
you are already a university graduate ( it does not
matter where you studied). Additionally, Careers
Scotland (www.careers-scotland.org.uk)
offers free vocational guidance. They can advise on
local study opportunities or careers that suit
individual needs and circumstances. On arrival you can
contact them for an appointment on 01224 285200. They
also have a helpful website which details the services
they offer, including an online "CV Builder" and on-line
"self test" questionnaires.
Outpost Aberdeen can also offer careers
guidance and support, either by telephone before you
arrive or in person once you are here. We can help you
compile your CV, complete application forms and identify
appropriate employment agencies. We also offer interview
practice if you have not had a job interview for some
time and wish to brush up your skills.
5.8.5
Looking for jobs
There are many employment agencies in
Aberdeen all of which advertise jobs for a variety of
different companies and the best way to find the one
which is right for you is to make an appointment to
visit some of them once you arrive. However, locally,
the majority of jobs are advertised in the big daily
Aberdeen newspaper "The Press and Journal". The main
recruitment section is published on a Friday, but the
jobs are updated daily on line. Look at
www.pressandjournal.co.uk and click on "Jobs".
Some other useful websites:
5.8.6
Starting your own
business
If you have a particular skill which you
feel you could sell to other people you may want to try
starting your own small business. Examples could include
book-keeping or administrative services, computer
tuition, language tuition, catering services,
translation services, etc. There is plenty of help and
support in the Aberdeen area for new and small business.
The best of these is Business Gateway, tel: 0845 -
6096611, website:
www.sbgateway.com, which provides free help and
support if you are thinking of setting up your own
business. They run a free 'Introduction to Business' (ITB)
course, Tel:01224 289700.
5.9
Voluntary work
Voluntary work is also very common.
There are coordination centres in Aberdeen (Voluntary
Service Aberdeen,
www.vsa.org.uk) and Banchory (Volunteer Centre South
Aberdeenshire, 72a High Street, Banchory), and a useful
database of current opportunities from Volunteer
Scotland (www.volunteerscotland.org.uk/vol_entry.asp)
5.10
Support for partners from Shell
Shell's Partner Development Programme (PDP) (financial support for vocational training
courses for expatriates and returning expatriates)
offers some financial support to enable partners to undertake training courses
amongst other things. Click
here for more details.
Please note: PDP replaced the previous Spouse Vocational
Assistance Scheme in January 2008.
Global Outpost Services Careers and
Development team, based in The Hague, provide
information, advice and guidance to the partners of
Shell employees who wish to work or develop their skills
during and after expatriate assignments worldwide.
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Although every
effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Outpost
Aberdeen cannot assume responsibility for errors in the
information included in this guide.
All rights reserved,
including the right to translate or to reproduce this
guide or any part of it in any form or by any
techniques, without the written permission of Outpost
Aberdeen.
