Shetland Islands Council
8 July 2008

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Introduction i
1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
2. What are the challenges for the Council?
3. How good are attainment and achievement of children and young people and how well are they supported?
4. What impact has the authority had in meeting the needs of parents, carers and families, staff and the wider community?
5. How well is the authority led?
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6. What is the Council’s capacity for improvement? 21
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Quality indicators
Appendix 2 – Performance information
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The education functions of each local authority in Scotland were inspected between
2000 and 2005. A second cycle of inspections began in 2006 taking a proportionate approach using the findings of the original inspection and other information subsequently available.
Section 9 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 charges HM Inspectorate of
Education (HMIE), on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, to provide an external evaluation of the effectiveness of the local authority in its quality assurance of educational provision within the
Council and of its support to schools in improving quality. Inspections are conducted within a
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published framework of quality indicators ( Quality Management in Education 2 ) which embody the Government’s policy on Best Value.
Each inspection is planned and implemented in partnership with Audit Scotland on behalf of the
Accounts Commission for Scotland. Audit Scotland is a statutory body set up in April 2000, under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 . It provides services to the
Accounts Commission and the Auditor General for Scotland. Together they ensure that the
Scottish Executive and public sector bodies in Scotland are held to account for the proper, efficient and effective use of public funds.
The inspection team also includes Associate Assessors who are senior members of staff currently serving in another Scottish local authority.
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Quality Management in Education 2 (HM Inspectorate of Education 2006) is a framework of self-evaluation for Local
Authority Education Services. i

HMIE inspects the education functions of all 32 councils within Scotland as part of its commitment to inspect and report on the quality of education and to help secure improvement. HMIE reported on the first inspection of Shetland Islands Council in
December 2001. In the period since the publication of this report HM Inspectors have worked with senior officers of the Council to monitor progress on the main points for action arising from the 2001 report. The education functions of Shetland Islands Council were inspected during the period August to October 2001 as part of the national inspection programme of all education authorities in Scotland. The local authority prepared and made public an action plan in January 2002 indicating how it would address the main points for action identified in the original HMIE inspection report. An interim visit by HM Inspectors was carried out in January 2003 and a letter evaluating progress made in implementing the action plan was published. An inspection team revisited the authority in February 2004 and identified the positive progress towards meeting the recommendations in the initial report.
During the inspection, HM Inspectors visited the neighbourhoods of Sandwick and
Scalloway to sample the impact of the work of the authority. The inspection included the evaluation of the quality of educational psychology provision in the Council area.
Context
Shetland Islands Council is the second smallest and the most northerly of the 32 local authorities in Scotland. In recent years, the population has declined although there are early signs that this trend is beginning to level off. Since the original inspection, there have been significant changes within the Education Service. These have included a series of leadership changes at senior management level and a comprehensive restructuring of the previous Community Service to form the Education and Social Care Department
(ESCD). Staff within ESCD have the ongoing challenge of supporting and challenging schools and learners in a wide variety of settings including remote island communities. In addition, there are key issues concerning the future of the school estate and the allocation of finance to establishments.
Shetland Islands Council is the second smallest and the most northerly of the 32 local authorities in Scotland. It includes some of the most isolated communities in Scotland and comprises more than 100 islands, 15 of which are inhabited. The total population of around
22,000 is beginning to stabilise after a period of steady decline in recent years. There is a continuing trend towards centralisation around the Lerwick area with 41% of the population living there. The school roll across Shetland is projected to decrease by 9.7% by 2014. This is in contrast to a significant rise of 16.8% in the population aged over 65 which has increased by almost one third in the last 15 years.
Shetland has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Scotland with 85% of the working age population in employment. However, the average wage decreased by £30 per week between
2005 and 2006 and is below the Scottish average. This is set against a higher cost of living on Shetland and high levels of fuel poverty when contrasted with the Scottish mainland.
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Fisheries output, oil and Shetland Islands Council represent the three largest sectors in the economy. Revenues from Sullom Voe oil terminal have provided a very favourable context for additional public expenditure on the social, educational and economic infrastructure of
Shetland. The Council has made extensive use of the funds from oil revenue to provide and support major initiatives such as the provision of a high quality school estate and leisure and recreational facilities. However, recession in the fisheries industry and a decline in revenue from the North Sea oil industry have had a negative impact on Shetland’s economy. In addition, the Capital Fund has reduced substantially in recent years.
Staff in the ESCD have the challenging task of supporting schools and learners in remote, diverse and sometimes fragile local communities and helping them to respond quickly to changing opportunities in employment, further and higher education. Current priorities as identified within ESCD include the rationalisation of the school estate, the full implementation of the Devolved Management Scheme, improving attainment levels further by the end of S2 and completing the current redesign of Community Learning and
Development (CLD).
Political and organisational structure
At the time of the inspection, there were 22 elected members across the Council, all of whom were independent. The ruling administration had been formed by a group of independent members. In June 2006, the Council had started the process of establishing the ESCD. The ESCD was managed by an Executive Director who had been appointed in
June 2007. The departmental structure had recently been redesigned to include the CLD
Service, Library and Information Service and the Sports and Leisure team. The Head of
Schools Service worked in close partnership with the Executive Director. She had operational responsibility for the management of education across the Council.
In the local elections of May 2007, 22 independent elected members had been returned and had formed the ruling administration. All elected members were members of the Services
Committee. In addition, there were eight elected members on the Education and Young
Peoples Board. Key financial issues or aspects of Best Value were overseen by the
Executive Committee and Audit and Scrutiny Committee. For a significant number of years, there had been ongoing debate at council level over the review and management of the school estate and the proposed closure of a number of small schools and departments. In response to unsuccessful attempts to rationalise the school estate, the Services Committee had recently approved a strategy paper called The Blueprint for Education to shape the future direction of educational provision and services across Shetland.
The ESCD had been developed in response to a recognised need at council level to create a more effective management structure and improve the quality of service delivery. Several
Heads of Service and the Executive Director from the former Community Services had retired or resigned to take up new posts and there had been a period of change when several key officials had been employed in a temporary capacity. In June 2006, the new ESCD had been established and an Executive Director was appointed in June 2007. Heads of Service had been appointed for Schools Service, Children’s Services and Community Care. A
Departmental Management Team had been established to provide strategic leadership and direction for the service. This team comprised the three Heads of Service, the Resources
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Manager, the Director of Shetland College and the Executive Director. The Head of Schools
Service worked in close partnership with the Executive Director. She had operational responsibility for the management of educational services. The Head of Children’s Services was responsible for Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision, while the Head of Schools was responsible for ASN delivery in schools.
The attainment of children and young people was very good and across the Schools
Service there were a number of features of very good practice. Children in pre-school classes and partnership centres were making very good progress in their development.
Primary schools had maintained pupils’ high attainment levels in reading and mathematics. There was scope to further improve pupils’ attainment in writing by the end of P7 in primary schools. Secondary schools had not been successful in improving pupils’ attainment, in mathematics, reading and writing by the end of S2. However, pupils’ performance in SQA examinations was consistently strong across secondary schools.
The authority had been successful in ensuring that pupils benefited from regular school attendance. Rates of absence in primary and secondary schools within the authority were lower than those in comparator authorities
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and nationally. Significantly fewer pupils were excluded from schools in Shetland Islands than in comparator authorities and nationally.
Integrated Assessment Framework (IAF) developments were progressing well with all partner agencies represented. The development group was led by a member of Legal
Services to ensure that the IAF also met the requirements of The Education (Additional
Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.
In the pre-school sector, the quality of provision had been evaluated as good or very good in almost all centres inspected in the last two years. Children’s progress in emotional, personal and social development, and literacy and numeracy were areas of strength. The Education
Support Officer for Pre-School and Early Years was very effective in her role. She had worked successfully with Shetland Childcare Partnership to support partner providers and schools in improving the quality of assessment, record keeping and reporting.
In the period from January 2006 to January 2008, HMIE inspection reports on primary schools had identified a wide range of strengths. Almost all aspects of provision had been evaluated as good or very good. These aspects included the quality of teaching, leadership, climate and relationships, and the promotion of equality and fairness. The attainment of primary-aged pupils in reading and mathematics was consistently good. Most pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment and an increasing number of pupils achieved these levels earlier than might be expected. However, there was scope to improve pupils’ attainment in writing. By the end of S2 in secondary school, the majority of pupils were achieving appropriate national levels in reading, writing and mathematics although pupils’ attainment in mathematics and reading had fluctuated. The authority had not been successful in improving secondary-aged pupils’ attainment in these areas and just over half
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The term ‘comparator authorities’ refers to the group of education authorities which are comparative to each other in terms of
socio-economic and demographic factors.
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attained appropriate national levels in writing by the end of S2. HMIE inspection reports for secondary schools had identified a number of positive areas such as the quality of teaching, partnership working, guidance arrangements and pastoral care. Aspects for further improvement in a small number of primary and secondary inspection reports included self-evaluation, the structure of the curriculum and the extent to which the needs of all pupils were met fully.
All primary schools which had been part of follow-through arrangements after an initial inspection had made very effective progress. No schools were involved in the follow-through process beyond the normal two year period.
In all measures of attainment from S4 to S6, pupils in Shetland secondary schools had achieved better than pupils in comparator authorities and those nationally. The authority’s performance in SQA examinations was very good. The proportion of pupils attaining five or
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more awards at SCQF Level 3 or better and at Level 4 or better by the end of S6 had been maintained at a consistently high level. The authority had taken positive action to ensure that
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pupils who were looked after attained well. The proportion of pupils attaining three or more and five or more awards at Level 6 by the end of S6 were consistently high. Authority staff had not yet been successful in closing the gap between the lowest attaining 20% of pupils and the remaining 80% of pupils. The gap between the lowest 20% and highest performing pupils showed an increasing trend over time.
The quality of pupils’ achievements across schools was very good. The number of learners achieving The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award through group participation in schools, youth centres, clubs and open award centres was high and was increasing. As part of a strategy to ensure an appropriately broad curriculum, schools were making increasing use of different forms of accreditation such as The Community Sports Leader Award and the John Muir
Trust. Pupils in primary and secondary schools responded in large numbers to the well-planned opportunities to widen their experiences through involvement in a range of arts and sports activities. They were given very good opportunities to experience live theatre and to develop their skills in performance within school and in the Shetland Drama Festival . A significant number of pupils received music tuition and were learning to play a wide range of traditional and modern instruments. Pupils took part in a wide range of high quality after school activities and made good use of council sporting facilities. Sports and Leisure staff from within the department had worked successfully in partnership with Sports Scotland to coordinate sport and recreation activities, promote active schools and increase pupils’ understanding of the need for healthy living.
All pupils in S4 participated in work experience for one week and this had resulted in some young people being offered employment. The Schools Service had obtained a significant number of Determined to Succeed agreements and the positive leaver destinations target for
2006-07 had increased from 88% to 91% in the current year. The number of pupils
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Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Levels:
7: Advanced Higher at A-C/CSYS at A-C
6: Higher at A-C
5: Intermediate 2 at A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2
4: Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4
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3: Access 3 cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
The term ‘looked after’ in this report includes all children looked after or looked after and accommodated by the Council.
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participating in the Vocational Pathways initiative had increased steadily and now comprised
24% of the pupil population in S3 and S4. The proportion of pupils gaining entry to Higher education was above national and comparator authority averages. Greater proportions of pupils progressed directly to employment than nationally and in comparator authorities.
Schools had been proactive in ensuring effective transitions for learners moving into employment and further training. The proportion of pupils leaving school and not entering employment or further training was very low and was below national levels and those of comparator authorities.
The ESCD had made considerable investment in information and communications technology (ICT) hardware and software to support and extend pupils’ learning. Staff at all levels had taken part in a wide range of training events as part of the programme for continuous professional development (CPD). They were making very effective use of ICT to enhance the quality of learning and teaching. The Council was one of the first ten authorities to implement the national initiative GLOW
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. ICT played an important part in the School of
Ambition initiative in Anderson High School. Entitled Living Locally: Learning Globally , one of the aims of the project was that every child should have an international experience.
ICT had enabled a wide range of international links to be made. The authority was committed to ensuring that the initiative benefited all secondary pupils and increased investment in the necessary ICT infrastructure had made this possible. For example, all S1 classes in Anderson High School were linked to S1 classes in other secondary schools in
Shetland and then linked to an S1 class in one of the partner schools around the world.
Commendably, the Creative Links Officer and cultural support team had established more than 70 projects during the last three years and had impacted on substantial numbers of learners throughout Shetland. The projects covered all arts forms and successfully fostered creativity and understanding of the Shetland culture. These included collaborative projects with craft artists in residence across Shetland primary schools; the Scottish Chamber
Orchestra education team; the writer in residence and contributions by well known authors.
The Tammies provided an effective showcase for pupils’ considerable achievements in digital animation.
A recent HMIE inspection report on the quality of CLD provision reported on the strong impact that youth work and capacity building were having on young people and communities. The impact on work with adults was identified as very good. Learners benefited from effective partnerships at local level resulting in high levels of participation and retention of young people and adults in learning programmes. CLD staff and their partners were particularly effective at engaging with learners whose first language was not
English, and in working with communities around regeneration.
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GLOW - Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) has the leading role in developing Glow
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Impact on learners
The impact of the authority on the learners of Shetland was very good. Children enjoyed a high quality pre-school experience and experienced innovative and creative approaches to learning. Primary-aged children experienced a rich and varied curriculum with a strong emphasis on achievement through cultural activities. They participated in international projects and had well-planned opportunities to become responsible citizens.
Secondary-aged learners were offered a wide range of vocational opportunities with flexible curriculum options for specific groups of pupils. Inter-agency and partnership working enhanced the learning experience of young people in some areas, but this was not yet consistent across the authority. The provision for children with ASN was good. The department provided a very wide range of support to schools and ensured a positive impact on children’s performance, behaviour and attendance. There had been some excellent practice in relation to support for visually impaired pupils and the use of Braille to support and extend learning. The authority provided very good opportunities for adults to learn, with highly effective targeted work for adults for whom English was not their first language.
Pre-school
The Schools Service worked successfully with schools and a wide range of partner providers to offer very effective provision for pre-school children. The Childcare Partnership effectively coordinated provision by the local authority, support agencies, and voluntary and private sector providers. The Education Officer for Pre-School and Early Years had worked successfully with early years’ childcare networks, including childminders. She provided a high level of support and had enabled them to share good practice through their participation in high quality development activities. In line with the authority’s policy of inclusion, strong multi-agency partnerships with communities had been particularly effective in addressing some of the challenges of provision in remote areas. These had included enterprising initiatives to develop social relationships and provide wrap-around childcare facilities. A centrally organised transport scheme by the Shetland Childcare Partnership enabled children and parents to fully access nursery provision and resources. Additional financial support for very small partner providers had impacted positively on the quality of children’s pre-school learning experiences by enabling continuity of planning, stability of provision and maintenance of high staffing levels.
Library and Information Service personnel and NHS Surestart staff had delivered early literacy and numeracy programmes, such as Bookstart and Play at Home materials for young children and their parents. These initiatives had been successful in encouraging high numbers of parents with pre-school children to access the library service. Shetland
Pre-school Play provided a well-resourced library which pre-school establishments and parents and children, including those with ASN, accessed regularly. A wide range of
Artsplay projects, which included well-designed follow through activities for children with
ASN, successfully encouraged pre-school children’s interest in the arts.
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Features of good practice: The Ditty Box
The development of the highly successful ‘Ditty Box’ had been carried out by the Creative
Links team and had been the responsibility of a graduate placement team member. The aim of the approach was to promote young children’s interest in the Shetland dialect at pre-school level. The materials took full account of the Council’s cultural strategy and were being widely used across pre-school settings. The stimulating activities were being used effectively by staff and parents to develop children’s interest in their local culture and dialect. In addition, the materials were being used by parents to promote the use of dialect in the home. The quality and impact of the resource had been recognised as meaningful by native and non-native Shetlanders.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Across the authority, pre-school establishments and agencies shared information effectively on children’s development and used this information to identify children’s needs and address them appropriately. The Pre-school and Early Years Education Support officer and the development worker from Shetland Pre-school Play had made a very positive impact on the development of high quality nursery provision across the authority. This included a range of initiatives which had ensured better impact on the early development of pre-school learners.
Regular visits provided an appropriate balance of support and challenge to all authority nurseries and partner providers. The pre-school ASN group considered the needs of pupils within a multi-agency forum including health visitors and the Educational Psychology
Service (EPS). This was effective in ensuring the early identification of needs and the provision of appropriate support. All Shetland pre-school establishments used a computerised system to systematically and effectively record, monitor and evaluate children’s learning and progress. The information was used effectively by staff to identify and support children with emerging developmental needs and to share the information with parents and support agencies.
The authority had put in place appropriate procedures to ensure that pre-school learners transferred very effectively to primary school. A clear transition policy was in place for children moving from pre-school to primary to allow sharing of information and to help build on their previous experience. Parents were fully involved in this process, with leaflets available to them including information on deferred entry.
Primary-aged learners
Staff within ESCD had worked successfully with a number of partner agencies to ensure that primary school pupils were supported well to become confident, healthy and responsible citizens. Staff in primary schools used a variety of stimulating approaches to promote pupils’ awareness of good citizenship. All schools had established Pupil Councils. Almost all primary schools had gained Eco-School Scotland status in recognition of their work in this area. Almost all schools had established successful mentoring and buddy schemes.
Pupils had responded well to these initiatives. HMIE inspection reports identified the quality of pastoral care as very good in almost all schools.
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School staff, health workers and Active Schools Co-ordinators had effectively promoted pupils’ awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Almost all primary schools in the authority had achieved Health Promoting School status. Primary pupils had well-planned opportunities to work together and learn from each other. Key development work had taken place between schools and Learning and Teaching Scotland staff to implement aspects of the
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Curriculum for Excellence . Initiatives such as the ‘Global Classroom’ were impacting very positively on pupils’ learning by enabling them to apply their skills in ICT to share and widen their experiences through international partnerships with other schools.
Pupils in primary schools received very good support for their needs from class teachers, support for learning teachers and auxiliary staff. Pupils and families with English as an additional language were making very good progress in their learning. Support staff were knowledgeable about pupils and worked well to support them. EPS staff had a good awareness of the needs of pupils with significant ASN through visits and discussions with staff. Allocation of resources to schools was monitored by the ASN Management Team which was well informed by partner agencies and the EPS. Pupils with ASN had clearly set targets detailed in Individualised Education Plans (IEPs). They received good levels of support from professional staff and agencies such as EPS, clinical psychologists and Speech and Language therapists. Available data indicated that schools were making good progress in meeting IEP targets, but there was insufficient monitoring at authority level to determine if all pupils were making appropriate progress and on whether IEP targets were sufficiently challenging.
Secondary-aged learners
Pupil attainment was consistently high across the services’ secondary schools. Almost all pupils left school with a good range of SQA qualifications at Access, Standard Grade,
Intermediate and Higher levels. Schools developed the wider achievement of pupils through activities such as Eco-School Scotland events, musical performances, enterprise activities and fund raising for charity. Pupils were developing effective citizenship skills through their active involvement in activities such as projects on global issues and participation in local clean-up events such as the Voer Redd Up . Pupil Councils were well established in secondary schools and in one example had been given a budget of £1500 to bring forward proposals for the redevelopment of an outside multi-court area. Young people made an active contribution to council decision making through their involvement in the Shetland
Youth Voice executive.
The authority had worked successfully with a range of partners to develop an extensive range of relevant vocational pathways for pupils in S3 and S4. Commendably, one quarter of
S3 and S4 pupils were currently engaged in vocational courses. This enabled young people to make an informed choice on leaving school and had improved the uptake of further education courses. Effective partnership working with local employers enabled all S4 pupils to have a work experience placement for one week. In some instances young people had been offered a job as a result of their attitude and interest during their placement. A number of S6 pupils also had the opportunity to undertake placements related to their chosen career path. The authority had also funded block release for some senior pupils to undertake
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Curriculum for Excellence – Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS)
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courses in Shetland and on the mainland of Scotland where the local college could not meet demand. This included courses in plumbing, hairdressing and beauty. Pupils with ASN also had the opportunity to experience the world of work with a placement designed specifically to meet their needs.
Features of good practice: Vocational Pathways
The department had worked successfully with a range of partners to develop a relevant range of vocational pathways for pupils in S3 and S4. The starting points had been an aquaculture course at the NAFC Marine Centre and a Scottish Progression Award (SPA) in construction at Shetland College. Pupil numbers had steadily increased and the options available now included aquaculture, sound engineering, nautical studies, construction, childcare, hospitality, hairdressing and engineering. A rural skills course was delivered in
Whalsay School in partnership with the Crofters Commission. Demand for these courses was high and the selection process involved pupils being interviewed by college staff with a representative from industry. Pupils welcomed this opportunity, and teachers mentioned an improved attitude to school and learning. Partners noted the positive confidence and attitude of young people with many having progressed onto apprenticeships, particularly in construction. Shetland College also offered taster days with a focus on construction, and an employability week in the college which was an opportunity for prospective students to find out about employment opportunities.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Staff in the unit for pupils with significant support needs within Anderson High School met the needs of pupils very well. The Alternative Curriculum Education Shetland (ACES) programme for vulnerable pupils offered varied and effective learning programmes including outdoor education, computing and sound engineering, and hairdressing. The Prince's Trust
Club XL had been established in Anderson High School and Mid Yell Junior High in partnership with youth work staff. Club XL participants reported improvements in confidence, in relationships with each other and with teaching staff. Participants had taken responsibility for the organising of activities and in Anderson High School and were currently engaged in planning and organising a visit to South Africa to undertake a community project in Capetown. The Bridges Project, led by youth work staff, gave good support to young people at risk of not making a positive transition into the world of work.
Within the project, adult learning staff were working closely with young people to develop their core skills in literacy and numeracy.
Across the Council, individual staff provided effective support for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural needs (SEBN). However the tracking and monitoring of vulnerable groups was not sufficiently systematic and there was insufficient analysis of trends over time in relation to attainment and achievement. The authority did not have a coherent behaviour strategy which included training in early intervention and the use of core strategies to address behavioural needs. A strategy group had been formed and staff development in areas such as resilience, nurture groups and restorative practices had been provided and evaluated positively. ESCD staff and the EPS had been successful in supporting a small number of challenging pupils with SEBN. The New Bruce initiative had enabled some pupils to successfully return from the mainland to Shetland.
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Adult learners
The department provided high quality, accessible adult learning activities both directly and through partnership working arrangements. English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision was of a high quality. Adult learning activities enjoyed high levels of participation and retention. Learners felt well supported and valued these experiences. Adult learning staff actively engaged with marginalised sections of the community. The recently opened
Shetland Welcome Point for incoming workers provided effective support and advice to assist the integration of new arrivals into the Shetland community. Although only recently opened, it had already supported large numbers of individuals. Adult learning staff facilitated supported discussion groups for ESOL around issues of concern. These issues were then brought to the attention of relevant agencies. A joint ESOL and citizenship programme was being delivered successfully by Adult Learning staff and Shetland College.
Adult learning staff offered support to applicants for Shetland Islands Council posts in completing their applications. They had worked jointly with a wide range of partners to develop the Scalloway inter-generational project Mak and Tak.
This successfully encouraged young people and parents to learn together. Adult learning staff had been engaged effectively in developing the capacity of other workers to address literacy and numeracy needs within identified client groups. They had included training for a voluntary organisation working with former drug users and with Social care staff in the Independent
Living Project. Adult learning staff had delivered a Competent Care Plan course to social care workers. This was building capacity and improving workers own literacy levels as well as those of clients.
Impact on parents, carers and families
Overall, the authority’s impact on parents, carers and families was very good. Parents had a very strong sense of community and were proud of their schools. They felt that their children received a very high standard of education across all sectors and that there were effective arrangements in place to support the needs of adult learners across Shetland.
They reported that they were treated equally and fairly and were actively involved in their children’s education.
In all schools inspected over the past two years, partnerships with School Boards, parents and the local community had been evaluated as good or very good. Questionnaires issued to parents and carers showed that parents were particularly positive about the authority’s promotion of healthy living, the involvement of agencies in supporting pupils’ learning, the impact of the department’s cultural strategy, and the emphasis on recognising achievements.
Whilst the majority of responses were positive, parents did have concerns about the leadership of the authority and their ability to influence the aims and plans for education through consultation. During interviews, they related their concerns to the previous structure of educational services and the recent debate at council level over school closures and the fact that the proposed closures had not taken place.
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The authority had been very effective in facilitating the establishment of Parent Councils in all schools across Shetland. Good information and appropriate consultation with schools and parents meant that almost all parents were aware of the Scottish Schools (Parental
Involvement) Act 2006. Parent Council Chairs meetings were held twice a year to update
Parent Councils on current developments and emerging issues. Almost all Parent Council members interviewed felt that the new Parent Councils had allowed more parents to become actively involved in the life and work of schools. All parents who responded to the questionnaire commended schools for their efforts in involving them in the wider aspects of their children’s education. They were also involved in open nights, school fund raising, after school activities and assisting on trips and outings. All parents felt that their school was a central part of the community. A wide range of adult learning opportunities was offered and a there was high level of participation.
Parents of children who had ASN felt that they were very well supported by the authority.
They had access to appropriate information, were involved in reviews of their children’s progress and felt that their children were fully included in the life of the school and community. The implementation of the ASL Act 2004 had been well managed by the authority. All parents who had children with ASN felt that they were well informed about the Act and the implications for their children. The EPS had made a very significant contribution in supporting parents through the change in the legislation. Parents also felt that there was very good access to other agency support when required.
The authority had a range of successful initiatives in place to more formally involve specific groups of parents in supporting their children’s learning. This was particularly true for parents of pre-school children. Initiatives such as Play at home, Bookstart, and Mellow
Parenting had all been highly successful in engaging parents in their pre-school children’s learning. In secondary schools, parents were not as actively involved in supporting children’s learning. For parents who had pupils with additional needs, the authority had provided training in autism spectrum disorders and had also formed a support group for parents. The current collation of action plans from Parent Councils was a useful start in the process of monitoring and tracking the success of parental engagement activities across
Shetland.
The department’s complaints procedure were followed appropriately and almost all complaints were resolved satisfactorily. The complaints procedure was being developed further to improve the extent to which information about the nature, pattern and trend of complaints relating to education was able to be collated, analysed and used to inform future action.
Impact on staff
The authority’s impact on staff was good. Following the extended period of staffing changes at senior level, headteachers and parents stated that the restructured ESCD was making an increasingly positive impact on improving the quality of education across
Shetland. The confidence and motivation of centrally deployed staff was improving following a drop in morale as a direct result of concerns over the proposed single status agreement, departmental restructuring and the relocation of some staff. CPD provision across the department was of a consistently high standard. There were very good
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examples of multi-authority working to implement national developments such as Glow and Curriculum for Excellence. The department’s approaches to the Professional
Development and Review of Staff were well developed. All departmental staff were reviewed on an annual basis and their development needs were analysed and collated to inform the well-planned and relevant CPD programme.
The Schools Service had achieved Investors in People status (IIP) following a successful reassessment in September 2007. The pre-inspection survey highlighted a consensus across all groups that the ESCD was having positive impact on improving the quality of education for all learners. Following a sustained period of significant staffing and structural changes at senior levels within the department, there was clear recognition that the recently appointed
Executive Director and Head of Schools’ Service showed a high level of commitment to the department, provided well-judged support for staff and demonstrated strong leadership.
Most headteachers agreed that they received appropriate feedback on their performance and that they had good opportunities to take part in a wide range of staff development activities, including leadership training and joint training with other departments. The majority stated that centrally deployed staff such as Quality Improvement Managers and Quality
Improvement Officers (QIO) evaluated the quality of their leadership well and provided clear advice to enable them to improve the quality of education in their establishments. However, a significant number felt that the level of support by the Quality Management Team was not consistent across all schools. Headteachers and centrally deployed staff highlighted ongoing issues of political uncertainty surrounding the review of the school estate. They expressed the view that the recently agreed Blueprint for Education provided a clear direction for the future review of the School Estate.
Almost all centrally deployed staff including members of the CLD team, felt that they had access to the information they required to be effective in their post and most staff described a good level of commitment to the work of ESCD. The pre-inspection survey results for centrally deployed staff had indicated specific concerns over aspects such as weaknesses in communication, lack of engagement in the decision making process and low levels of morale. However, the view of most centrally deployed staff during interviews was that with the exception of the single status agreement, their concerns had been addressed and that morale and teamwork had improved.
Staff expressed the view that the quality of CPD provision was of a consistently high standard across the department. The CPD co-ordinator ensured that courses and activities took appropriate account of staff development needs. The organisation of training events took full account of the geographical constraints of the authority and the travel demands placed on many staff, particularly when this involved attendance at courses on the Scottish mainland. Examples of very good practice included staff development training on the
Assessment is for Learning (AifL) initiative, the introduction of cooperative learning approaches at school level and the highly effective Coaching and Mentoring training programme. The department had introduced a series of purposeful and relevant development activities to support probationer teachers in achieving the Standard for Full Registration.
Newly appointed headteachers spoke positively about the allocation of additional funding to enable them to develop their leadership skills by participating in a variety of relevant leadership training events. Across the department, a number of senior staff had shared their
12

knowledge and experiences within and outwith the authority on key issues such as leadership development, pre-school education and their success in the Schools of Ambition programme.
Features of good practice: Coaching and Mentoring Training
The Coaching and Mentoring initiative was delivered by a headteacher who had been granted professional recognition by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
The initiative had been developed in close partnership with Orkney Council and was open to all teaching and non-teaching staff within the Schools Service. A total of 50 staff had undertaken training and 14 staff had also been granted professional recognition by the
GTCS. The majority of senior staff in the Schools Service team had taken part in the training programme. The initiative will be rolled out to staff across the department. As a result of the training programme, staff reported increased self-esteem, a greater understanding of leadership styles and a heightened capacity for problem-solving.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Staff at all levels had received appropriate training in the area of Child Protection. In the pre-inspection report, all headteachers and almost all centrally deployed staff surveyed agreed with the statement that they were kept fully informed about child protection procedures, guidelines and training. The implementation of the ASL Act had been effective and a significant amount of training had taken place at pre-school, primary and secondary level to raise staff awareness and ensure that the needs of learners with ASN were met fully.
Recent training on the identification and support of dyslexic pupils had been provided for staff although a small number expressed the view that further training was required to develop further their skills in this area and enhance their understanding of the range of relevant assessment strategies. CLD and EPS staff were positive about the range and quality of training opportunities they received to enable them to carry out their work effectively.
CLD staff had ongoing opportunities to gain professional qualifications through participation in accredited staff development activities.
All ESCD staff were involved in the annual process of Professional Review and
Development (PRD). The PRD of headteachers was carried out by a designated QIO.
Headteachers were responsible for the PRD of professional and non-teaching staff.
Following the PRD process, the CPD co-ordinator visited all establishments to collate the development needs of professional and non-professional staff and develop the annual CPD calendar of events. The CPD co-ordinator ensured that the development needs of pre-school staff and partner providers were taken into account when planning and delivering staff development activities.
Impact on the local community
The department’s impact on the local community was very good. Schools had very productive links with their communities. There was a wide range of effective partnerships at a local operational level. The department actively supported the development of cultural activities such as the promotion of dialect and research into local history. Social enterprise groups such as Cope Ltd and Eid Development Co Ltd were having a positive impact on local communities. Local Service Delivery Groups (LSDGs) were not yet fully
13

established across the authority. However, some LSDGs were having a significant impact on their community and were actively developing local solutions to local problems.
The direct relationship between ESCD and Shetland College had ensured the success of the
Vocational pathways initiative and placed a clear focus on the development of transferable skills and entrepreneurship. The partnership agreements between the authority and Shetland
College clearly outlined the respective roles and responsibilities of staff and learners. Young people who had participated in the NAFC Marine Centre SPA course had progressed successfully to modern apprenticeships. Staff within the ESCD actively consulted Shetland
Childcare Partnership about local childcare provision. At council level, community groups had been well supported to enable them to develop local services in response to priority needs. In Gulberwick and Bressay, the community was actively engaged in the development of community facilities and transport links. Community run halls such as Sandveien and
Bressay had very good relationships with a range of childcare and youth organisations.
COPE Ltd was a high quality social enterprise project which worked with and employed people with learning disabilities. Eid Development Company Ltd had developed the local shop and post office to meet the needs of a remote community on the west mainland. Staff within the authority were actively engaged with local social enterprise groups to encourage and support submission of tenders for work as part of council procurement systems.
ESCD staff worked closely with local communities and had engaged young people and the wider community in an extensive range of cultural activities. School staff had successfully encouraged large numbers of schools and pupils to participate in festivals and events such as
Up Helly Aa and the Shetland Drama Festival . They placed a strong emphasis on music, visits and project work to build on the authority’s cultural strategy. Young people had worked with a stained glass artist in making a stained glass window which is now housed in the Unst heritage museum.
Workshops run by Shetland Youth Voice were improving attitudes and awareness of young people towards substance misuse and the need to drive safely. Youth Voice members had progressed to the Youth Cabinet and were actively involved in influencing council decision making. Young people were actively engaged in community activities such as the development of a website for the Shetland Bus history initiative memorial. As a result,
Shetland Bus committee adult members had expressed a more positive attitude towards young people. At adult level, many of the representatives in local communities had progressed to become community councillors. The recently opened Shetland Welcome Point was engaging with new arrivals to promote integration and to address identified issues.
Volunteers to assist with the project were being actively recruited from incoming populations.
LSDGs had been established in five out of seven planned areas. Partners were taking flexible and creative approaches to addressing local problems. There were a number of very good examples where LSDGs had made a clear impact on their communities. There was no system in place as yet to monitor and record the impact of LSDGs and share examples of good practice.
14

Features of good practice: The West and South Local Service Delivery
Groups
The West and South Local Service Delivery Group were made up of partners from NHS, police, local authority and the voluntary sector. The groups had successfully adopted flexible and creative approaches to solving local problems and issues. In one case, staff from the local GP practice had provided medical cover to allow children from the local primary school to use a community owned swimming pool for swimming tuition. This had removed the need to transport the children a considerable distance to a local authority provision and had ensured the retention of the locally managed leisure facility. A multi-agency drop in operating within Sandwick Junior High School offered a wide range of support and opportunities for young people. In the West LSDG, a creative partnership operated between the local health board and health centre. This had freed up the health centre mini bus to provide elderly patients with transport to medical appointments and support with shopping.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
4.2 Impact on the wider community
The department’s impact on the wider community was very good. The ESCD was very outward looking and staff had developed effective international links. A comprehensive programme of international learning was in place and a large number of young people were benefiting from these links. The authority encouraged and supported a creative approach to cultural learning. Officers actively contributed to a number of national developments and were actively involved in effective partnerships with staff in other councils to develop aspects of the curriculum and to promote shared priorities. The department regularly played host to major national and international events.
The authority had developed a range of innovative programmes in partnership with other agencies and community organisations. The Creative Links team had adopted an imaginative approach to build the notion of a cultural entitlement for all young people. They made good use of national networks and capitalised on local artists and visiting specialists to support and extend learning. The authority made good use of the newly built museum and cultural events such as Up Helly Aa celebration to raise young people’s awareness of local culture. This included performances by pupils in schools, visits by outside specialists such as the Viking Time Team from York, and the incorporation of a living history element into youth theatre performances.
The authority was outward looking and had extensive international links. It provided a very good level of resourcing to assist young people in gaining an international learning experience. This had resulted in school exchanges and pupil involvement in a wide range of international projects. Large numbers of secondary pupils had taken part in international exchange trips and two primary school pupils had recently returned from a trip to Japan.
Each S1 class in the authority had a partner class globally. The authority had very good international links through the Schools of Ambition initiative. This provided good opportunities for pupils to experience international learning both online and through face to face engagement. Staff in Anderson and Brae High Schools, the Junior High Schools and
15

schools had worked well together to maximise the international dimension of learning.
Anderson High School was hosting the Northern Schools of Ambition North Sea conference 2008. Schools actively shared learning materials with international partners through effective use of video link and websites. Ongoing online discussion groups offered good opportunities for pupils to engage in sharing ideas and views with children from partner schools.
Primary school staff and subject departments in secondary schools had developed purposeful learning links to enhance the curriculum. In Anderson High School, the modern studies department had developed a joint project with a partner school in New Jersey on the
American dream theme. Staff in the history department had successfully shared the higher history course with a school in South Africa as part of a partnership working agreement.
Club XL participants were actively involved in the organisation of a visit to Cape Town to work with young people with HIV. Young people from across the authority had raised funds for survival equipment as part of a Shelter Box initiative organised by Shetland Rotary Club.
Authority staff from the EPS service and the ASN team had developed specialised expertise in the support of visually impaired young people. Shetland had one of only two centres in
Scotland for translating materials into Braille. The authority had engaged in effective partnership at national level with regard to the Curriculum for Excellence, the development of Glow and the promotion of Adult Learning. Staff regularly shared practice and comparator data with Orkney and the Western Isles. Officers of the authority had contributed to policy development at a national level. School staff were currently reviewing the learning outcomes for numeracy and mathematics as part of the implementation of the
Curriculum for Excellence. The authority had played host to the International XL island games in July 2005 and had successfully hosted a full sitting of the Scottish Youth
Parliament in 2006. Officers were also actively involved with HMIE as Associate Assessors across a range of inspection programmes.
Features of good practice: The Global Classroom Initiative
Staff in Anderson and Brae High Schools, Junior High Schools, schools and a large number of primary schools worked well together to maximise the international dimension of learning. They had formed international links across five continents and this had resulted in school exchanges and pupil involvement in a wide range of international projects. The Global Classroom initiative had been developed as part of the Anderson
High School’s involvement in the Schools of Ambition programme. The aim was to extend pupils’ learning experiences by using information and communication technology
(ICT) to link up with schools across the world, create a global classroom and share aspects of learning and teaching with schools across the globe. Schools across Shetland shared learning materials with international partners using video links, websites and online discussion forums to enable pupils to share their views with peers in partner schools.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
16

Vision, values and aims
The department’s vision, values and aims were good. They were currently being reviewed to ensure that they reflected fully the roles of each service area within ESCD. There was a clear emphasis on the provision of high quality children’s services to ensure that all learners achieved their full potential. There was an appropriate focus on school improvement, partnership working and inclusion. Elected members had a good understanding of the vision, values and aims of the ESCD. They recognised the continued need to review the school estate in response to local circumstances and falling school rolls.
The Head of Schools Service had visited a significant number of schools to consult staff, pupils and parents on the vision, values and aims of the Schools’ Service. Across the department, staff were actively involved in developing a Workforce Development Strategy, updating the Cultural Strategy and creating a Skills and Learning Strategy.
The vision statement for the ESCD had been developed following close consultation with support agencies and key representatives from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The overarching vision was complemented by the vision for the Schools’ Service which placed a strong emphasis on creating and maintaining a culture in which individual learners could achieve their full potential. The vision, values and aims were set out clearly in the Service
Improvement Plan. This linked national and local planning frameworks and provided a good basis for monitoring and evaluating the work of the schools. At council level, the Blueprint for Education set out a clear strategy for the future direction of education and the review of the school estate.
The Executive Director and Head of Schools Service had worked closely with the Chief
Executive to develop and promote the department’s vision, values and aims. They had organised a range of relevant training events for elected members to increase their awareness of the work carried out across all areas of the ESCD. The Executive Director was working with staff across the Council to develop a Workforce Development Strategy and to update the Cultural Strategy and Action Plan. A Skills and Learning Strategy was being developed in partnership with a range of partner agencies.
Elected members were committed to the provision of the highest quality of education for all learners in Shetland and spoke with confidence about the work of the ESCD. They demonstrated a clear understanding of the vision, values and aims of the department. Senior officials, elected members and staff within the ESCD demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring a culture of inclusion and equality across all areas of the department. The small number of pupils with SEBN were well supported but there was scope to review the overall quality of their educational experiences to ensure that their needs were being identified quickly and met fully. The department had been successful in supporting the increasing number of pupils and families with English as an additional language. CLD staff had been active in creating well-planned and appropriate activities to support groups of migrant workers.
As part of the commitment to continuous improvement, the Head of Schools was currently undertaking a comprehensive consultation exercise with all school staff, pupils and parents to
17

review the vision, values and aims of the schools’ service. She had made a very positive start and had visited a significant number of schools across the Council to consult widely with staff, pupils and parents. Headteachers could describe the vision, values and aims of the
ESCD. Staff, pupils and parents were becoming more aware of the vision through participation in consultation exercises and meetings with the Head of Schools Service.
Leadership and direction
The quality of leadership and direction across the Department of Education and Social
Care was good. During her short time in post, the Executive Director had quickly established a close working relationship with the three Heads of Service. The Head of
Schools Service was held in high regard by senior staff, elected members and headteachers who felt that she provided a clear sense of direction. The Executive Director and Head of
Schools Service had set out clearly stated and relevant improvement priorities for education in Services Committee 4 Year Remit. Headteachers had been fully involved in the development of appropriate priorities for the well focussed Schools Service
Improvement Plan. The new Corporate Plan and the Blueprint for Education paper provided a clear strategic direction to inform the future work of the ESCD.
The new management structure of the ESCD was developing well under the leadership of the
Executive Director and was having a positive impact on the improved delivery of services.
The Chief Executive had been effective in ensuring that high standards of education had been maintained during a lengthy period of changes at senior levels within the Council. He had been proactive in the creation of the ESCD and the decision to redesign CLD, the
Library and Information Service and Sports and Leisure team into the new structure to ensure that all key services could be managed and coordinated within ESCD. Following a significant number of changes to The Quality Improvement team, there was a need for the department to review the strategic and operational roles of the Improvement Managers and
QIOs, ensure greater consistency of delivery at establishment level and maximise the impact of individual staff in supporting schools.
In the pre-inspection survey, almost all headteachers agreed that senior staff showed a high level of commitment to improving the quality of education and provided well-judged guidance on the future direction of education. Following the local elections in May 2007, a series of seminars had been arranged to provide Councillors with information on a range of topics such as performance management, planning, education, child protection and personnel issues.
In January 2007, an Audit Scotland report had recognised the progress made in translating the Council’s vision into practical programmes of action, particularly in terms of the corporate improvement plan and the establishment of a service planning framework. To guide the work of the services within the ESCD, the Executive Director had presented a Four
Year Remit to the Service's Committee. This report set out the future direction of the ESCD through clearly stated improvement priorities and had been approved by members.
Almost all headteachers were of the view that the authority had led the development of a systematic approach to self-evaluation. Schools had been involved in evaluating the impact of the previous Service Improvement Plan and headteachers were actively involved in
18

identifying and agreeing the improvement priorities in the new plan. The Schools Service
Improvement Plan had been incorporated into the Children and Young People's Services
Plan and was monitored closely by senior staff and officials. Elected members communicated well with a range of stakeholders. They were represented on the Shetland
Childcare Partnership, had regular involvement with Parent Councils, attended Community
Councils in their area and recognised the importance of working with young people. Four
Councillors were involved with the Youth Cabinet and met regularly with representatives from the Youth Voice . Young people’s views had influenced issues such as the location of the cinema and music venue, the development of child protection training materials and the reinstatement of some bus services.
Since 2003, almost all schools inspected by HMIE had received very good or good evaluations for leadership. Headteachers recognised that schools were well funded but also recognised that budgets were under scrutiny and that the historically high level of spending on education could not be sustained in the long term. The budget setting process within the
Council was well established but the management of the school estate continued to be a major issue for Councillors. In 2006, a council report had set out a framework for school estate management to provide strategic direction and ensure that available resources were targeted towards the greatest area of need. A number of specific recommendations had been made concerning school closures, mergers or shared management and the Council had approved the report. However, in December 2007 the two proposals for closure arising from the report had been rejected at council level. In recognition of the continued need to review the school estate, elected members had introduced the Blueprint for Education.
Risk management was firmly embedded within the Council. Safety and Risk Services provided assistance to all council services on the management of risk. Key risks were reported to members. Effective risk assessment procedures were in place across the ESCD.
Two officers within the Schools Service had been trained to carry out risk assessments for pupils undertaking work experience placements.
Leadership of people and partnerships
Leadership of people and partnerships was adequate. There was a continued need to embed fully the new structures, clarify the collective roles of staff across all areas of the
ESCD to minimise potential duplication of effort and strengthen the culture of team working. Following the creation of the ESCD and the recent appointment of the
Executive Director, staff had noted increased confidence levels, greater support from central staff and improved relationships between the department and schools.
Headteachers were positive about their relationships with centrally deployed staff. New line management structures had been introduced for CLD staff to ensure a greater degree of leadership and strategic direction. There were some very good examples of multi-agency working and partnership working with external organisations and voluntary groups.
The Executive Director and Head of Schools Service had worked well together to improve the work of the department. A member of the Schools Service management team attended the Children’s Services management team meetings to inform the decision making process and ensure that strategy development was based on the needs of education. However, this
19

development was at an early stage and more work was required across the ESCD to increase the focus on partnership working across the department, develop further the quality of teamwork, and involve staff more actively in the decision making process.
Headteachers were empowered to lead improvements within their schools. Secondary headteachers were positive about the impact of the Head of Schools Service and her success in extending networking opportunities. Almost 10% of school staff had taken part in the coaching and mentoring programme and stated that this had made a positive contribution to the development of leadership capacity within the Schools’ Service. Newly appointed headteachers were positive about the ways in which their leadership skills had been developed due to the provision of additional funding to enable them to access a broad range of relevant training activities.
As part of the recent redesign within ESCD, the CLD service, the Library and Information
Service and Sports and Leisure team had been located within the department. The Library and Information Manager was a member of the Schools Service management team. She had been responsible for introducing a range of well-planned activities for learners in partnership with schools and community groups. The restructuring of the CLD service had been viewed positively by CLD managers and operational staff. However, the role and contribution of
CLD staff to the work of the department needed to be reviewed to maximise the impact of individual staff at establishment and community level. The Executive Director had recognised the need for the different CLD teams to meet together and had established a professional development forum to enable them to discuss their work.
The Executive Director had taken a lead role in promoting partnership working across a number of external organisations and agencies. In recognition of the challenge of recruiting and retaining staff, she was leading the development of a workforce development strategy.
She had also convened a partnership group to develop a skills strategy for Shetland in response to the publication of Skills for Scotland . The Skills Strategy group was a positive example of effective partnership working to develop a single strategy for Shetland. The
Head of Schools Service was strongly committed to promoting partnership working at central level and across establishments. She had developed a good working relationship with the local negotiating committee for teachers (LNCT) and had worked closely with the CPD co-ordinator to develop an effective model of PRD in consultation with the LNCT.
Leadership of change and improvement
Leadership of change and improvement was good. The authority had taken effective steps to bring about change and to build capacity for improvement. Improved leadership and the restructuring of ESCD had increased the capacity of the department to bring about change and improvements in a more structured and systematic manner. Strong and successful leadership by the Executive Director and Head of Schools Service had been instrumental in promoting a culture of change and improvement. The authority had well-organised systems for gathering information on aspects of school performance.
These had not always been used effectively to support and challenge schools but the situation was improving.
20

The Executive Director and Head of Schools Service had been proactive in encouraging authority staff and headteachers to take greater responsibility for leading change and improvement. Staff had responded positively. The Head of Schools Service had taken a strong lead in promoting a more systematic, robust and proportionate approach to quality assurance. She met regularly with senior officers and headteachers and on a personal level, she had been highly effective in leading a series of successful initiatives with a clear focus on change and improvement. Following a sustained period of change, senior officers and members of the quality improvement team were more actively involved in the support and challenge of schools and pre-school centres. Individuals QIOs had been assigned to specific groups of schools and were establishing a good working relationship with headteachers and staff.
The authority had well managed and effective systems for analysing pupils’ attainment including the use of SQA attainment data. Authority staff collected a range of relevant data, including 5-14 attainment trends and SQA results. Staff used the data to monitor the performance of individual schools with similar schools in Shetland and other councils. This provided schools and senior managers with a detailed analysis of performance. The authority was improving the use of this data, particularly at S1 and S2, to identify good practice and challenge underperformance.
Following the appointment of the new Executive Director, the authority had taken steps to improve the structure of ESCD and increase the capacity of the department to bring about changes and improvements. Senior managers and QIOs consistently celebrated examples of achievement and innovative practice across Shetland. Authority staff worked well in partnership with a range of agencies to support vulnerable learners. Children and young people responded well to a range of opportunities to develop as successful learners and responsible citizens. This included their involvement in Pupil Councils, Eco-committees and an extensive range of cultural projects.
Following a period of significant changes at senior levels within the Council, the ESCD had been established to provide a more effective management structure and improve the quality of service delivery. The recent developments within the ESCD such as the redesign of the
CLD Service and the incorporation of the Library and Information Service and the Sports and Leisure team had the potential to improve further the work of the department. The Chief
Executive and elected members had effectively managed the service during a challenging period of transition. The Executive Director and Head of Schools had worked successfully with elected members, staff and stakeholders to establish a clear sense of direction to inform the work of the department. The overall quality of education at establishment level was of a high standard and the impact of the department in meeting the needs of pupils, parents and the community was very good. As a result, the ESCD demonstrated a clear capacity for further improvement.
The authority had undergone a period of transition and considerable change since the publication in 2001 of the HMIE report on the authority’s education service. This included significant staffing changes at senior levels within the Council. The Chief Executive and
21

elected members had taken effective action during this period to maintain good quality services to children, young people and families.
The recent appointment of the Executive Director had increased the capacity of the authority to improve. Working closely with the Head of Schools, she had started to build on existing good practice and had taken positive action to improve the quality of services. With the support of the Chief Executive and elected members, she had made further improvements to the structure of the ESCD. She had developed purposeful working partnerships with a number of other education authorities to support the process of continuous improvement.
The new structures were developing effectively and with improved partnership working across the ESCD, the department was well placed to continue the delivery of high quality services to children, young people and their families.
22

•
The role of the Early Years Support Officer and team in ensuring a consistently high standard of pre-school education across pre-school classes and partnership centres.
•
The provision of high quality educational experiences, the effective and creative use of
ICT and the emphasis on promoting achievement, diversity and equality.
•
Pupils’ attainment in SQA examinations.
•
The commitment to inclusion and the impact of multi-agency working in supporting young people and families, particularly for pupils with ASN.
•
Strong and effective leadership by the Executive Director and Head of Schools Service.
•
The high quality CPD programme with the focus on improving the quality of learning and teaching, meeting the needs of learners and developing leadership skills.
•
Improve pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of S2.
•
Continue to develop the strategic and operational roles of the Quality Improvement
Managers and Officers to ensure consistency of delivery and maximise their impact in supporting and challenging schools.
•
Increase the level of partnership working within the ESCD to ensure that all staff are fully aware of their individual and collective roles and responsibilities.
•
Review the current strategies for identifying and supporting pupils with SEBN to ensure that their needs are being met fully at school level and within specialist units.
The authority has been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how it will address the main findings of the report. The District Inspector will continue to monitor progress made as part of the agency work with the Council.
Annette Bruton
HM Chief Inspector
Directorate 5
8 July 2008
23

Quality indicators
Quality Indicator
7
Evaluation
Improvements in performance
Impact on learners
Impact on parents/carers and families
Impact on staff
Impact on the local community
Impact on the wider community
Vision, values and aims
Very good
Very good
Very good
Good
Very good
Very good
Good
Leadership and direction
Developing people and partnerships
Leadership of change and improvement Good
Note:
The quality scale used in inspections is indicated below. Further details are provided on the inside cover of this report.
Old level New level Description
Very good
Good
Adequate
Good
Very good
Good
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for improvement
7
The indicators in this list are evaluated in all inspections.
24

Performance information
Attendance
Table A.1: Percentage Attendance
Primary:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2004
95.8
95.7
95.3
2005
95.6
95.8
95.0
Secondary:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
2004
93.0
91.8
2005
93.2
91.7
National 90.2 90.1
Staying on Rate
Table A.2: Percentage of pupils staying on to S5 (Post Christmas)
2005
64.3
66.8
64.1
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2004
63.2
66.6
64.2
Pupil Destinations
Table A.3: Percentage of pupils entering each destination
Higher Education: 2004
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Further Education:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
32
29
29
2004
14
23
21
2005
27
30
31
2005
13
24
21
2006
95.5
95.5
95.0
2006
93.3
91.5
90.5
2006
69.5
64.8
63.8
2006
34
30
30
2006
13
24
23
25

Training:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Employment:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Unemployed and seeking employment or training:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Unemployed and not seeking employment or training:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Destination unknown:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2004
0
2
5
2004
43
30
25
2004
9
7
13
2004
**
3
3
2004
**
6
4
2005
**
8
3
5
2005
48
30
27
2005
7
7
10
2005
4
4
3
2005
**
3
3
2006
**
3
5
2006
39
30
26
2006
**
8
11
2006
2
3
2
2006
**
2
2
Exclusions
Table A.4: Total number of exclusions and exclusions per 1,000 population
Primary: 2004
Shetland Islands
Total
16
Per 1,000
8
Total
14
2005
Per 1,000
7
CA Average
National 4,478
8
11 5,319
10
13
Secondary:
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
Total
2004
Per 1,000
35
33,465
21
55
105
Total
2005
Per 1,000
48
35,513
29
61
112
Total
10
2006
Per 1,000
5
5,779
11
15
Total
2006
Per 1,000
43
36,136
26
53
115
8
"** " represents numbers that are suppressed to maintain confidentiality.
26

SQA Attainment
Table A.5: Results in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels
Level 7 : Advanced Higher at A-C/CSYS at A-C
Level 6 : Higher at A-C
Level 5 : Intermediate 2 at A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2
Level 4 : Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4
Level 3 : Access 3 Cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S4
English at Level 3 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
2003
96.8
93.8
2004
97.3
94.6
2005
98.3
94.9
93.7 National
Mathematics at Level 3 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5 + at Level 3 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2003
93.8
91.6
90.7
2003
96.2
93.7
92.6
93.7
2004
96.6
94.3
92.5
2004
95.4
92.5
90.8
93.6
2005
98.3
94.2
92.1
2005
96.6
92.0
90.2
2006
94.3
94.0
92.9
2006
94.6
94.7
94.0
2006
93.4
91.2
90.7
2007
95.2
94.3
93.9
2007
95.2
95.0
93.1
2007
94.9
92.0
90.5
27

5 + at Level 4 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2003
85.6
80.4
76.4
2004
89.9
81.8
76.6
National
5 + at Level 5 or better
Shetland Islands
2003
44.1
2004
45.4
CA Average
National
38.1
34.0
37.9
34.6
37.8
34.2
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S5
3 + at Level 6 or better
2005
42.7
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5 + at Level 6 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
2003
12.0
10.1
9.6
2003
31.9
25.3
22.6
2004
11.8
9.8
9.4
2004
27.6
25.6
22.7
2005
13.7
10.4
9.9
2005
26.8
24.8
22.7
2005
89.2
80.8
76.1
2007
87.5
79.6
75.0
2007
40.7
35.3
32.3
2007
27.5
22.4
21.6
2007
9.5
9.3
9.4
2006
84.5
80.2
76.8
2006
13.2
10.6
9.7
2006
29.2
24.5
21.7
2006
45.0
37.4
34.8
28

Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S6
English and Mathematics at Level 3 or better
2003 2004 2005
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5 + at Level 3 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5 + at Level 4 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5 + at Level 5 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
1 + at Level 6 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
2003
52.5
48.6
43.6
2003
61.3
53.5
46.9
2003
92.6
84.6
78.6
2003
98.3
93.1
91.1
98.3
94.2
92.3
2004
91.5
83.8
78.6
2004
97.8
93.2
91.3
98.1
93.8
91.6
2004
62.5
52.8
47.2
2004
55.2
48.7
43.5
2005
87.1
82.4
78.4
2005
94.7
92.3
91.2
96.8
92.9
91.8
2005
56.8
51.9
47.1
2005
50.6
48.1
43.1
82.7
78.4
2007
59.0
51.7
47.2
2007
51.5
46.0
42.4
2007
98.6
93.5
91.5
2007
97.3
92.8
90.9
2007
90.5
29
2006
97.3
93.5
91.4
2006
91.2
83.5
78.5
2006
97.9
93.4
91.7
2006
50.3
47.1
43.0
2006
59.1
51.9
47.6

3+ at Level 6 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
5+ at Level 6 or better
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National
1+ at Level 7 or better
2003
23.6
22.4
19.6
2003
37.4
35.3
30.7
Shetland Islands
CA Average
National 11.9
Notes
(1) CA average denotes comparator authority average.
(2) Comparator authorities for Shetland Islands include:
Comparators Rating
Orkney Islands ****
‘Very Close’
Scottish Borders ****
2003
11.4
13.5
‘Very Close’
2004
15.1
14.0
12.3
2004
29.3
22.5
19.6
2004
43.5
34.6
30.6
2005
37.9
34.4
30.1
2005
26.5
22.2
19.4
2005
15.0
14.1
12.1
2006
34.5
32.5
30.0
2006
23.5
21.5
19.7
2006
11.9
13.8
12.5
2007
37.6
32.3
29.2
2007
26.1
21.2
18.9
2007
12.2
13.4
11.9
(3) Caution should be exercised when making comparisons with comparator authority
averages if there are a number of authorities that are not extremely or very close.
30

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HM Inspectorate of Education
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