West Dunbartonshire Council
23 June 2009
Contents
Page
Introduction
i
1.
The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
1
2.
What are the challenges for the Council?
1
3.
How good are attainment and achievement of children and
young people and how well are they supported?
3
4.
What impact has the authority had in meeting the needs of
parents, carers and families, staff and the wider community?
13
5.
How well is the authority led?
18
6.
What is the Council’s capacity for improvement?
21
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Quality indicators
24
Appendix 2 – Performance information
25
Introduction
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 published framework
of quality indicators (Quality Management in Education 2)1 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 Government 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.
1
Quality Management in Education 2 (HM Inspectorate of Education 2006) is a
framework of self-evaluation for Local Authority Education Services.
i
1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
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 West Dunbartonshire Council
in June 2003. In the period since the publication of this report HM Inspectors
worked with senior officers of the Council to monitor progress on the main points for
action arising from the 2003 report. HM Inspectors revisited the Council and
published a follow-up report in September 2005 which found that there had been
very good progress with three of the main points for action, and good progress with
the remaining two.
During the inspection leading to the current report, HM Inspectors visited the
neighbourhoods surrounding Dumbarton Academy and St Andrew’s High School to
sample the impact of the work of the authority. HM Inspectors also made use of
information from a pre-inspection questionnaire sent to all heads of establishment,
chairpersons of Parent Councils, and centrally deployed authority staff. The
inspection drew on information from previous HMIE reports on schools, pre-school
centres and community learning and development (CLD) and included the
evaluation of the quality of educational psychological provision in the Council area.
This inspection was conducted with a significant degree of cooperation from the
Council. HM Inspectors took as their starting point the authority’s own
self-evaluation of performance. This was done through the inspection team meeting
with senior officers early in the inspection process to enhance the team’s
understanding of the self-evaluation report prepared by the authority. A senior
council officer worked collaboratively with HM Inspectors during the inspection
including taking part in joint interviews with key stakeholders. The strengths and
areas for development identified in this report match very closely with the authority’s
own views.
2. What are the challenges for the Council?
Context
West Dunbartonshire is a small local authority in terms of land area, but is
relatively densely populated. Its main residential centres are Clydebank,
Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven. It comprises a mix of waterfront, urban and
rural living. Overall, the population is projected to fall, with a shift towards a
more elderly population. Declining school rolls are a major challenge for the
Council as the existing considerable under-occupancy in primary schools
increases further.
West Dunbartonshire has areas with very high rates of deprivation. The
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ranks West Dunbartonshire as the
fourth most disadvantaged Local Authority in Scotland. Around 20% of the
population are classed as income deprived. The proportion of children and
1
young people entitled to free school meals is above the Scottish average.
Drug misuse is a significant and longstanding problem. A relatively high
proportion of young people had been leaving secondary school but not going
on to positive destinations such as further or higher education, training or
employment. West Dunbartonshire has a higher rate of cancer than the rest of
Scotland and a lower proportion of babies breast-fed at six weeks than any
other Local Authority. Teenage pregnancies are higher than the Scottish
average. Significant sums of money are being invested in regeneration
projects. However, as part of West Dunbartonshire is included within Loch
Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, tourism is a major economic driver.
The previous inspection report of the education functions of the authority published
in June 2003 had highlighted the need for elected members to take urgent action to
address the over-capacity in schools and to improve the quality of the building stock.
Progress had been made in some areas. Agreement had been reached to progress
a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project to build three new secondary schools,
one new primary school and one Early Education and Childcare Centre (EECC). A
tendering process for two new primary schools funded by conventional means was
ongoing. Communities were involved in wide-ranging consultation meetings on the
primary school estate to plan for future improvements in school suitability and
capacity.
The draft Education Service Plan, 2009 to 2013 identifies six strategic priorities
arising from the main challenges facing the Council, which include:
•
improving achievement and attainment especially in the core skills of literacy,
numeracy and community-based lifelong learning;
•
increasing the number of opportunities for cultural, arts and sporting activities;
and
•
modernising educational support services to ensure the delivery of best value.
At the time of the inspection, the Council comprised 22 elected members. Since the
May 2007 local government elections, the Scottish National Party had formed a
minority administration. Around a half of the elected members in the Council were
newly elected. The Education and Lifelong Learning (EaLL) Committee comprised
12 elected members and five non-elected members, including teacher and church
representatives.
The Council as a whole, and Educational Services in particular, had been subject to
a large number of staffing changes in recent years. The Chief Executive of the
Council had been appointed in October 2006, and the Executive Director of
Educational Services in December 2007. Two of the three Heads of Service had
been appointed in the last two years. Each Head of Service had a general role in
supporting and monitoring continuous improvement in a pastoral group of schools.
Each also had a specialist remit. These were for Quality, Support, and Resources.
There were two Quality Improvement Managers (QIM), both of whom had been
2
appointed in the past two years, and 11 Quality Improvement Officers (QIO). One
QIM had responsibility for quality, the other had responsibility for inclusion. The
organisational structure of the QIO teams was changing and evolving at the time of
the inspection with a view to improving the consistency of its work. There were also
four service managers who had responsibility for Lifelong Learning, Continuing
Professional Development, Pre-School and Childcare, and Educational Estates.
A Best Value Audit Report published in October 2006 raised a number of significant
weaknesses mainly centred on the culture of best value and continuous
improvement. A progress report published in January 2008 recognised the
increased commitment to continuous improvement against a backdrop of the
progress made within a short period of time. A further report on progress will be
published mid 2009.
3. How good are attainment and achievement of children and young people
and how well are they supported?
Improvements in performance
The authority has focused on tackling low levels of literacy and the poor
attainment of the most deprived areas of West Dunbartonshire. It had
achieved significant success in its extensive and imaginative work to meet
these stated objectives. Very young children had a high quality start to their
learning and achievement. Attainment has risen across primary and
secondary schools, particularly amongst young people with low levels of
attainment and those living in the most deprived areas of the authority. In
addition, significant progress has been made in addressing the problem of
relatively high proportions of young people leaving school but not becoming
engaged in work, learning or training. Commendably, the authority has tried
to tackle the problem of recording and tracking pupils’ and young people’s
achievement. Much remains to be done in raising the attainment of
middle- and higher-attaining young people, and continuing to ensure that a
greater proportion of young people leave school to sustained positive
destinations.
The progress and achievement of children in pre-school centres was very strong.
Through implementation of very successful literacy development and early literacy
programmes, almost all children made very good progress in their early
development. The performance of pre-school centres, as identified through HMIE
inspections, was strong. In many centres the quality of provision reflected best
national practice. Levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics for
primary-aged learners had been increasing. This increase was most notable in
schools which served areas of deprivation. Overall, most pupils were now reaching
appropriate national levels of attainment. The improvement in performance of some
schools in less deprived areas was less marked.
3
Attainment levels by the end of S2 in secondary schools had been improving
significantly and steadily, particularly in mathematics. Well over half of young
people now reached appropriate national levels of attainment in reading and
mathematics. Just over half reached these levels in writing. Overall, there were
improvements in attainment by the end of S4, S5 and S6 over the last few years on
almost all measures, though some of the gains in attainment were small. The most
notable improvements were at SCQF2 Level 3. The proportion of pupils attaining
five or more awards at SCQF Level 3 or better by the end of S4 was now higher
than in similar authorities and above the Scottish average, and was improving faster.
Attainment at SCQF Level 4 had also risen and was now very close to levels in
similar authorities. Young people who lived in the most deprived areas of Scotland
did notably better in West Dunbartonshire than in other parts of the country. There
were examples of secondary schools where young people attained very highly.
However, at SCQF Levels 5 and 6, West Dunbartonshire still performed less well
than similar authorities or Scotland as a whole. Some secondary subjects, including
art and design, performed strongly across the authority, and there had been success
in improving performance in subjects such as biology and modern studies.
Through a wide range of initiatives, the education authority had improved
post-school destinations for many young people. In 2007/08, 17% of school leavers
were not in employment, education or training. This was considerably improved
from the level of 22% in 2003/04. Successful initiatives included the “Education,
Training, Employment – Now” (ETEN) project, enhanced work experience, and
specific targeted support in schools. All initiatives involved the early identification of
young people who were at risk through a number of factors. Overall, the proportion
of young people entering higher education was still below levels in similar
authorities, though other measures were in line. In some cases, improvements
made in 2007 had fallen back in 2008, largely due to the impact of S5 leavers who
now made up half of the figure not moving on to positive destinations. The
proportion of leavers who were unemployed but seeking employment was above the
national average and that of similar authorities. Figures for those whose
destinations were unknown or who were not seeking employment were low and in
line with national averages.
West Dunbartonshire Council had worked successfully to improve levels of
attainment and achievement through ensuring that children and young people were
more engaged with education. As a result of the work of a QIM and the pupil
support team with school staff, levels of exclusion of pupils from secondary schools
had been falling steadily from levels well above those in similar authorities to now
being in line with those authorities.
2
4
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
3: Access 3 cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
Rates of exclusions from primary schools were now below those in similar
authorities, and in line with the national average. Absence rates in secondary
schools had been falling steadily but rates in primary and secondary schools were
still slightly above those in similar authorities.
Inspection reports in West Dunbartonshire in recent years have been generally
positive. Where further action was required by HMIE, the education authority
ensured that the main points for action were effectively addressed.
Impact on learners
The education authority had made a very positive impact on the lives of
learners at all stages, including those learners who had identified additional
support needs. Children at pre-school, and their families, were very well
supported by strong multi-agency working. The authority provided learners at
all stages with a valuable range of experiences and resources, including
healthy school meals to help them improve their health and fitness levels.
Primary-aged learners benefitted from active and co-operative learning
activities. Those secondary-aged learners who were vulnerable or at risk of
leaving school without any positive destination were very well supported.
Young people were participating more in school and in a wide range of other
activities, which improved their health and fitness and their life chances.
Learners of pre-school age
The education authority had developed a wide range of provision for pre-school
children which included local authority EECC and centres which were managed by
partner providers. Two mobile crèches provided flexible childcare in community
venues, which supported young children and their parents effectively.
The authority had been developing a number of helpful initiatives which had a
positive impact on the learning and development of pre-school children. The helpful
document How am I doing? helped parents and staff to better understand the stages
of development of children from birth to three. Pre-school children made very
effective progress in their learning from using Talking and Thinking Floor Books to
help them discuss activities and express their views.
The authority paid very good attention to meeting the needs of children including
able children and the most vulnerable. The Pre-School Community Assessment
Team effectively ensured that children with significant needs were identified early
and their needs closely monitored. The authority had one specialist service for
children with significant additional support needs. In addition, outreach workers
from West Dunbartonshire Young Families Support Service provided a range of
valuable supports to vulnerable families and children.
5
Features of good practice: Birth to Three
To assist staff and parents in understanding the development of young children,
West Dunbartonshire Council has produced its own document How am I doing?
The document is split into three sections and offers staff and parents helpful
information on child development and appropriate experiences they should
provide for babies and very young children. It includes a comprehensive
assessment section tracking children’s development and learning over a
three year period and supports staff in creating progress reports and determining
next steps in children’s learning. This is a useful tool which complements the
Scottish Government’s Early Years Framework and Getting it Right for Every
Child3. The materials have been designed to mirror the values and principles
within the national Birth to Three guidelines and provide invaluable support to
establishments as they implement these. These measures have resulted in a very
high quality of provision across West Dunbartonshire.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Pre-school children in all centres benefitted from participating in a range of sporting
activities including orienteering, country dancing and golf, organised by the sports
development team. Children enjoyed these activities which helped to improve their
fitness and allowed them to experience success.
The authority had very effective arrangements to assist pre-school children’s
transfer to primary school and ensure progression in their learning and
development. Through well-established links with primary schools, early years' staff
made sure that key information on children’s progress and needs was shared with
primary school staff.
Primary-aged learners
The authority had developed a number of approaches which had had a positive
impact on the experiences of primary-aged pupils. Over a number of years, it had
placed a strong emphasis on developing radical approaches to improving standards
of literacy. Its Write to the top and Hearsay initiatives had a positive impact on
pupils’ skills in writing, talking and listening. The more recent development, Roots to
Reading, was beginning to have a similar impact in improving children’s reading
skills.
3
6
Getting it Right for Every Child is a Scottish Government programme which aims
to deliver a common, coordinated approach across all agencies to support the
delivery of appropriate, proportionate and timely help to all children as they need
it.
Staff in primary schools provided children with a range of experiences which helped
them to engage actively in their learning, and cooperate with each other as they
learned. A number of active learning initiatives, which were developed in
partnership with the local museum, had helped to bring history alive for pupils. The
authority was making good progress with its development of Curriculum for
Excellence4 through its emphasis on developing cooperative learning and active
approaches to learning. Use of these approaches was helping to improve pupils’
learning experiences.
Features of good practice: Active and experiential learning
Operation Blackboard is one of a range of interactive experiential drama and
curriculum days developed by the Cultural Co-ordinator Team. It is a transition
topic delivered in primary and secondary and was instrumental in the Council
receiving a COSLA Bronze Excellence Award for advancing community wellbeing.
Operation Blackboard takes primary seven pupils on a World War II evacuation
experience. At the same time, entire S1 year groups are taken through an army
boot camp in role by actors playing Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, naval
officers, military intelligence officers and stereotypical sergeant majors. Pupils
experienced inter-disciplinary learning within a ‘real world’ context. For example,
they decipher codes and plot enemy presence on D-Day landing maps. These
activities use and develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Throughout the
whole experience, pupils actively learn how decisions can affect situations.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Pupils in all primary schools had very good opportunities to achieve through the arts
and sports. For example, in all primary schools, pupils from P4 to P7 had the
opportunity to learn to play at least one musical instrument. They performed in
choirs and orchestras, and participated in drama productions. Each school linked
very well with the active sports coordinators and sports development officers who
provided pupils with opportunities to participate in a wide range of sports. These
included cross-county running and Tai Kwan Do. The authority was working
towards monitoring the extent to which all pupils in all primary schools benefitted
from these valuable opportunities.
The authority took a number of very positive steps to develop learners’ citizenship
skills. All primary schools had a Pupil Council and an increasing number had gained
Eco-School Scotland status. All schools had established effective buddying
schemes, particularly as pupils moved from primary school to secondary school.
Pupils responded well to these initiatives.
4
The Curriculum for Excellence programme outlines the purpose and principles of
the curriculum 3-18 to provide a framework within which improvement to Scottish
education can and should be made.
7
The effective use of the well-embedded staged intervention process for additional
support needs ensured that the needs of vulnerable children were identified quickly
and measures put in place to meet those needs. Support for children and young
people with autism spectrum disorder, and for their families, was very effective. The
authority had rigorous procedures in place to monitor and support pupils who were
looked after and accommodated5.
Secondary-aged learners
Young people’s learning experiences in secondary schools were positive overall.
The authority had taken important steps to make young people’s learning more
relevant through increasing the range of vocational courses delivered in partnership
with Clydebank College and other partners. The work of partner agencies such as
Y Sort It and the Tullochan Trust further developed young people’s confidence and
self-esteem, and helped ensure that groups such as children of Gypsy/Travellers
and other Travellers engaged with education. Across the authority, young people
valued the recognition they received for their achievement.
The development of the co-operative learning programme was enabling teaching
staff to improve the quality of young people’s learning. Secondary schools were
developing cross-curricular opportunities, such as Dumbarton Academy’s Fit for Life
to help young people make connections between different areas of learning, with a
focus on health and wellbeing. This was part of the authority’s implementation of
Curriculum for Excellence. The development of enterprise education, supported by
the enthusiastic Education Support Officer, helped young people to develop and use
problem-solving skills in a variety of situations. A useful pack on overcoming sexual
bullying had been developed. Commendably, West Dunbartonshire maintained a
focus on financial education for young people.
5
8
The term ’looked after’ in this report includes all children looked after or
accommodated by the Council.
Features of good practice: Financial Education
A partnership agreement had been drawn up between West Dunbartonshire
Council and Building Better Futures (BBF) to focus on the development of
financial education and financial inclusion. The programme began in August 2007
and had made a positive impact on learners in nursery, primary and secondary
schools, and adults within communities. Age-specific resources and staff training
had helped to develop awareness of financial, consumer and income advice
services. A steering group comprised of staff from Educational Services and
partner agencies monitored the outcomes of the initiative.
Partnership working with the Scottish Centre for Financial Education (SCFE) at
Learning and Teaching Scotland supported development of financial planning,
management skills and budgeting for young people. The scale of the programme
enabled all establishments to benefit from the training, resources and funding
available to impact on their pupils in an important aspect of their learning now and
for the future. Activities provided active learning in context and contributed to the
development of literacy and numeracy skills. ‘Money weeks’, with their range of
relevant and enterprising approaches, captured the imagination of learners and
parents. Area events were supported by the Chamber of Commerce, banks and
credit unions. A growing number of schools had gone on to set up their own credit
unions or banks, organised and managed by the young people themselves,
putting their skills into practice in real contexts.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
The authority had put in place a detailed, comprehensive and successful series of
measures to improve the life chances of school leavers. Absence and exclusion
rates, and levels of attainment, were improving steadily. Young people who were at
risk of leaving school with no positive destination were identified early during S3.
Key secondary school staff worked very closely and effectively with partners from
sports development, outdoor education, Clydebank College, the voluntary sector,
other services in the Council, the post-school psychological service, and Careers
Scotland. They had developed a range of strategies which were raising young
people’s self-esteem and confidence, and developing their employability skills,
including interview techniques. Support included outdoor education experiences at
Balloch Castle, which offered young people SQA qualifications in a range of
activities including mountain biking and kayaking. Almost all of the pupils who had
been identified for these forms of additional support subsequently left school to
positive destinations. More young people were leaving school at the end of S4 to
training, and fewer were not seeking employment. Through its implementation of
the 16+ Learning Choices programme, the education authority was now focusing on
addressing the growing issue of young people who left school during S5 with no
positive destination, and who had not previously been identified as being at risk.
9
Across West Dunbartonshire, all schools successfully promoted healthy eating and
a healthy, active lifestyle. Part of this was the increasing engagement of young
people in sport, such as more girls taking part in football. Individual young people
were taking on leadership roles in sport. It was too soon to measure the impact of
these initiatives.
Features of good practice: Leadership through dance
The STAND venue in the campus of St Andrew’s High School was introduced at a
time when there were growing concerns over the health and fitness of women and
girls. Both the male and female population of West Dunbartonshire benefit from
this high quality facility. The aim is not only to improve the health
of citizens through access to a wide range of classes, but to support dancers
young and old to get fit while having fun.
Professional dance teachers support teachers to help already talented dancers
who wished to have a career in dance. Links are available to dance accreditation
courses in nearby schools and in colleges. Almost 50 young people (14 years old
and older) have successfully completed the Award in Dance Leadership course
within the Clydebank area. Pupils from Clydebank High, St Andrew's High and
St Columba's High Schools have been involved. The course has been delivered
within the school curriculum through the physical education timetable, and also as
an after-school activity and as an intensive holiday project. Many participants
have gone on to lead dance within their schools and associated primaries,
including helping to choreograph for school shows. Several primary schools have
been involved in the programme, assisting in the final assessment by providing
P6/P7 pupils for the Dance Leader students to lead through workshop sessions.
On term-time weekdays the studio is populated by school pupils with an interest,
aptitude or talent for dance in all its forms. The studio also exists to support
career pathways for people interested in a future in the creative and cultural
industries. The programme has been motivating for young people, and is
supporting the authority in improving levels of fitness, particularly amongst girls.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Young people who were involved in pupil councils valued the experience. They felt
they had contributed to improving their school environment, such as through the
provision of lockers. The West Dunbartonshire Pupil Congress was being revived to
give young people a voice across the authority. Youth forums in Bonhill, Vale of
Leven and Clydebank were already successful in allowing young people who had
left school a way of discussing how their environment could improve. They had
successfully lobbied local community centre management to provide a youth base.
Individual young people and groups in schools had significant responsibilities such
as involvement in appointing headteachers and in consultations on aspects of the
design of new school buildings. The authority needed to build on its existing good
practice to increase opportunities for consultation with young people.
10
The education authority was improving the provision and use of information and
communications technology (ICT). It had increased the number of modern
computers in use in schools, had improved bandwidth, and was training staff so that
almost all schools would be able to make full use of the Scottish Government’s
education intranet, Glow. All young people were educated in the safe use of the
Internet. Across West Dunbartonshire, staff were using ICT in interesting and
imaginative ways, including widening the curriculum through using
video-conferencing to support the learning of Gaelic. Staff in Clydebank High
School had developed a virtual art gallery to allow young people from schools,
including those from outwith West Dunbartonshire, to view and comment on each
others’ work. The education authority’s three-day programme to develop and use
animation skills was extending the creativity of pupils, young people and staff.
The education authority promoted the use of free, open source software. As well as
keeping costs down, this allowed families to use the same software at home as
young people did in school. The authority was now looking to improve access to
Glow from libraries and care homes, and develop school websites as a useful
resource for communicating with young people and parents.
Features of good practice: The animation and digital storytelling project
The use of animation and digital storytelling is being delivered as a means of
motivating and enthusing both staff and pupils and to increase creativity and
personalised learning. The training approach allows staff to immerse themselves
in the process and also gives the school which hosts the workshop the opportunity
to have a group of pupils who become peer coaches to the rest of the children in
the school. The programme is delivered by an Educational Support Officer over
three days in one primary school but involving more than one member of staff
from each of three primary schools. Day one is spent putting the creative process,
Curriculum for Excellence and personalised learning into perspective as well as
looking at appropriate software for digital storytelling and animation. Staff work
with the programmes to acquire the skills needed. On day two, the host school
releases six pupils (normally P6). Staff work with these pupils teaching them the
skills they learned the previous day. Day three is spent with staff and pupils
working together to create an animation with a curricular link. One of the
advantages of this method of working is that staff are provided with an opportunity
to really embed the skills needed for this type of work and the host school has a
group of highly skilled pupil ‘experts’ who can help disseminate the practice
throughout the school. Staff subsequently complete an action plan for their own
school.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
Young people benefitted from a range of arts, sports and drama activities, both
after-school and in the community. The Pulse Project in Clydebank on Friday
evenings had helped to reduce anti-social behaviour. There was a good range of
11
youth clubs offered for primary and early secondary-age groups. However, some
older secondary pupils felt there were few facilities and clubs available for them.
CLD staff had helped to promote wide participation in The Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award, partly through the use of sectional certificates or through skiing. Completion
rates for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award were very low. Youth information and
guidance provision was good. A mobile youth information resource operated by
Y Sort It offered a flexible approach to providing quality youth information and youth
engagement where it was most needed. Young people successfully organised a
youth exchange around ‘Challenging Xenophobia’ with other young people in
Valencia. Some were employed as sessional youth workers. Many of those who
were involved in youth action groups successfully progressed from local area youth
forums on to the authority-wide youth forum. However, links between the CLD
Service and secondary schools, which would improve young people’s overall
experiences, were at an early stage of development.
Adult learners
Adult learners were included and actively engaged in a wide range of locally based
adult learning activities. They were very positive about the range of experiences
available to them, the relationships with adult workers, and the benefits these had
brought. Levels of involvement had been increasing.
Students of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) successfully engaged
in English language classes. This had supported them in integrating into the local
community and understanding Scottish culture. Many had gained employment as a
result of their improved language skills. Learning was having a positive impact on
other learners’ lives and family relationships, such as enabling them to support
dyslexic children, or improving socialising skills. As an indication of the success of
efforts to improve the confidence of learners, some had been encouraged to
volunteer to support others. Projects such as Digital Friends were making a
difference to people’s lives and expanding into other parts of the authority.
Features of good practice: Digital Friends
Digital Friends is a successful community-based IT programme delivered by
volunteer tutors. One to one support is offered to adult learners who are complete
beginners to computers. Initially established in Dumbarton the project has
expanded to offer outreach provision across the authority. Learners were now
successfully using the internet for email and telephone communication with family
and friends. One outreach session specifically engaged with learners who were
acute pain sufferers. Learners were applying the skills gained to improve the quality
of their lives, such as partially sighted learners using ICT skills to enable them to
continue in local voluntary work. Adults progressing through the adult learning
computing courses often wanted to put something back into their communities. With
support from CLD staff volunteers trained as tutors to deliver effective ICT courses.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk
12
The authority organised an annual certificate presentation event to celebrate many
learner achievements. Some learning resources which were used to support
programmes were not of high enough quality. CLD promotional materials for adult
learners, and for young people of school age, were not always attractively
presented.
4. What impact has the authority had in meeting the needs of parents, carers
and families, staff and the wider community?
Impact on parents, carers and families
The impact of the authority in meeting the needs of parents, carers and
families was good. Parents were supportive of their local schools. All
schools had a Parent Council. The authority had undertaken a number of
successful projects to involve families in learning, and strong support was
provided to parents and carers through a range of services. It was developing
its procedures further to involve the wider parental body and ensure that more
parents were involved in school and authority-wide improvement priorities
and future plans for education.
The authority had made good progress in developing a range of approaches to
engage with parents. Overall, parents were very positive about how schools kept
them informed about their children’s progress. Authority staff had produced a range
of helpful leaflets for families on topics such as child protection, medication and
developing literacy. The authority has been working to involve parents more fully in
its work. It has formed a strategy group in an appropriate response to the Scottish
Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006. The strategy group, led by an officer of
the authority, included representatives from a wide range of parents’ groups,
including parents with children who had additional support needs. The group had
held a range of events, for example to inform parents across West Dunbartonshire
about the details of the Act and their own roles and responsibilities within it. The
authority was planning to build on this positive start and ensure that communication
strategies were developed to engage more effectively with wider groups of parents
in the education of their children.
With support from the authority, all schools had formed a Parent Council. There
was strong parental representation at school organised events. These included
parents’ meetings and events celebrating children’s achievements, such as those in
music and sport. Parents reported that they were well informed of their children’s
progress through a range of approaches including parents’ evenings, school reports,
homework records and informal contacts with school staff. There was a wide range
of innovative parental workshops covering areas such as health promotion,
relationships, sports leadership and financial education.
Parents and families were positive about the quality and range of services available
to support their children with additional support needs. The educational psychology
service had developed positive working relationships with children, families and
13
carers. Parents had a positive regard for the work of network support staff and pupil
and family support workers. Staff created effective home-school links and
strengthened communications and relationships with parents.
Parents felt that senior officers across the authority were accessible and
approachable. They found the Executive Director was particularly visible and
responsive. They were positive about the effectiveness of the Council’s complaints
procedures. These applied to all aspects of the Council, including Educational
Services, and were well implemented and analysed to further improve service
delivery.
The authority’s approaches to engaging with parents were well judged. Many
parents were very well involved in key processes, though some others still
expressed a sense of remoteness from the authority and its decision making.
Overall, the Council was well placed to carry out the necessary continuing
improvements in its work with parents, carers and families.
Impact on staff
Within a context of the introduction of single status and new structures, and
difficult financial circumstances, the authority’s impact on staff was very
good. The Executive Director has been very involved in all areas across
education services since taking up post. The continuous professional
development (CPD) manager had enriched work within the authority through
providing a very wide range of valuable CPD opportunities for staff in schools.
The authority supported newly qualified teachers very effectively. However,
less than half of centrally deployed staff thought that morale was high among
staff in the authority.
The Executive Director ensured he had direct contact with a wide range of staff, who
valued this. He had visited all establishments and attended a number of events
across the authority. Other senior managers in Educational Services were similarly
valued by the staff who worked for them, including administrative staff. All felt well
involved in the teams they were part of, though some felt out of touch with staff
based in different locations.
Evidence from the pre-inspection questionnaires indicated that staff were very
positive about the work of the authority. Responses from headteachers were
particularly positive. All agreed that senior staff showed a high level of commitment
to improving education and almost all thought that the authority was well led. All
headteachers agreed that the authority assisted staff in accessing professional
development and training to support improvement in their work. All felt that the
authority was effective in disseminating good practice about how to improve the
quality of education. Most thought that the authority actively promoted equal
opportunities. Centrally-deployed staff were less positive about aspects of the
authority’s work. Less than half agreed that they had good opportunities to be
involved in decision making.
14
In work led by the CPD manager, the authority had developed a structured and
targeted CPD programme which was having a very positive impact on teacher and
support staff practice. The CPD manager was working very well with headteachers
in schools. Staff in schools valued the helpful CPD website which had been
established and was being increasingly used. High prominence was given to
HMIE’s Journey to Excellence digital resource. The improvement of approaches to
learning and teaching, mainly through the development of co-operative learning,
was a key council initiative for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, and
was having an immediate, positive effect. The authority was well on its way to
achieving its target of training all teaching staff and early years’ workers, and
learning assistants. Staff from within the authority were being trained to deliver
co-operative learning in schools to meet individual pupil or staff needs. The
authority had yet to involve all areas of the service in this training, and give them
access to other courses which were available to school staff.
Staff in pre-school centres, including partner centres, were positive about the
support and assistance provided by the authority. They valued the Head of Centre
meetings and the focus group meetings. The implementation of the Scottish
Government’s Birth to Three strategy, with CPD for all staff, had had a significant
positive impact on early years staff and their work. This had given them equality of
status and raised their expertise and profile within the clusters.
The use of professional review and development was well established across the
authority. The teacher induction scheme was highly regarded. New teachers were
welcomed and very well supported throughout their probationer year by a
comprehensive and flexible training programme, and the support of mentors.
Headteachers, particularly in the primary sector, were positive about leadership
development. The authority was continuing to improve this aspect of its work
through developing a more progressive and structured leadership programme. The
CPD manager led on the leadership strategy and ran a number of focus groups
which helped participants to share experiences and support each other. Staff also
valued the very good opportunities for mentoring fellow headteachers, and the
training for this.
The Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers, and teaching staff, reported that the
review of school estates had been a positive experience for staff in the three new
schools which were soon to be completed. Staff valued their close involvement in
the construction of the new schools, and the fact that the generic plans had been
altered to suit their specific needs. They all valued the work of the Head of Service
Resources and the Manager of Educational Estates in ensuring good
communication and daily contact with the construction site to resolve any problems
quickly.
Impact on the local community
The authority’s impact on the local community was good. Health promotion,
arts, cultural and sports development were strong. Robust and effective
youth representation structures were in place. CLD staff and schools had
15
good links with community groups. Community planning had been
comprehensively reviewed. There was a good range of community capacity
building work being undertaken but a more cohesive strategy was required at
community planning partnership level to maximise the contributions of
services and departments. Networks for community organisations to share
practice effectively require to be developed.
Educational Services had prioritised effectively the development of financial
education and financial inclusion. This was impacting positively on children and
families. Activities in ‘Money Weeks’ effectively engaged learners and parents in
improving their skills in managing their finances. Six primary schools had
established credit unions organised and run by young people, and one primary
school had established its own bank.
With the encouragement and support of the education authority, the work of sports
development and active school staff was having a positive impact in local
communities. Some parents of pre-school children had been trained to act as sports
leaders. Increasing numbers of young people were engaging in sport. Friday night
sports programmes were reducing anti-social behaviour in targeted areas. Local
sports groups were benefiting from increased membership and support through
club, coach and volunteer development.
Arts staff effectively supported programmes to combat anti-social behaviour. Local
street theatre delivered by secondary pupils impacted positively on the local
community. Cultural co-ordinators had effectively involved pupils in the Clydebank
Rebuilt community regeneration initiative. The provision of a mobile crèche
supported families to participate in training and community events. Educational
Services worked in partnership with partner organisations such as the Tullochan
Trust to develop leadership qualities in young people. The authority was committed
to health promotion and to encouraging children and families to eat more healthily.
A tooth-brushing initiative running in all early years centres and primary schools was
having a positive impact on children’s health. As a result of their increased
confidence, parents were now positively engaged in other areas of school life.
An effective framework for youth representation at local, area and authority level
was in place. The authority-wide youth forum had successfully completed a
comprehensive survey of young people’s views of youth facilities and spare time
activity. Community groups were actively engaged in tackling local issues. The
Clydebank based Action against Closures group had successfully campaigned
against closure of a community resource. Recent community successes were
helping to break down barriers within communities. CLD staff offered a wide range
of practical support to community groups. The Inspire training partnership delivered
a comprehensive and flexible capacity building training programme.
Education authority staff had comprehensively reviewed the community planning
structure, and agreed new engagement and consultation structures. This was
intended to address the current lack of clarity in links between Educational Services
and community planning and give the authority the capacity to build on existing
16
community engagement and support community groups. There was a need to make
the links between the EaLL aspects of the community plan and the CLD partnership
clearer in order to improve the partnerships with community groups. Currently, there
were no other effective networks for community organisations to share practice.
Impact on the wider community
The authority's impact on the wider community was very good. Its bold and
imaginative drive to improve levels of literacy had received national attention
and recognition. Materials developed during this work were in use in many
authorities across Scotland. The authority was playing a key role in national
work to improve post-school destinations for young people. Many
educational authority personnel played a national role in organisations such
as the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES). The Council
was outward facing and it fostered international links.
Around ten years ago, West Dunbartonshire had set itself a target of abolishing
illiteracy. This was a bold and ambitious plan which had attracted national attention
and interest. Improvements in the attainment of children and young people in
English language and literacy were now clear through to S4, particularly amongst
lower-attaining young people. The Council's work on early intervention, to improve
outcomes for very young children, has been recognised nationally. In many
education authorities across Scotland, literacy materials and strategies used in
West Dunbartonshire have been adopted.
The authority was developing a range of strategies to improve outcomes for school
leavers, in conjunction with the Scottish Government. Its use of sports development
and outdoor education had been particularly successful in engaging young people.
The authority had developed certification routes for its outdoor education
programme using new methods of collecting evidence of the successes of pupils
and young people. It was providing CPD and resources for other authorities to
support them in similar work. As part of this, authority staff had produced a helpful
self-evaluation guide How good is our raising of achievement? The authority was
also supporting national CPD through its work in developing professional
development packs in association with HMIE. Staff in individual schools have been
supporting developments in Curriculum for Excellence. Some of this work, such as
that done in Dumbarton Academy, had been showcased on the Learning and
Teaching Scotland website.
The authority had developed links with Malta to help that country develop quality
assurance procedures. Many international visitors had come to West
Dunbartonshire schools. Young people at Dumbarton Academy had been
successfully involved in the Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs
programme, working on enterprise education activities with students from the
University of Glasgow and from Columbia University in New York.
Many West Dunbartonshire staff played a lead role in national organisations. The
Executive Director was chair of the ADES education committee. The Head of
17
Service Quality had addressed cross-authority meetings on the development of
Curriculum for Excellence. All members of the directorate and the Manager of Early
Years served on various ADES committees and working parties, and on other
national groups. A policy unit staff member within Educational Services had a
national profile in developing planning and self-evaluation procedures across all
council services. One network teacher was a key figure on the Scottish Network for
Able Pupils and worked locally and nationally to improve support for able pupils.
The denominational representative on the EaLL committee was a leading figure
nationally, and had produced guidelines to support new denominational
representatives across Scotland. Through this work, West Dunbartonshire staff
were able to influence national developments.
5. How well is the authority led?
All staff in Educational Services shared a common purpose in improving
outcomes for children, young people and families through overcoming
barriers of deprivation and low educational achievement. Following his
appointment in 2007, the Executive Director had shared his vision for
everyone in West Dunbartonshire. He had taken time to consult extensively
with staff, parents and learners. The new vision, values and aims had been
agreed but not yet published. A document on strategic leadership and
organisational culture had recently been approved to deal with weaknesses in
strategic planning at corporate level, which did not currently show a clear link
between strategic planning and service and corporate priorities. While the
management of finance in Educational Services was sound and well
scrutinised, an ongoing key financial pressure was the management of the
primary schools estate. There were many effective examples of multi-agency
and partnership working with external organisations and the voluntary sector.
The Quality Improvement Service (QIS) had been refocused to ensure that it
gave a consistently high level of support and challenge to establishments and
services.
The Executive Director was very well known to staff, parents, members of the
community and learners. They found him approachable and believed that he
listened to their views through direct contact and consultation. Following his
appointment in December 2007, the Executive Director had shared a new vision for
Educational Services. Since then, he had worked with heads of establishments to
develop this further. The Executive Director shared the revised vision with heads of
establishments in February 2009. At the time of the inspection, the new statement
of vision, values and aims, based on the four capacities laid out in Curriculum for
Excellence, had been recently agreed. All staff in Educational Services shared a
commitment to overcome the effects of deprivation, raise attainment, and ensure
that school leavers moved on to sustained, positive destinations.
The draft Educational Services Plan, 2009 - 2013 had been based on the
pre-existing vision for its service delivery. There were clear links between the
Educational Services Plan and the targets and objectives within the Council’s Single
18
Outcome Agreement and corporate plans, and with the West Dunbartonshire
Community Plan. The Council had commissioned an external consultant to provide
a report on improving the consistency and clarity of the links between its various
improvement plans and the overall corporate and service plan.
Elected members demonstrated their commitment to EaLL through scrutiny of
performance at the EaLL committee. They were well informed about levels of
attainment, absence and exclusion rates, and post-school destinations. The Audit
and Performance Review Committee provided additional challenge to the
performance of Educational Services through monitoring of trends in statutory
performance indicators. However, elected members, including opposition members,
needed to ensure that council time was spent more effectively in developing and
discussing the impact of education policies. The Council had recently approved a
report and action plan on strategic leadership and organisational culture to address
these weaknesses. Educational Services needed to continue to develop the
involvement of CLD staff in strategic planning to plan for improvements both in
schools and in the community.
The Executive Director and other senior education officials, in particular the Head of
Service Resources, worked closely with senior corporate finance officers and with
elected members to enable decisions to be taken on budgetary matters. This was
effectively monitored. Three new secondary schools were being built through a
PPP, and the tendering process for two new primary schools funded by conventional
means was ongoing. A new Dumbarton Academy had been due to be funded by
PPP but was removed from the current project at the last minute due to planning
constraints. The Council recognised the urgent need to invest in its primary school
estate, and replace Dumbarton Academy, to match their vision for delivering
excellence and efficiency in service provision.
The authority was taking forward effectively the development of Curriculum for
Excellence through a focus on improving learning and teaching in schools. Staff
from every school had been trained in co-operative learning. Learners were very
positive about the impact this was having on their classroom experiences. QIOs
were working with school staff to ensure that they engaged with developments and
that schools progressed effectively with the implementation. The QIO team was
beginning to develop a more consistent approach to this. However, not all staff in
schools were aware that this was the strategy being adopted by the authority.
The Executive Director had inspired confidence and helped motivate staff across
Educational Services. He had engaged with a wide range of staff, parents and
pupils. Improvements in learning and teaching were emerging in schools.
Approaches encouraged by co-operative learning and active learning were being
used well by staff.
Partnership working within the CLD strategic partnership was effective. Thematic
sub groups around the national CLD priorities were active and were having a
positive impact on learners. The West Dunbartonshire Adult Learning Action
Network acted as an effective vehicle for joint working and communication. A
19
recently established annual event for adult tutors brought tutors from across
providers together to share practice and recognise the valuable contribution made
by tutors. Elected members were not always fully aware of the broader
community-based CLD agenda and the full scope of its potential benefits.
There were very effective multi-agency working arrangements in place for the
pre-school, primary and secondary sectors, with staff reporting easy access to a
wide range of professionals. Nutrition standards for nurseries had been very well
developed by the EECC manager and catering facilities manager. There was a
good awareness of health issues shown by all the agencies who were involved with
pupils and young people who had additional support needs. The health promotion
group had worked together very effectively on a range of strategies and initiatives
for health and wellbeing. For example, health visitors and education staff were
working together in ‘baby friendly’ nurseries to promote the benefits of breast
feeding. Educational services, police, social work services and housing services
had worked well together in Clydebank on a domestic abuse Pathfinders project.
Secondary headteachers reported that the multi-agency consultation had
contributed to increased accountability and transparency between school and
central services.
Headteachers, and heads of EECC, found all members of the Educational Services
team to be approachable and responsive, and also challenging. Schools were
confident overall that the support and challenge role of the education authority was
strong. This support and challenge had resulted in many improvements to
outcomes for children and young people. Support for subjects such as English was
very good, but support and challenge to other subject networks was variable. Under
the leadership of the Head of Service quality and the new QIM, the work of the QIS
was being refocused and improved. Professional development for QIOs on
self-evaluation and on their key role in supporting and challenging schools had been
established. Education support officers, staff from libraries, sports development,
music, culture and CLD had been more formally linked with QIOs and their school
clusters to form an extended QIO team. These measures were intended to improve
consistency of approach, and to better address local and national priorities, such as
Curriculum for Excellence. The confidence in the QIO team shown by
establishments had encouraged increasing sophistication in monitoring visits.
These had been revised to build more on self-evaluation by the school at the review
visit. Schools were being more actively encouraged to share ideas and
developments that they were taking forward. A QIO for the early years carried out
regular monitoring visits to all EECC, building on peer- and self-assessment. This
encouraged the sharing of good practice.
A small number of QIOs worked within the pupil support team. Under the leadership
of a new quality improvement manger, they were beginning to improve their
effectiveness through the implementation of new structures. Secondary pupil
support teachers were positive about their role. Visits to schools included
discussion of data on exclusions, absence, and leaver destinations. This had been
very effective in improving performance here. They also linked with neighbouring
education authorities to ensure effective support for vulnerable pupils and young
20
people. A review of network support services, involving extensive consultation, had
been underway for some time.
Educational Services staff maintained a high level of support and challenge to
establishments through regular visits and discussion of key aspects of schools’
performance. Procedures to analyse SQA and other attainment were sophisticated,
well understood by managers, and used to good effect to identify clearly where
improvements could be made and how to carry these out. QIOs were able to target
support at under-performing schools and subject areas. There had been many
successes in these areas, and the QIO team recognised the need to continue their
efforts to ensure consistency. The authority was beginning to develop better ways
of collecting and using data about learners’ wider achievements.
6. What is the Council’s capacity for improvement?
The Council had prioritised improving outcomes for children and families in
the most deprived areas of West Dunbartonshire, and on addressing low
levels of attainment and poor health. It had tackled these issues
imaginatively, with much success. It recognised that it needed to consolidate
these improvements and raise attainment in other areas. Senior managers
had the confidence of staff, and showed the ability to tackle future challenges
and move forward. The QIO team was crucial to ensuring improvements,
including the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. It had
demonstrated much success in its work, and under the new QIM was well
placed to improve further. Overall, the authority had a high capacity for
improvement.
The Council had demonstrated its commitment to improving the life chances of the
young people in West Dunbartonshire, and had improved many aspects of the
quality of education, levels of attainment, and post-school destinations. The Council
recognised that work needed to be done to sustain these improvements, and to
make further gains. Strong partnership working was evident across the authority,
and work was being done to further improve this. Improvements here would allow
for a more integrated community approach to lifelong education and to improving
young people’s overall achievements.
The new Executive Director, Heads of Service, and QIMs, were well respected by
staff and had shown much effectiveness in establishing new structures and carrying
out improvements. The new vision for Educational Services needed to be
disseminated and embedded. Recent changes had enhanced the capacity of the
QIO team to support and challenge schools. The authority recognised that much of
the future progress with raising attainment and implementing Curriculum for
Excellence depended on the consistency of the work of QIOs and their work with
headteachers and schools. Politically, West Dunbartonshire was more settled and
productive. The full benefits of improvements here were yet to be seen, but were
essential to create the climate for further improvement. Senior managers needed to
21
ensure that all staff were made aware of key authority strategies, such as
Curriculum for Excellence, and how they would be implemented.
Educational Services showed strong commitment to supporting schools, particularly
in their own self-evaluation procedures. Success here was reflected in that
three schools in West Dunbartonshire had achieved Chartermark status. In four of
the most recent school inspections, HM Inspectors had disengaged early from
inspection activities, reflecting confidence in how well the schools knew themselves
and had organised their evidence.
With continued developments in quality improvement and improvements to
partnership working and strategic planning, the Council had the capacity to continue
to improve.
22
Key strengths
•
Improvements to standards of literacy, and the attainment levels of vulnerable
young people.
•
The quality of learning experiences provided for pre-school children.
•
Partnership working between schools, sport and outdoor education to support
young people in moving to positive post-school destinations.
•
The promotion of health and wellbeing for children, young people and
families.
•
The work of arts, library and culture services in enhancing the learning and
achievement of children and young people.
Main points for action
•
Continue to raise attainment, particularly at SCQF Levels 5, 6 and 7.
•
Develop consultation mechanisms so that the views of children and young
people can be collected systematically.
•
Increase awareness of elected members as to how all aspects of learning in
schools and in the community can be complementary and mutually supportive.
•
Continue to develop partnerships to build capacity in establishments and
services, and in the community.
The authority has been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how it will
address the main findings of the report. HMIE will make no further visit in
connection with this inspection. The District Inspector will continue to monitor the
progress made as part of HMIE’s contact with the Council.
Annette Bruton
HM Chief Inspector
Directorate 5
23 June 2009
23
Appendix 1
Quality indicators
Quality Indicator6
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
Leadership and direction
Developing people and partnerships
Leadership of change and improvement
Evaluation
Good
Very Good
Good
Very Good
Good
Very Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Note:
The quality scale used in inspections is indicated below. Further details are
provided on the inside cover of this report.
Old level
Very good
6
Good
New level
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Weak
Unsatisfactory
Description
Outstanding, sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for
improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
The indicators in this list are evaluated in all inspections.
24
Appendix 2
Performance information
Attendance
Table A.1: Percentage Attendance
Primary:
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
94.9
94.1
94.8
CA Average
95.1
94.6
95.1
National
95.0
94.5
95.1
Secondary:
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
89.6
90.1
90.5
CA Average
90.3
90.6
90.8
National
90.5
90.6
90.9
Staying on Rate
Table A.2: Percentage of pupils staying on to S5 (Post Christmas)
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
69.4
69.4
62.5
CA Average
63.6
62.3
63.5
National
63.8
65.0
65.0
Pupil Destinations
Table A.3: Percentage of pupils entering each destination
Higher Education:
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
26
23
26
CA Average
30
29
31
National
30
30
31
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
26
25
26
CA Average
24
25
27
National
23
23
25
Further Education:
25
Training:
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
7
10
7
CA Average
7
7
6
National
5
5
5
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
25
27
22
CA Average
24
26
22
National
26
28
25
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
13
13
14
CA Average
12
11
11
National
11
11
11
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
2
2
2
CA Average
2
1
2
National
2
1
2
Destination unknown:
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
2
1
1
CA Average
1
1
1
National
2
1
1
Employment:
Unemployed and seeking
employment or training:
Unemployed and not seeking
employment or training:
Exclusions
Table A.4: Total number of exclusions and exclusions per 1,000 population
Primary:
West Dunbartonshire
2006
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
127
17
175
25
102
15
18
5,779
Secondary:
West Dunbartonshire
26
15
18
6,018
2006
16
17
5,616
2007
15
2008
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
1376
220
1120
182
816
136
CA Average
National
2008
Total
CA Average
National
2007
148
36,136
115
152
37,566
120
138
32,905
106
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
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
94.4
94.8
93.8
92.9
95.9
CA Average
94.5
93.8
94.6
95.6
94.8
National
93.7
93.6
94.0
94.0
94.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
92.2
91.5
92.5
92.3
94.5
CA Average
92.5
92.3
93.6
94.5
95.0
National
92.5
92.1
92.9
93.4
94.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
91.4
93.1
91.2
88.5
92.8
CA Average
90.9
90.6
91.2
91.9
91.8
National
90.8
90.2
90.7
90.6
90.6
Mathematics at Level 3 or better
5 + at Level 3 or better
27
5 + at Level 4 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
74.3
76.6
76.0
68.7
75.8
CA Average
75.3
75.2
76.1
75.9
76.0
National
76.6
76.1
76.8
75.6
76.2
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
29.9
28.2
32.5
27.6
30.1
CA Average
32.5
33.3
32.8
32.2
31.8
National
34.6
34.2
34.8
33.1
34.4
5 + at Level 5 or better
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S5
3 + at Level 6 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
16.4
18.3
16.6
17.5
16.9
CA Average
19.7
20.0
19.7
19.6
20.2
National
22.7
22.7
21.7
22.1
22.4
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
7.0
7.5
6.4
6.8
7.7
CA Average
8.0
9.0
8.8
8.6
8.4
National
9.4
9.9
9.7
9.7
9.9
5 + at Level 6 or better
28
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S6
English and Mathematics at Level 3 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
90.9
88.8
91.5
91.3
91.8
CA Average
92.2
92.1
92.0
91.6
93.1
National
91.6
91.8
91.7
91.4
92.4
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
90.8
88.7
91.8
93.6
91.6
CA Average
92.3
91.3
91.3
91.0
91.7
National
91.3
91.2
91.4
90.8
91.3
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
75.9
74.4
77.2
79.6
77.9
CA Average
79.0
77.3
77.3
77.5
78.2
National
78.6
78.4
78.5
78.3
79.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
43.5
42.4
44.0
41.7
45.6
CA Average
45.1
43.5
45.0
45.9
46.1
National
47.2
47.1
47.6
47.2
48.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
39.8
39.2
37.4
37.4
38.4
CA Average
41.0
38.6
40.2
41.5
41.2
National
43.5
43.1
43.0
42.5
43.2
5 + at Level 3 or better
5 + at Level 4 or better
5 + at Level 5 or better
1 + at Level 6 or better
29
3+ at Level 6 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
24.3
24.2
26.0
23.8
25.0
CA Average
28.1
26.4
27.0
27.9
27.2
National
30.6
30.1
30.0
29.4
30.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
13.6
15.1
15.3
13.6
15.2
CA Average
17.3
16.6
17.4
17.6
17.5
National
19.6
19.4
19.7
19.2
19.7
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
West Dunbartonshire
6.5
8.5
7.8
6.8
8.2
CA Average
10.7
10.3
11.2
11.2
11.1
National
12.3
12.1
12.5
12.2
12.7
5+ at Level 6 or better
1+ at Level 7 or better
30
Notes:
(1) CA Average denotes comparator authority average.
(2) Comparator authorities for West Dunbartonshire include:
Comparators
Rating
Inverclyde
Renfrewshire
North Ayrshire
Clackmannanshire
Midlothian
****
****
****
****
****
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
(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.
(4) Users are urged to exercise particular caution when using the comparator authority averages for
the city EAs of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as these have very few EAs to which they
are considered extremely or very close.
31
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If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the Chief Executive of the local authority,
elected members, the Director of Education, other local authority officers,
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educational establishments, chairpersons of the local authority Parent Councils
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copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education,
Directorate 5, Denholm House, Almondvale Business park, Almondvale Way,
Livingston EH54 6GA or by telephoning 01506 600256. Copies are also
available on our website www.hmie.gov.uk.
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you should write in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, at HM
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More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the
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Crown Copyright 2009
HM Inspectorate of Education
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