C it y o f E d i n b u r g h C o u n c i l
M a rc h 2 0 0 3
Contents
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Page
Introduction
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1.
The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
1
2.
The Education Service: operational context
1
3.
Strategic management of the service
11
4.
Consultation and communication
17
5.
Operational management
21
6.
Resource and financial management
26
7.
Performance monitoring and continuous
improvement
34
8.
How well does the authority perform overall?
50
9.
Main points for action
53
Appendices
Performance information
Inspection coverage
Quality indicators
55
60
63
Introduction
The education functions of each local authority in
Scotland will be inspected between 2000 and
2005. Section 9 of the Standards in Scotland’s
Schools Etc. Act 2000 charges HM Inspectorate of
Education, 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) 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 external auditor member of the inspection
team carries out a performance management and
planning (PMP) audit of the education functions
of the authority. The inspection team also
includes an Associate Assessor who is a senior
member of staff currently serving in another
Scottish local authority.
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Inspection of the education functions of
City of Edinburgh Council
1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
The education functions of City of Edinburgh Council
were inspected during the period
November - December 2002 as part of a five-year
national inspection programme of all local authorities in
Scotland.
The inspection team interviewed elected members and
officers of the Council. The inspection team also
attended meetings, visited schools and other
establishments in the authority and met with staff,
chairpersons of School Boards and other key stakeholders
of the Education Service. A summary of inspection
activities is given in Appendix 2.
On behalf of HM Inspectors, an independent company
issued and analysed responses to questionnaires to
headteachers of all educational establishments within the
authority and to the chairpersons of the School
Boards/Parents’ Associations and to partnership
pre-school establishments.
2. The Education Service: operational context
Social and economic context
The City of Edinburgh Council is the second largest local
authority in Scotland. It has a population of around
453,000 people. Edinburgh’s population has increased by
almost 4% over the last ten years, against a stable
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national trend. It is expected to grow at around the same
rate to 2016. Primary school rolls are currently falling,
but are projected to stabilise by 2009. Secondary school
rolls have risen in recent years, but are projected to fall to
around 18,000 by 2013. Around 6% of the school
population come from ethnic minorities, with significant
communities of Pakistani, Chinese, Indian and Arabic
origin. A distinctive feature of education in the City of
Edinburgh is the high percentage of pupils who attend
independent schools. In 2001/2002, 13% of primary
school-aged pupils and 23% of secondary school-aged
pupils attended independent schools, compared to 3% and
5% respectively, nationally.
The unemployment rate in October 2002 was 3.4%,
below the Scottish average of 4.1%. Working-aged
people account for 66% of all people in the City of
Edinburgh, higher than for Scotland as a whole.
Seventy-nine percent of working-aged people in the City
are working. This is significantly higher than the Scottish
average of 73%. Compared to Scotland, there are a
higher percentage of jobs in finance and business, and a
lower percentage in production and construction.
Average earnings are around 10% higher than those for
Scotland as a whole.
The City of Edinburgh, however, is a city of contrasts.
Whilst it has areas of considerable wealth and prosperity,
there are also areas that experience high levels of
deprivation. Over 15,000 children live in families
dependent on income support. Twenty-five percent of
primary school pupils are entitled to free school meals,
compared to the Scottish average of 20%. Around
17% of secondary school pupils are entitled to free school
meals, broadly in line with the Scottish average.
Entitlement ranges from one to 90% in primary schools
and from four to 62% in secondary schools. The
percentage of children on the Child Protection Register is
twice the rate for Scotland as a whole. Over 1,000
children are looked after by the Council.
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Overall, the distinctive social and economic context
within which the Education Department delivers
education presents it with particular challenges. The
scale of provision, recent population growth, the extent of
independent education provision and pockets of severe
deprivation all impact on the management and provision
of education across the City.
Political and organisational context
The City of Edinburgh Council has 31 Labour
councillors, 14 Scottish Liberal Democrats,
12 Conservatives and one from the Scottish National
Party. In June 2000 the Council replaced the traditional
committee system with an Executive to modernise and
streamline the process of decision-making. The Full
Council of all elected members meets monthly and is
principally responsible for setting the annual budget and
the Council Tax, reviewing the Capital Investment
Programme and deciding on strategic objectives and
corporate policies. The Executive meets every two weeks
and is made up of 13 members of the Full Council. It is
responsible for exercising strategic leadership, taking
executive decisions and developing planning and new
policies. Members of the Executive are each allocated a
special area of responsibility, including education. At
alternate meetings of the Executive, a special part of the
agenda is set aside for education issues so that opposition
members, the church and teacher representatives can join
the decision-making process.
There are a number of Scrutiny Panels to help the
Council monitor the activities of the Executive and hold it
to account for its performance. Members of these panels
are councillors from all parties who are not members of
the Executive. There is a Scrutiny Panel for Children and
Young People’s Services. Since the introduction of the
new system the Executive has continued the Special
Sub-Committee on Educational Standards. This Special
Sub-Committee maintained an overview of the quality of
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the educational experience for learners in the City. Its
remit included consideration of HMIE reports and
authority reviews of educational establishments, approval
of follow-up activities to inspection and reviews, and
monitoring and reporting on the implementation of new
Council initiatives. It also maintained an overview of the
implementation of national and local policies and
celebrated success.
The Council has a clear set of aims, stated in the
Changing Edinburgh for the Better document. They are:
•
to communicate and consult effectively;
•
to provide quality services;
•
to promote the City nationally and internationally;
•
to develop the local economy;
•
to reduce poverty and disadvantage;
•
to promote a healthy and sustainable environment;
•
to promote safer communities and reduce crime; and
•
to develop the organisation and its staff.
The officer structure of the Council consists of the Chief
Executive and eight service groups each led by a
Director, including the Director of Education. The
Council Corporate Management team includes the Chief
Executive and Department Directors.
The Director of Education is supported by five Heads of
Service. They are responsible for Education Support
Services, Policy Planning and Communications, Quality
Services, Pupil Support Services, and Community
Education. Each Head of Service is supported by a small
team of managers and a range of other professional and
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administrative staff. The Head of Quality Services is
supported by three managers with responsibility for
monitoring and evaluation, continuing professional
development (CPD) and curriculum advice. The
curriculum advice team includes a range of Quality
Improvement Officers (QIOs), Principal Officers and
Development Officers who provide direct contact with
establishments. The Head of Education Support Services
manages four Neighbourhood Liaison Officers (NLOs).
NLOs each have a key role in supporting and challenging
the work of staff in schools in one of four geographical
areas of the City.
Educational provision and performance
The Council made provision for around 49,500 pupils in
100 primary schools, 23 secondary schools, 16 schools
for those with special educational needs and a range of
pupil support centres. It made available pre-school
provision for all three- and four-year-old children whose
parents wished a place. Ninety-three percent of
four-year-olds and 80% of three-year-olds take up a
pre-school place. Pre-school children were
accommodated in 18 nursery schools, 80 nursery classes
attached to primary schools and 124 centres run in
partnership with the private and voluntary sectors, and the
Social Work Department. All secondary schools and
94% of primary schools currently have a School Board.
The Accounts Commission Statutory Performance
Indicators (SPIs), 2001/2002, indicated that only 9% of
secondary schools had an occupancy rate of 60% or less,
compared to the national figure of 16%. Only 25% of
primary schools had an occupancy rate of 60% or less,
compared to the national figure of 33%. Many schools in
Edinburgh, particularly in the city centre, operated at very
high levels of capacity. Nineteen percent of primary
schools had an occupancy rate of 101% or above,
compared to 6% nationally. In the secondary sector,
5
30% operated at this level, compared to 14% nationally.
The Council faced particular challenges in addressing
these issues of school capacity as a result of the City’s
changing population and parental preferences for
children’s schooling. Demand for places had resulted in
particular pressures on school accommodation, most
notably in the secondary sector. Running costs per pupil
in primary and secondary schools were in line with the
national average. In 2001/2002 the authority had met the
target of all P1-P3 pupils being taught in classes of 30 or
less.
In 2001/2002 the Council allocated £193,261,000 to the
revenue budget for education. In 2002/2003 the figure
increased to £207,808,597. These figures included direct
grants under the National Priorities Action Fund.
The following commentary draws on key performance
information about the schools in the Council provided
in Appendix 1. No data is provided in relation to
comparator Councils in Scotland as none are
sufficiently close to the City of Edinburgh in a broad
range of socio-economic indicators to enable
comparisons to be statistically valid.
Staying on rate and school leavers’ destinations
The percentage of pupils staying on after the compulsory
school leaving age increased up to 1999/2000 and then
decreased in 2000/2001. It was currently slightly below
the national average.
Over the last three years, the percentage of school leavers
entering full-time higher education had risen slightly, but
was consistently below the national average. The
percentage of those entering full-time further education
had increased by 3% and was now in line with the
national figure. The number of pupils entering
employment had remained consistently well above the
national average over the last three years.
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Attendance and absence
Between 1998/1999 and 2000/2001, the percentage of
total absences in primary schools remained steady and in
line with the national averages. Over the same period,
the percentage of total absence in secondary schools rose
slightly and remained around 2% above the national
average. The Council had not met its targets for
improving attendance.
In 2000/2001, the number of exclusions per 1,000 pupils
was 36, well below the national figure of 51.
5-14 performance
Over the period 1999 to 2002, there had been an increase
in the percentage of primary pupils attaining or exceeding
expected levels of attainment for their stage in reading,
writing and mathematics. In reading and mathematics,
the rate of improvement was in line with that achieved
nationally, and in writing it was below. Performance in
reading was in line with the national average, in writing it
was between 1% to 4% above and in mathematics it was
between 1% to 3% below. The authority had just
exceeded its targets set for attainment in reading and
writing. The target set for attainment in mathematics was
not met.
In secondary schools, national test results for S2 pupils
indicated improved attainment in all three areas. In
reading and writing, the rate of increase was in line with
that achieved nationally. In mathematics, it was well
below. Pupils’ overall performance was below the
national average by 4% in reading, 3% in writing and 6%
in mathematics. The authority had not met its targets for
reading, writing and mathematics.
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SQA examination performance
From 1998 to 2002, the percentage of pupils who
achieved 5 or more awards at Level 31 or better, by the
end of S4, had remained relatively stable. Those who
achieved 5 or more awards at Level 4 or better had
increased by 2%. However, performance at Levels 3
and 4 was consistently below national averages. The rate
of improvement at Level 3 or better was slightly below
the national rate and at Level 4 or better in line with the
national rate. The percentage of pupils who achieved 5 or
more awards at Level 5 or better was generally in line
with national figures. Over the five-year period the rate
of improvement was above that achieved nationally.
Attainment had remained relatively stable over the last
four years.
From 1998 to 2002, the percentage of pupils by the end
of S5 who achieved 3 or more and 5 or more National
Qualification (NQ) Awards at Level 6 or better was
consistently above the national averages by between 1%
and 3%. The increase in the percentage of pupils who
gained 3 or more and 5 or more awards was slightly
above the national level.
The percentage of pupils who achieved 1 or more NQ
awards or better at Level 7 by the end of S6 was above
that achieved nationally. The rate of improvement since
1998 was broadly in line with the national figure.
The Council had not met the targets it had set itself for
the percentage of pupils gaining Standard Grade awards
at 1-6 in English and mathematics. Targets set for the
percentage of pupils gaining 5 or more awards at Level 3,
or better by the end of S4, had not been met by 5%.
Those for Levels 4 and 5 or better had not been met
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8
Level 3 = Standard Grade at Foundation Level or Access 3
Level 4 = Standard Grade at General Level or Intermediate 1 at A - C
Level 5 = Standard Grade at Credit Level or Intermediate 2 at A - C
Level 6 = Higher at A - C
Level 7 = Advanced Higher or CSYS at A - C
by 3%. Targets set for the percentage of pupils gaining
3 or more and 5 or more awards at Level 6 or better by
the end of S5 had been met.
School inspection evidence
In the period from January 1999 to October 2002, HMIE
published reports which gave evaluations against a full
set of performance indicators in 48 schools. Reports
were published in 30 primary schools, 20 of which had
nursery classes, 12 secondary schools and six special
schools.
The overall quality of attainment in English language and
mathematics was good or very good in most of the
primary schools inspected. There had been a more
consistent pattern of attainment over the last year. The
overall quality of attainment in other curriculum areas
was more variable, being good in a majority of schools.
There were particular weaknesses in attainment in science
and technology in a third of schools.
There were clear strengths in many primary schools
inspected. Almost all had a well balanced curriculum and
a good or very good ethos. The quality of the teaching
process and the quality of pupils’ learning was good or
very good in almost all cases. Staffing levels were
consistently good or very good. Almost all schools had
good or very good leadership. Particular strengths
included communication with parents, management of
devolved finances, support for learning and the
contributions of promoted staff and senior teachers.
Around half of the primary schools inspected had some
important weaknesses in their arrangements for
assessment. In almost a quarter there were weaknesses in
teachers’ planning and staff development and review.
Approaches to self-evaluation were fair or unsatisfactory
in a third of schools. The authority had begun to target
these areas for improvement and was providing additional
courses within their continuing professional development
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programme. There were important weaknesses in
accommodation and facilities, in a quarter of schools
inspected.
In all of the nursery classes inspected, staff interacted
effectively to extend children’s learning. The nursery
curriculum took full account of the key aspects of
children’s learning and development. In most nurseries,
staff observed children carefully but needed to make
more effective use of this information in planning the
next steps in their learning.
Almost all of the secondary schools inspected provided
good learning and teaching. Most had good overall
arrangements for assessment, but eight had weaknesses at
S1/S2. In the majority of schools, the overall quality of
attainment was good at two of the three broad stages of
secondary education. However, eight schools had some
important weaknesses in attainment at S1/S2. The
secondary schools were all staffed and resourced well.
There were consistent strengths in the structure of the
curriculum, the quality of curricular and vocational
guidance, pastoral care, partnership with parents and
School Boards and in the management of devolved
finances. Leadership was good or very good in most
schools. Almost all were well served by promoted staff
and senior teachers.
Secondary schools’ processes for development planning
and evaluating the quality of their work were variable.
Planning for improvement was good in the majority of
schools and self-evaluation was fair in half. Only one
had effective arrangements in place for staff review and
development. A majority of secondary schools had some
important weaknesses in accommodation. However,
three were involved in phased programmes of major
building and refurbishment.
The six special schools inspected provided for pupils with
a range of special educational needs. These schools were
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well resourced and generally well staffed. The overall
quality of teaching was good in all schools, but the
quality of pupils’ learning was more variable. In the
majority, pupils were acquiring good skills and achieving
good standards. Leadership was good or very good in
most schools. In the majority of schools, the quality of
teachers’ planning, the structure of the curriculum and the
quality of assessment were fair. Self-evaluation was fair
in half of the schools.
The Education Department’s pre-inspection reports to
HMIE were inconsistent in quality and the extent of
evaluative comment varied. The Department had
however, been very effective in advising and supporting
schools in producing and implementing action plans as a
result of inspection reports. In the past three years,
HMIE follow-up reports were published on 32 schools.
With the help of the generally very effective support
provided by the authority, almost all schools made good
or very good progress in implementing the main points
for action in their published inspection reports.
3. Strategic management of the service
Vision, values and aims
Performance in this area was very good. The Council’s
Education Department had a very clear set of values,
aims and priorities, which linked well to the National
Priorities and Social Justice Milestones. The aims were
widely shared within the Department and had a strong
influence on the work of staff deployed centrally and
those in educational establishments. This ensured that
planning and pupils’ experience were well related to
National Priorities in Education.
The values, aims and priorities of the Education
Department were very clearly set out in the Service
Improvement Plan 2001-2005. The plan was based on
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the vision of Inspiring Achievement Through Learning.
The aims related to the strategic themes set out in the
Edinburgh City Plan 1999 and the corporate approach to
providing customer-focused services. Strong emphasis
was given to developing quality education that promoted
creativity, achievement and attainment for all. The
Education Department was committed to removing
barriers to learning, maximising partnerships,
encouraging active citizenship and developing
communities.
The aims and priorities for education were widely
understood and accepted. Most heads of establishments
who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire (for
which the response rate was 62%), indicated that senior
managers communicated a clear overall vision for the
development of education. Almost all were of the view
that the Education Department’s Improvement Plan set
out clearly the Council’s aims and priorities for
education. These were reflected well in the Improvement
Plans for individual educational establishments and
central services. Elected members shared, and were
committed to, the values and aims set for the Education
Department.
The Education Department had developed effective
joint-working with other service departments in the
Council. Departmental Directors met weekly as a
Corporate Management Group and each member had
particular corporate responsibilities. As part of the
corporate policy making process they were given draft
copies of corporate policies at an early stage to enable
them to consider and comment on the implications for
their service. Effective partnerships had been established
with the Corporate Services Department, the Finance
Department and the Housing Department. These
partnerships served to improve strategic planning and the
quality of support services to schools, to the benefit of
pupils.
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The Children’s Services Strategy Group provided a forum
for effective co-operation between Education, Social
Work and Health Services. Other examples of effective
joint strategic working included The Children’s Services
Plan, The Childcare Partnership, The Property Support
Group, The Early Years Review and The Drug Action
Team.
Productive partnerships had been established with the
Council’s Culture and Leisure Department, the private
sector and sporting bodies. These resulted in a wide
range of sporting and leisure opportunities being made
available to pupils. Staff in the Education Department
had also established very effective partnerships with a
range of agencies including the police, local businesses
and voluntary organisations.
Leadership and management
The overall effectiveness of leadership and management
of the Education Department was good. There was very
effective teamwork. Senior Managers set key priorities
and planned strategically to support their achievement.
Almost all headteachers who responded to the
pre-inspection survey were of the view that senior
managers showed a high level of commitment to the
promotion of quality. Headteachers appreciated the
extent to which senior managers communicated with
them and included them in decision-making.
The Director of Education had been very successful in
establishing good relationships and a sense of trust and
co-operation, which was widely recognised and
appreciated by headteachers. His listening and
responsive management style had helped to create a
positive ethos in the Department and a greater sense of
involvement among central and school based staff. He
had improved communication with staff through regular
visits to schools and attendance at a wide range of
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meetings and forums. He chaired the Council’s
Children’s Services Strategy Group and had a good
understanding of national educational issues. The
Director played a full part in the corporate work of the
Council and had established effective working links with
other Council Departments.
The Director was supported well by five Heads of Service
who formed a strong Senior Management Team (SMT).
One Head of Service had been in post for one year and
another had taken up post during the period of inspection.
The team worked well together, were fully committed to
the aims of the Department and made good use of regular
team meetings. A strength of the SMT was its capacity to
take a holistic view, and make decisions within the
broader Council and national contexts. Each Head of
Service had a wide-ranging and demanding remit. Those
who were relatively new to post were still developing
their remits and responsibilities. Senior Managers
performed their individual responsibilities well.
Headteachers found them very approachable and
responsive. Each played a key role in leading major
strategic developments which involved high levels of
cross-group and partnership working. Examples of these
included Private and Public Partnerships (PPP) in school
building, Asset Management Planning, Changing
Children’s Services, Continuing Professional
Development and Support and Challenge. Community
Education was integrated well to support school
improvement and raise achievement for all.
A strength of the SMT was their commitment to
structured self-evaluation. They had adopted Quality
Management in Education (QMIE)2 to provide rigorous
structures for department self-evaluation. The outcomes
of these processes were used well to improve service
provision and the management structure of the
2
Quality Management in Education (HM Inspectors of Schools, 2000) is a framework
of self-evaluation for Local Authority Education Departments.
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Department. All Senior Managers, including the
Director, had participated in a system of annual review.
Senior Managers maintained very good relationships with
elected members. Elected members provided strong
political leadership. The Executive Member with
responsibility for education provided clear direction and
high-profile leadership, particularly on social inclusion.
The Sub-Committee on Educational Standards played an
active role in scrutinising levels of performance.
The SMT now required to build on the improved culture
and effective working relationships within the department
to provide stronger direction on the curriculum and social
inclusion and to challenge underachievement more
consistently.
Policy development
Performance in this area was good overall. The
Education Department had developed a wide range of
policies which covered most areas of its work. Policies
linked appropriately to national developments and
National Priorities. Most headteachers considered the
range of policies were appropriate to meet their needs.
The Education Service Improvement Plan and the
Children’s Services Plan, developed in partnership with
the Social Work Department, set out clear expectations
and provided a good framework for overall policy
development. Within the Education Department,
working groups led by officers or headteachers, and
usually involving establishment staff, were involved in
drawing up new policies and procedures. The
Department’s Quality Assurance policy was outlined in a
series of documents relating to school review, school
development planning and standards and quality
reporting. The Support and Challenge policy specified
the time to be spent in establishments by officers and the
type of activities they would undertake, including
discussion on attainment and classroom visits, to support
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and challenge schools in their performance improvement.
Aspects of this policy had not impacted fully on schools
at the time of the inspection, particularly in relation to
providing more challenge to school performance. The
Department needed to continue measures to ensure
consistency of practice across neighbourhoods to support
the full implementation of this policy.
The Education Department, in partnership with the Social
Work Department, had developed clear policies to
support pre-school provision. In particular, there was a
very good policy on communication and consultation
with stakeholders in this sector which was subject to
regular evaluation.
The recent review of the learning and teaching policy,
had resulted in a well-conceived document which
establishments could use to review and improve their
own policies and provision. High quality guidance had
been given on child protection, personal safety,
anti-bullying and anti-racism. However, policies on
support for pupils required to be reviewed to give staff in
schools more detailed guidance and to help them to
develop provision. Further policy advice was also needed
to support behaviour management in schools and the
development of personal learning plans for some pupils.
The latest versions of the Department’s policies and
practical guidance could be easily accessed through the
intranet, Edinburgh Grid for Learning. Headteachers
were provided with a very helpful series of administrative
guidelines. However, the Department needed to ensure
that headteachers were using the latest policy advice
available. Most policies were backed up by clear
procedures for putting them into action.
The Department had recently developed a policy on
curriculum flexibility, and an innovative policy on
provision for gifted and talented pupils. Most
headteachers found these policies useful in reviewing
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curricular initiatives and raising attainment, but their
impact was at an early stage and variable across schools.
More emphasis required to be given to the
implementation and monitoring of the impact of these
important policies in meeting the needs of individual
pupils and raising standards of attainment. Further work
required to be done to develop the draft learning and
teaching policy and to progress the intention to provide
policy guidance on provision for pupils aged 10-14.
Similarly, work on improving the Working Together
policy on New Community Schools needed to be
progressed speedily.
The wide involvement of headteachers and other staff in
developing and up-dating policies and procedures was
particularly notable. The Department was beginning to
monitor and evaluate the impact of policies, through
school visits by NLOs and QIOs. Policy development
provided a helpful framework for schools in shaping
provision for young people. However, stronger policy
direction was required in some areas crucial to raising
attainment and improving social inclusion.
4. Consultation and communication
Performance was very good in the areas of consultation
and communication. The SMT had been successful in
establishing a culture of consultation. Extensive
consultations had resulted in well-judged improvements
to provision. Staff had clearly identified a wide range of
appropriate stakeholders and had established a regular
and well-structured cycle of consultation. Effective
mechanisms were in place for consulting with School
Boards and some good progress had been made in
engaging with pupils to gather their views on key
proposals and developments.
Notable features of the authority’s approaches to
consultation included the following.
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18
•
Staff had established a wide range of effective
consultation mechanisms which reflected the needs of
stakeholders. These included questionnaires, surveys,
use of e-mail and web sites, and a wide variety of
meetings and seminars.
•
Senior staff met regularly with headteachers from all
sectors. They had also taken effective steps to
develop regular face-to-face consultations with other
staff. Such direct contact provided a key element in
the success of the authority’s overall approach to
consultation.
•
Major consultation exercises were very well planned
and had a clear impact on policy. These included
extensive consultations on the Improvement Plan, a
review of Youth Services and a review of Early
Years’ Services conducted in partnership with the
Social Work Department.
•
School Boards were consulted on the Department’s
Service Plan and budget. Monthly meetings of the
Consultative Committee With Parents (CCWP)
provided School Board representatives and elected
members with a useful forum for consultation.
However, in the pre-inspection survey, 46% of those
School Board Chairpersons who responded (the
response rate was 40%) felt that Boards did not have
a strong influence in consultation arrangements.
•
The Department had made good progress in
consulting directly with pupils through, for example,
the Youth Task Force, and in encouraging schools to
establish Pupil Councils. Pupils were increasingly
consulted on specific school developments within the
PPP programme. The Department now required to
develop a mechanism for consulting with Pupil
Council representatives in a planned and regular way.
•
The Department had established good arrangements
for consulting with pre-school partner centres. In the
pre-inspection survey, 74% of partner centres
indicated that the Education Department consulted
effectively with them.
Heads of establishments had a positive view of the
Department’s approaches to consultation. Primary
headteachers, in particular, were very positive.
Headteachers in special schools, however, were generally
of the view that consultation was less effective.
Communication was very good overall. The Director and
senior staff were widely regarded by staff and
stakeholders as being accessible, approachable and
responsive.
Notable features of communication included the
following.
•
Staff and stakeholders benefited from a very effective
and well-led Communications Team. The team had
established a well-judged communications strategy
and promoted the profile of the authority well.
•
A range of materials promoted effective
communication with key stakeholders. A
well-presented quarterly publication, Inform, kept
readers aware of current developments and celebrated
successes within the authority. Individual staff
received weekly bulletins of Fast Facts, which
provided information on decisions taken at SMT
meetings. The Department had recently published an
informative handbook, to complement schools’ own
handbooks.
•
The Education Authority communicated its aims and
values very effectively to schools, other
establishments and key stakeholders. The
pre-inspection survey indicated that almost all
19
establishment heads (93%) who responded felt that
the Improvement Plan effectively communicated the
Council’s aims and priorities for education.
•
The authority was increasingly using e-mail and local
web sites to enhance communication. In response to
staff concerns about the volume of communications,
clear guidelines had been implemented to help ensure
greater efficiency and manageability.
A well-established School Board Unit ensured good
communication was maintained with School Board
members. They were provided with quarterly newsletters
which provided them with summaries of the key
decisions on education taken by the Executive. The
CCWP provided an important forum to convey
information to School Board representatives. In the
pre-inspection survey 74% of School Board Chairpersons
who responded felt that the authority was good at letting
them know about its policies and plans for education.
Ninety-one percent were aware of mechanisms for
channelling views, enquiries and complaints.
Eighty-four percent thought good training was provided
for School Boards.
Elected members were kept very well informed through
briefings and committee papers. Well-presented and
easily readable Standards and Quality Reports had been
provided to stakeholders in 2000 and 2001. Although
these reports provided evaluations of the quality of
provision these were often too broad. A Council report,
Measuring Edinburgh’s Performance, was widely
circulated and included details of educational attainment
in schools.
The authority had a well-established and very effective
Advice and Conciliation Service to respond to concerns,
enquiries and complaints from stakeholders. It
specialised in conflict resolution and mediation at the
earliest stage of complaint. Staff logged and analysed the
20
frequency and nature of complaints, enabling the Service
to report formally on its work and highlight emerging
trends.
Overall, a broad range of effective mechanisms for
consultation and communication kept staff and
stakeholders very well informed and involved them
appropriately in decision-making.
5. Operational management
Service planning
Performance in this area was very good. The Education
Service Improvement Plan 2001-2005 was an attractively
presented, easily understandable and comprehensive
document. It provided a very clear framework for the
work of the Department. The selection of priorities for
development was based on extensive consultation with a
broad range of stakeholders and took account of the
findings of internal reviews. It dovetailed closely with
National Priorities and Social Justice Milestones. The
clear and appropriate aims and priorities assisted staff in
schools to set related priorities and targets to improve the
quality of provision and raise pupils’ attainment.
The Improvement Plan was set within the City’s overall
strategic approach to planning. The Council was working
to achieve greater coherence among its various plans and
improve joint planning. The Children’s Services Plan
made clear the lead and supporting responsibilities of
Departments in working towards the achievement of
priorities for improving services to children and young
people. These priorities, and actions to promote
inter-agency working, were reflected in the Education
Department’s plan.
The Improvement Plan outlined the Department’s five
aims. These were expressed in 12 main priorities, to be
21
achieved through a number of related objectives and
targets. Overall, strong emphasis was placed on targets
which related to improving achievement and promoting
education for all. Specific targets gave appropriate
attention to aspects such as enhancing provision for
pupils with special educational needs, ensuring
appropriate attention to the needs of looked after children,
bilingual children and other minority groups, improving
attendance and behaviour and improving the learning
environment for all. Within this commendably
comprehensive framework, the Department should
ensure, for itself and schools, that a major focus was
placed and communicated on targets for the continuous
improvement of pupils’ attainment.
The Improvement Plan gave clear direction to schools in
their planning processes. To supplement the plan, the
Department provided schools with a list of the agreed
local improvement objectives, including a helpful
indication of those relating to new statutory obligations.
Schools were able to seek comments on their plans from
support staff at the drafting stages. A considerable
number had done so and were appreciative of the advice
received. Most schools had acquired a software
programme to streamline improvement planning at
drafting stages.
Group, team and, in some cases, individual action plans
took forward priorities at operational level. These plans
were well conceived and written to an agreed format.
The specification of success criteria for priorities and
targets had improved over time. Almost all were well
expressed in appropriate detail, which contributed to
effective monitoring. Discussion of progress towards
meeting targets was a regular feature of group and team
meetings. The planning process helped to focus activity
on the achievement of the aims and priorities set by the
Department.
22
Arrangements for monitoring progress on the
Improvement Plan were very good. Responsibility for
the overall management and monitoring of service
planning processes lay with a small planning team
chaired by a Head of Service. The members of this team
had established good agreed procedures and were diligent
in monitoring and reporting to senior management. At
the time of the inspection, most of the Department’s
targets were on schedule to be met by the planned dates.
Others were subject to close review. In the light of this
progress, priorities and targets for the next year of the
Improvement Plan were in preparation. A further
large-scale consultation with schools on the updated
arrangements for 2002-2005 had just been completed.
Arrangements were in hand to report on progress in the
next Departmental Standards and Quality Report.
A commendable feature of the Improvement Plan was the
inclusion of information on the resources to be allocated
to individual priorities, outlined in appropriate detail in an
Appendix. This, along with some other financial and
resource information, provided readers with a sound
rationale for resource allocations to Departmental and
Council priorities.
Deployment and effectiveness of
centrally-employed staff
Performance in this area was good and improving. Staff
worked hard to overtake their demanding remits which
were aligned to support the priorities of the Improvement
Plan. Most headteachers (84%) who responded to the
pre-inspection questionnaire thought that central staff
were prompt and helpful in responding to contacts and
agreed that officers maintained effective contact with
their establishments (85%).
The Director and Heads of Service had frequent direct
contact with schools and worked well as a team. In
returns to the pre-inspection survey, almost all (93%)
headteachers felt that senior managers showed a strong
23
commitment to promoting quality. The Head of Quality
Services was supported by three managers who provided
a strong lead in their respective areas. The Curricular
Advice Manager led the team of QIOs.
Curriculum support was managed through the Curricular
Advice Team and a range of steering groups, Curriculum
Quality Teams (CQTs) and working groups. Principal
Officers and the secondment of Development Officers on
a rolling programme enhanced curriculum support. This
resulted in effective contributions to quality development,
particularly in the support provided for pre-school
education and the Achievement in Literacy programme in
P1/P2. Other strengths included the visiting teacher
service, the work of the English as an Additional
Language (EAL) team and the quality of resources and
staff development in child protection and personal safety.
The programmes to support education-industry links were
well managed. However, in the secondary sector, the
quality and impact of CQTs varied and support was
uneven. The Department had not provided sufficiently
strong strategic direction on the 5-14 curriculum. This
had impacted adversely on the workload of QIOs and led
to duplication of effort across schools and clusters. In the
pre-inspection survey, a majority of primary headteachers
(72%) felt confident of appropriate support being
available.
The four NLOs played a key role in supporting school
improvement. They were deployed on a neighbourhood
basis and had line management responsibility for
headteachers in designated schools. Three of the four
NLOs were relatively new in post. A review of Quality
Services had resulted in a Support and Challenge
framework which specified a minimum entitlement that
each school could expect from NLOs and other officers.
As part of the Support and Challenge framework, the
NLO planned a series of visits to schools. These visits
with local QIOs focused on agreed activities, including
discussions of attainment, the school development plan
24
and Standards and Quality reporting. Staff were
beginning to record the outcomes of these visits on a
central database. However, the extent to which these
records evaluated, as well as recorded information from
schools varied and required to be more consistent. There
were signs that the role of the NLOs and local QIOs was
developing well. A series of regular meetings and joint
training was helping to establish agreed approaches and
procedures. However, there remained a need for more
consistency of practice across neighbourhoods and for a
clearer definition of roles and responsibilities, particularly
that of the local QIO.
Pupil Support Services was a complex and diverse group.
A new Head of Service had taken up appointment during
the inspection and the post of Special Schools and Social
Inclusion Manager was vacant. Current staff had
extensive remits and experienced considerable pressure
of work. Special schools received good support and
advice when they requested it, but responsibilities for
monitoring their work within the Support and Challenge
framework needed to continue to be strengthened. There
was a particular need to provide additional support for
pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
A wide range of other staff within the Department made
valuable contributions to the work of schools. For
example, these included staff who supported the arts,
international exchanges and Out of School Hours
Learning Activities (OOSHLA). Community Education
staff played a significant role in a range of initiatives to
support the wider achievement of pupils. Very good
support was provided for a wide range of sports and
outdoor education activities. The Early Years team
linked well with the team of QIOs. Together, they made
significant contributions to pre-school education,
including partnership centres, and the early years
curriculum.
25
Schools were well supported by centrally-based staff,
including those with responsibility for finance, personnel,
School Boards and pupil placements. At the time of the
inspection, the role of many centrally-deployed staff was
undergoing a period of change, with a greater focus being
placed on quality assurance and improvement. All
officers were committed to supporting schools and
promoting improvement. New structures and new staff in
post resulted in variability in the extent and quality of
support services provided to staff and pupils. Greater
clarity of responsibilities and continued training should
provide more consistent and enhanced support and
challenge for schools to secure improvement.
6. Resource and financial management
Resource management
The overall quality of resource management was good.
The Council had a sound rationale for the allocation of
resources. This allocation closely matched national
guidance and took account of local priorities and specific
grants such as the National Priorities Action Fund.
The Council’s Standing Orders and the Scheme of
Delegation provided a sound framework for resource and
financial management. Expenditure could only be
incurred by departments if approved as part of the
Revenue Budget or Capital Investment Programme. The
Council operated an integrated three-year planning and
budgeting process. Links between the budget-setting
process and strategic planning process had been
established and development priorities within the
Education Service Improvement Plan had been costed.
As a result, the Department had produced a three-year
indicative budget that identified the efficiency savings to
be made to allow the Plan to be delivered. The three-year
budgeting process, however, still had to be developed
26
within schools and was planned to commence in
April 2003.
Detailed budget proposals were prepared within
education, in accordance with corporate instructions, and
were agreed through the SMT and the Council’s Budget
Review Group. The Devolved School Management
(DSM) scheme provided mechanisms by which resources
were allocated to schools and ensured proportionally
greater resources were allocated to areas of deprivation.
The City Development Department had compiled an
Asset Register. A corporate Asset Management Plan
(AMP) for accommodation was to be developed in 2003.
Education held a significant amount of information in
relation to school roll forecasts and school property. This
information was compiled from the surveys undertaken of
half the education estate in 1998/1999, the surveys in
relation to the PPP outline business case submissions and
the surveys undertaken to complete the Education Asset
Register. The Department’s strategy in relation to asset
management planning had included rationalising schools,
extending schools, reducing the use of annexes and
temporary accommodation and ensuring fitness for
purpose. The approach to property management had
allowed various developments to be embraced, which
included:
•
a PPP scheme which was almost self-financing
through the associated rationalisation of schools;
•
an outline business case for a further PPP scheme,
which required Scottish Executive approval; and
•
the use of developer deals to finance capital projects,
such as the Cowgate Under 5s centre.
The PPP schemes were a major part of the Council’s
strategy to address accommodation issues. The current
PPP scheme was delivering:
27
•
two new and three refurbished secondary schools;
•
ten new primary schools;
•
two new and one refurbished special school;
•
a new secure unit; and
•
a new community wing.
The three-year rolling Capital Investment Programme had
been established on the basis of bids for funding that had
been evaluated corporately on its linkage to the Council’s
aims and priorities, through the Capital Planning Group.
A major proportion of this budget was allocated to
planned maintenance and other school development
works. The other main capital project in the last two
years had been the building of a new secondary school.
The Capital Investment Programme also included four
new nursery schools, general purpose extensions,
refurbishments and increases in accommodation capacity
to meet demands.
The Department’s surveys of the education estate
highlighted that a number of school buildings were in a
poor condition. This position was reflected in the HMIE
school inspection reports in the period from January 1999
to October 2002, which highlighted that a quarter of
primary schools and a majority of secondary schools
inspected had some important weaknesses in
accommodation. The Accounts Commission SPIs also
clearly demonstrated that a significant number of primary
and secondary schools were over-occupied. Action taken
by management, mainly through the PPP schemes and the
Capital Investment Programme, should address these
issues.
A Technical Services Review had been undertaken
corporately with the aim of providing more direct
services to client departments. A survey undertaken by
28
the Department had identified that headteachers were
dissatisfied with the repairs and maintenance service.
This included the concern that the costs of repairs were
not always accurately estimated. To address these issues
the Council had undertaken a review to consider
alternatives to the way repairs and maintenance projects
were managed. The review had resulted in:
•
the repositioning of certain services within the
Housing Department;
•
the development of a Framework Agreement for
projects less than £1.5m, which ensured that the client
had a greater role in a streamlined procurement
process;
•
the City Development Department no longer having
operational involvement in the day-to-day
management of smaller projects; and
•
a three-phase action plan, for delivery of the repairs
and maintenance service for education, through the
Housing Department.
Although these steps had potential, at the time of the
inspection, the benefits had only started to be felt in some
establishments.
The Client Services Team within Education Support
Services (ESS) managed the client function for schools.
This covered catering, cleaning, grounds maintenance,
property management (including acting in an advisory
capacity for the janitorial service) and transport. It also
had responsibility for monitoring the services provided
for example, by the Direct Cleaning and Edinburgh
Catering Services Direct Service Organisations (DSOs).
The Department had recognised through its reviews and
plans that there was a need to improve further the quality
of direct service delivery for property, cleaning and
grounds maintenance.
29
The Culture and Leisure Department had established a
quarterly grounds inspection process in order to provide a
base line in quality to Business Managers. A review of
transport had recently been undertaken corporately and it
was proposed that education’s transport fleet would be
moved to the Central Transport Unit. A review had been
undertaken of janitorial services and Client Services were
now in a position to revisit this review.
A major initiative within the Department had been the
ongoing appointment of Business Managers in all
secondary schools and groups of primary and special
schools. This innovative development had been very well
received by headteachers and provided good support to
school management. Business Managers concentrated on
resource and financial management and personnel issues,
thus releasing headteachers to manage the curriculum and
learning and teaching.
The ICT Strategy Group, chaired by a headteacher, had
led the strategy based around the Council’s Smart City
vision. Broadband access to the Internet, intranet and
e-mail facilities, were available in all schools. The
education strategy had been further developed through
Tomorrow’s Learning Today – an advanced ICT strategy
for the City. This involved an innovative proposal to
investigate the wider provision of laptop computers and
enhancing support for Community Learning.
ICT was corporately driven within the Council. The
service was provided through a ten-year partnership with
the private sector, which helped to provide more
equitable services across all education sectors. Some
schools expressed concern with the delays in reported
faults being addressed. This had been acted upon and the
relevant Service Level Agreement (SLA) had set targets
for the resolution of faults, which would be monitored by
the Education Department.
30
The Council demonstrated a clear commitment to
implementing the principles of Best Value. A range of
measures had been taken to ensure the economic,
efficient and effective use of resources to support and
improve the delivery of education. These included:
•
involvement in various cross-cutting Best Value
reviews;
•
the Education Department Best Value review
programme;
•
the development of a Departmental Review Procedure
Manual;
•
the development of Asset Management Plans;
•
the deployment of additional support staff and
Business Managers; and
•
the partnership approach to the delivery of the ICT
service.
The Departmental Review Procedure Manual set out the
processes and responsibilities within the Best Value
reviews to be undertaken. The process was based on the
QMIE framework and included benchmarking and
consultation. A challenge to the review process and
findings was included as part of the process through an
External Validation Team. The process required reports
and associated action plans to be submitted to the SMT
and the Sub-committee on Educational Standards, with
progress reports undertaken a year after submission to the
Sub-committee.
Overall, the Council had a number of effective resource
management strategies in place which had resulted in
improving levels of resource management. The Capital
Investment Programme and PPP Scheme had resulted in
provision of some high quality accommodation and
31
facilities. The Department should continue to implement
its plans to achieve improvement in the quality of direct
services to its schools and, through the PPP schemes and
the Capital Investment Programme, continue to address
issues of over-occupancy and pressures on school
accommodation.
Financial management
The overall quality of financial management was very
good. There was a good working relationship between
the Education and Finance Departments. These
arrangements had not been formalised through a SLA.
Management considered that the constraints of a SLA
meant that this was not an appropriate mechanism for
developing and monitoring the framework of resource
and financial operations within the Council. The good
corporate working relationship, the Best Value review of
the Financial Support and Management, the current
review of finance services and the ongoing monitoring
through the Finance Officers Group/Capital Planning
Group provided effective alternative mechanisms.
Elected members were involved in the budget-setting and
monitoring process through the Budgetary Review
Group. The Council’s overall financial position was
considered by the Executive quarterly, and thereafter was
routinely reviewed by the Resource Management and
Audit Scrutiny Panel. Every report submitted to elected
members required the financial implications of the
proposal to be considered by the SMT and the Council
Management Team.
The Council’s Financial Regulations were clear and
comprehensive, and were monitored and updated
regularly. Each Head of Department was responsible for
implementing and maintaining effective financial control
within their department. The Education Finance Manual
and DSM Manual provided a sound basis for financial
management within the Education Department and
32
detailed an extensive range of internal control systems.
These documents were readily available to staff through
the intranet site, Edinburgh Grid for Learning. A guide
to good financial practice in schools had also been
developed. However, some staff in schools were not
fully aware of the manuals and guides available. The
Education Department had recognised the need to ensure
internal controls were operating effectively. Internal
audit reviews of schools had identified some control
deficiencies. The Department was developing further the
role of Finance Assistants in reviewing schools’
adherence to manuals and guidelines.
Virement between budgets was at the discretion of budget
holders. No virement limits had been set and there had
been no formal monitoring of virement. This issue was
currently being considered corporately.
The Council had a comprehensive DSM scheme. Over
80% of the education budget was managed through DSM.
The scheme had been the subject of a review completed
in June 2002, and took appropriate account on national
advice. Headteachers were generally satisfied with the
scheme, the quality of the financial information and the
training and support staff provided. It provided good
scope for them to manage their budgets more flexibly to
the benefit of pupils.
Budget monitoring within schools was undertaken
through a commitment accounting system and named
budget holders were provided with regular budgetary
reports. Strategic budget reports provided within the
Department used the General Ledger. The budget reports
used outwith schools, therefore, did not take account of
commitments. Budget monitoring had been undertaken
monthly through the SMT meetings, where variances
were discussed and actions agreed.
The different monitoring systems had an automatic
reconciliation process with a manual comparison of any
differences between the two systems required to identify
33
possible errors. These reconciliations had not always
been timeously undertaken. Schools had no direct access
to the main accounting system. It was acknowledged by
the authority that an integrated financial package was
required to improve access to a wider range of financial
data. The Council was progressing this through its ICT
partnership.
Schools had named finance contacts within ESS, who
visited, and provided advice, when required. The
ongoing appointment of School Bursars and Business
Managers, considerably enhanced overall financial and
resources management and released senior staff in
schools to concentrate on the management of learning.
The provision of Bursars and Business Managers
significantly strengthened the quality of financial
management at school level.
The Finance Department had undertaken audits of the
financial controls of schools. Recommendations from
these audits were incorporated within action plans agreed
with the schools. Internal Audit provided summary
reports, where significant issues arose on any areas of
their activity. These were available to members through
the Resource Management and Audit Scrutiny Panel.
7. Performance monitoring and continuous improvement
Measuring, monitoring and evaluating
performance
The overall quality of work in this area was good. Senior
managers demonstrated a strong commitment to quality
and raising standards across the service. A number of
well-constructed policy and guidance documents had
been produced for both school and authority quality
developments. A draft Quality Framework document had
been distributed recently to schools for consultation. This
34
document brought together all the existing elements in
one coherent policy.
A process of school review was well established. It had
recently been revised to take account of current trends in
quality improvement and to reduce the time taken to
undertake reviews. A comprehensive procedures manual
gave establishments very good guidance on the process.
The process was based on validation of schools’
self-evaluation based on How Good is Our School?3 or
The Child at the Centre4. Classroom observation was a
feature of the process. It also included a particular focus
on an annual authority theme. Officers had undertaken
staff development to ensure greater consistency across the
authority. Schools were reviewed on a generational cycle
and the review report, together with an action plan, was
submitted to the Sub-Committee on Educational
Standards. Headteachers saw the process as positive and
developmental. The approach in partner centres
emphasised quality through development, reflecting the
challenge to these centres in achieving high standards of
planning, monitoring and delivery. Overall, skills in
self-evaluation had developed considerably. Further
attention required to be given to extending such skills
consistently within all sectors.
The authority had recently introduced a re-focused
system through which schools were visited regularly to
ensure appropriate support and challenge and to secure
improvement. Each establishment was assured a
minimum number of visits per session through the
Support and Challenge structure. Headteachers generally
welcomed these arrangements and accepted that the role
of QIOs was still developing. A database was being
developed and piloted to record information gained from
school visits.
3
How Good is Our School?- Self-evaluation using performance indicators (Audit
Unit – HM Inspectors of Schools, SOEID, 1996, revised edition, HM Inspectorate of
Education, 2002).
4
The Child at the Centre – Self-evaluation in the Early Years (SEED, 2000).
35
The authority had a well developed framework for
revising its work. Best Value and Service Reviews were
based on self-evaluation using QMIE. The Development
Officer for Departmental Review had produced a detailed
Review Procedures Manual. Training was provided for
Review Co-ordinators and responsible officers prior to
each review. Procedures included an annual review of
performance and a triennial review of stakeholder views.
The Review Group was responsible for ensuring that an
action plan was taken forward. This ensured a rigorous
system of self-evaluation and review. In addition the
SMT had undertaken a thorough self-evaluation which,
commendably, had included scrutiny by senior officers
from another education authority.
The Director of Education chaired the School
Performance Monitoring Group, which met twice
annually to consider school performance and identify and
provide support where necessary. A headteacher had
been appointed to support schools in which the authority
was of the view that performance should be improved.
This system provided the potential to target support more
effectively to service improvement.
Some monitoring of pupils’ attainment was available
through an ICT system used within the authority. This
was limited, however, and some secondary schools had
piloted their own approaches in the absence of an
authority tracking system. Some primary schools used a
software package to track and monitor pupils’ attainment.
The collection and analysis of educational data was
limited by the constraints of the management information
system and a lack of coherence and co-ordination in data
management across the Department. Currently, all Heads
of Service managed staff who dealt with educational and
associated data. The use of different systems in the
Education and Social Work Departments meant that the
compilation of data on children looked after by the
36
authority was difficult, to the potential disadvantage of
children concerned.
The Standard Tables and Charts (STACS) analysis was
used for analysis of examination results in secondary
schools. A helpful pre-appeal data summary report was
produced for each school in September 2002. Each
report focused on significant issues for subject
departments and summarised whole school trends and
performance. Officers had undergone training prior to
their school visits to discuss examination results with
senior managers in schools. Secondary school
headteachers did not feel that they were sufficiently
challenged on examination performance by officers and
did not have information about comparator schools.
Attainment audits for 5-14 were produced for all primary
schools as a basis for discussion of school performance
with NLOs and QIOs as part of the Support and
Challenge process.
NLOs discussed targets for improvement with schools
and provided signed agreements to the education office.
Individual school targets were amalgamated to set the
authority target. More rigour and challenge required to
be introduced to the target-setting process to secure
continuous improvement. In the special education sector
targets were not regularly part of the discussion in NLO
visits.
The Department’s anti-bullying and anti-racist policies
required establishments to monitor and record incidents
on a standard proforma. These were analysed and
reported annually. The authority was the first in Scotland
to report publicly on its bullying statistics.
Effective procedures were in place to support schools
during inspections by HMIE. The authority had produced
a comprehensive support document that described the
process in detail. Very effective support was provided to
37
assist schools in producing and implementing action
plans as a result of inspection reports.
Good arrangements for the professional development and
review of staff had been established. However, progress
in involving all school staff had been slow. This resulted
in a gap in the Department’s ability to monitor
performance and identify staff development needs.
Better progress had been made in implementing the staff
development and review scheme for centrally based staff.
Overall, the authority had good arrangements in place to
build up their knowledge of the effectiveness of schools.
The blending of existing procedures with revised
approaches and new initiatives was managed well.
However, it was still too early to judge the full impact of
these revised arrangements. The Department now needed
to consolidate the changing role of QIOs and review its
management information arrangements in order to
provide a more systematic approach to the collection,
analysis, evaluation and reporting of educational data and
information.
Continuous improvement in performance
The overall impact of the authority in promoting
continuous improvement was good. Most (85%) heads of
pre-school centres and most (82%) primary headteachers
who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire were
confident that the authority was helping schools to
improve the quality of education. Only a majority (69%)
of secondary headteachers and half the headteachers in
special schools shared this view. Given the context
within which schools operate, the quality of attainment in
reading and writing was very good in primary schools,
but fair in S1/S2. In mathematics, attainment was fair in
primary schools and in S1/S2. In secondary schools,
overall attainment in S4 was good at Levels 5 and 3, but
fair at Level 4. Overall, attainment at Level 6 in S5 and
S6 was very good, but was too variable across schools.
38
The Department had provided very good support and
challenge for pre-school establishments. Support for
primary schools was variable, but support for Early
Intervention had resulted in improved attainment,
particularly in reading and writing. A range of support
had been provided to secondary schools to improve
learning and teaching and raise attainment and very good
support had been provided through the deployment of
seconded teachers.
Support for pre-school education
The Department’s support for pre-school education was
very good. After a period of significant expansion, a
timely review of Early Years Services was underway.
Existing levels of provision had been expanded through
very effective partner arrangements with the private and
voluntary sectors. The authority provided extensive,
high-quality support for its pre-school education. Partner
centres were well integrated within the authority’s overall
framework for support, challenge, development planning
and self-evaluation. Staff in partner centres strongly
valued the quality of input from education authority staff.
Pre-school staff participated in a wide range of
professional development activities which were mostly
well tailored to meet the needs of participants. In some
cases, access to courses was difficult because of
over-subscription. The overall quality of pre-school
provision and the support it received were strong features
of the work of the authority.
Support for primary schools and 5-14
Overall, the authority provided good support to its
primary schools. Strong emphasis had been placed on
supporting Early Intervention. This included baseline
assessments at the beginning and end of P1, a Literacy
Programme, an Intensive Reading Programme and a
Mathematics Recovery Programme. The University of
39
Edinburgh had been involved in a three-year evaluation
of Early Intervention in Edinburgh. The first stage report,
published in December 2001, had identified benefits for
pupils in improved learning and attainment.
The number of P2 pupils reaching Level A, the standard
normally expected to be obtained by pupils in P3, in
reading, writing and mathematics had improved over a
three-year period. Performance in reading and writing
was consistently above the national average, but below in
mathematics. A new mathematics programme had been
piloted, and was planned to be introduced in final form
from August 2003.
Support for 5-14 curriculum development was variable,
and more direction was needed from the authority. In
accordance with the principles of devolved management,
schools were able to purchase programmes and learning
materials that best suited their requirements. Good
support was being given, most notably in science and
technology, environmental studies and 10-14
mathematics. However, there was a need for more
central direction and support in the form of curricular
plans, materials, and advice on teaching and learning
approaches. There was scope for more sharing of
curricular programmes. Evidence from inspection
indicated that the authority had some very good primary
schools where pupils experienced high quality education.
These individual examples provided important sources of
best practice which required to be used more extensively
to further improve the quality of provision across the
authority.
Extra staffing had been allocated to certain identified
schools in order to support the Intensive Reading
Programme. The adviser for Learning Support and
Special Educational Needs monitored the improvement of
individual children across the authority. Plans were in
place to extend the programme to older children.
40
However, arrangements for the tracking of individual
pupil achievement using ICT were not yet fully in place.
The Department’s Numeracy Programme had recently
been revised in the light of teachers’ evaluations of the
previous scheme and new research. A Mathematics
Recovery Programme had been established in six schools
in certain areas of the City. This initiative was at an early
stage.
Since 1999, improvements had been made in 5-14
attainment in primary schools in reading, writing and
mathematics. The rate of improvement in reading and
mathematics was in line with that achieved nationally,
and in writing it was below. Performance targets had
been set for 2002. The targets for reading and writing
had been met, but the target set for mathematics had not
been met. There was scope to increase further attainment
in mathematics. Department staff were aware of the need
to ensure that the early gains in pupils’ attainment at
P1-P3 were sustained at later stages in primary education.
In secondary schools, improvements had been made in
5-14 attainment. Pupils’ attainment in reading and
writing was below the national average, and in
mathematics, well below. The rate of improvement in
mathematics had been well below that achieved
nationally. Targets set for levels of attainment had not
been met. Overall, there was a clear need to improve the
quality of attainment in literacy and numeracy in S1/S2.
Support for secondary schools
Support for secondary schools was good overall. A range
of curriculum groups, consisting of school staff, had been
set up to provide advice and support. However, there
were variations in the extent to which these groups had
been successful in developing the curriculum and
advising schools, especially in giving appropriate 5-14
support in S1/S2. In some subjects, there was a limited
41
number of curriculum materials available to schools. The
authority had decided to re-introduce meetings of
principal teachers to provide a forum for discussion of
curriculum issues and to develop further subject
self-evaluation. Schools welcomed this as a means of
spreading good practice.
The introduction of new NQs had been well supported by
the Education Department. Seconded teachers had been
very effective in helping schools to develop courses and
improve learning and teaching. Very good arrangements
were made to assist staff in developing these courses.
The Higher Still Steering Group provided clear guidance
to schools, and audited implementation of the programme
annually. Subject teachers and school managers were
also given good advice in relation to the analysis of SQA
attainment data from NLOs and the QIOs who used this
information as part of their discussions with schools,
including target setting.
Pupils had been given good opportunities to broaden their
learning experiences through a range of education for
work and enterprise activities, and programmes run in
partnership with Colleges of Further Education.
Extensive provision had been made to provide pupils
with additional opportunities for out-of-school learning
after the normal school day and during holiday periods.
The needs of individual pupils were addressed well by the
provision of flexible learning experiences through the
SCHOLAR Programme.
Over the period 1998 to 2002, the percentage of pupils
who achieved five or more awards at Level 3 or better
had remained relatively steady at about 3% below the
national average. The rate of improvement in the
percentage of pupils who achieved five or more awards at
Level 4 or better was in line with that achieved
nationally. However, the percentage who achieved
awards at this level was 4% below the national average.
The percentage of pupils who achieved five or more
42
awards at Level 5 or better was in line with the national
average and had increased at a rate slightly above that
achieved nationally. Over the same period, the
percentage of pupils in S5 who achieved three and five or
more awards at Level 6 had increased and was
consistently above the national average. The rate of
improvement was slightly above that achieved nationally.
Targets set for attainment at Levels 3, 4 and 5 had not
been met. Those for three or more and five or more
awards at Level 6 had been met. The Council now
needed to challenge schools to raise the attainment of
lower attaining pupils and reduce the variability in
standards of attainment across schools.
Support for pupils
The Education Service had a good breadth of provision to
support pupils with special educational needs. This
included a range of special schools and classes, a visiting
teacher service, a Hospital and Outreach Teaching
Service (HOTS) for pupils who were too ill to attend
school or who had been excluded from school, and a
service to support pupils for whom English was an
additional language. Recently, the Council had adopted a
policy on supporting pupils with special educational
needs. This policy contained appropriate statements on
the principles of inclusion and the need to continue to
maintain a range of special schools. The Education
Department had yet to produce a clear strategy on how
this policy would be delivered.
The Education Department provided mainstream schools
with structures to help them to identify and meet the
needs of pupils with learning difficulties and special
educational needs. Secondary schools had been provided
with a framework to help them support the needs of
pupils with dyslexia. A similar framework had recently
been developed for primary schools. A strategy was in
place to identify and meet the needs of pupils with
autism. At the time of the inspection, the Department
43
was piloting provision to support some pupils with
moderate learning difficulties in their local schools. The
evaluation of this pilot was expected to inform future
developments in this area. The Education Department
appropriately ensured that all pupils in special schools,
and those in mainstream schools, who required
significant intervention in their learning, were provided
with Individualised Educational Programmes (IEPs).
Schools had been given good advice on developing IEPs
and the Department had provided an electronic template
for IEPs which schools could develop for use with their
own pupils.
Teachers and auxiliary staff who supported pupils with
special educational needs were provided with a good
range of locally-based staff development opportunities.
The adviser in special educational needs organised
funding for teachers who wished to pursue further NQs in
specialist areas. Principal teachers with responsibility for
learning support met regularly with the adviser to share
good practice.
The Educational Psychological Service was
well-organised into four area teams. Psychologists gave
good support to schools in meeting the needs of pupils
with special educational needs. Psychologists had also
developed a useful role in providing a research
background for Education Department initiatives in
special educational needs. However, the Department had
difficulty in recruiting and retaining a full complement of
psychologists. This reduced the level of service that was
available to some schools and their pupils.
The Education Department had a number of initiatives to
support pupils who were at risk of exclusion from school.
These included the provision of multi-agency pupil
support groups in all secondary and an increasing number
of primary schools. These groups decided on appropriate
support strategies and alternative placements for
individual pupils. Sometimes the secondary educational
44
provision for pupils was limited and restricted by
constraints in staffing. Education and Social Work
Services jointly funded a number of off-site centres for
pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
These had been successful in supporting some pupils who
experienced difficulties in mainstream settings. The
future direction of a number of these centres was being
reviewed as part of the council’s Working Together
strategy.
Overall, the number of exclusions of pupils from schools
was below the national average. Officers within Pupil
Support Services monitored the numbers of exclusions
and contracted the HOTS Team to provide some
education to those pupils who had been excluded from
school. Officers also supported parents in finding new
school placements when their children were permanently
excluded. The Council’s policy on exclusion was not
always followed consistently by headteachers. This
resulted in some pupils remaining too long without a
full-time school placement. The Education Department
should monitor the implementation of its policy on
exclusion to ensure that pupils’ rights to continuing
education and their rights of appeal against exclusion are
observed.
The Education Department had developed good working
relationships with the Social Work Department and with
the Health Board. Officers from education and social
work met regularly in the Children’s Services Strategy
Group to plan for the needs of vulnerable children. The
Department was developing its provision for looked after
children. Each residential children’s unit had close links
with a teacher from the HOTS Team who monitored and
supported the educational achievements of children
within the unit. The Education Department Improvement
Plan stated within its priorities that the majority of young
people leaving local authority care should achieve at least
Standard Grade English and mathematics. This target
should be reviewed to ensure that it presented an
45
appropriate level of challenge for all looked after
children. Despite the efforts of staff, the development of
services for looked after children had been hampered by
the lack of joint information systems across the Council
departments.
Support for staff development
There was a strong commitment in the authority to staff
training and development. Provision for professional
development was overseen by a Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) Manager who had established an
innovative CPD framework for staff development. This
set out a matrix of training opportunities for probationers
through to experienced headteachers. The framework
had been very well received by staff and had been
influential in informing national guidance.
Most (87%) headteachers, including heads of partnership
centres, agreed that the authority had assisted their staff
in accessing appropriate staff development. An extensive
range of courses, seminars and conferences was provided
to support staff development. The perception of most
participants was that training was of good or very good
quality. Training included support for child protection,
aspects of provision for pupils with special educational
needs and early intervention. Some local authority
nursery staff were less positive about the level of training
provided. Some staff across all sectors reported that
courses were often full and there were insufficient
courses in popular areas such as ICT. The CPD team had
begun to address these issues. The arrangements of
school hours to create one afternoon free from teaching
provided opportunities for staff development. However,
as there was not a consistent pattern across the authority,
this limited the most effective use of this time.
The Council had been accepted as an accredited provider
of ICT training through the New Opportunities Fund
initiative, operating under the name of ELITE. The
46
quality of provision of the ELITE courses was very good
overall. The majority of teachers had made good
progress, although this was variable and generally
inconsistent across secondary schools.
Support for probationers was very effective. Very good
arrangements were also being developed to support the
professional development of middle and senior managers.
Newly appointed headteachers were allocated a mentor
who kept in touch and provided valued support. The
Department had particularly effective arrangements in
place to support staff who wished to undertake the
Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH).
Other features of support
The Department’s approach to New Community Schools
was based on a long-standing initiative Working
Together, inherited from the previous Regional Council.
Working Together had, since its inception, sought to
develop links among a broad range of services, external
agencies and voluntary organisations. The key aim of the
initiative was to provide integrated support at the point of
need, to children, young people and their families. In the
first phase of the introduction of New Community
Schools, funding had been used to extend this existing
work by developing further local support in schools in
four areas of the City. In addition, a number of local
projects, with a particular emphasis on the improvement
of health, had been introduced successfully. However, a
fundamental reappraisal of the focus, management and
effectiveness of the Department’s approach was now
required in order to ensure that children and their families
benefited to the maximum extent possible. In response to
this recognised need, the Department had recently started
work to develop a framework for the improvement of
policy and procedures in this area.
The Education Department had achieved Investors in
People (IiP) status in November 2001. Responsibility for
47
IiP lay with the SMT. The Director of Education chaired
an IiP working group and the CPD team managed
ongoing developments. One school had achieved IiP
status and some had gained other quality awards. The
authority did not actively promote the IiP award, taking
the view that it was a school decision to take it forward.
The development of citizenship in schools was at a very
early stage. No audit of provision had taken place.
However, some existing initiatives contributed to this
National Priority. The authority intended to establish a
steering group to co-ordinate and plan developments.
The Council was highly committed to promoting pupils’
achievement across a broad range of areas. High priority
had been given to promoting pupils’ skills in sport. A
Sports Unit and development officers for specific sports
provided some very good support for the development of
sport across the authority. Staff worked well with the
Culture and Leisure Department, the private sector and
sporting bodies to secure funding, provide additional
staffing and introduce a wide range of initiatives to
enable pupils to participate in sporting activities.
Specialist coaching and advice was provided in a range of
sports. Funding had been used to improve sports
facilities. The Council ran two outdoor education centres
to enable pupils to develop skills in outdoor education
activities and to extend their personal and social
development.
The Council provided very strong support for the
expressive arts. Free instrumental tuition was provided
for pupils across the City. Expert music provision was
made at a specialist primary and secondary school.
Dance provision was provided at a secondary school
specialising in this area. Visiting specialists in art and
design, music, drama, and physical education enhanced
learning and teaching in primary and special schools.
Opportunities were provided for pupils to develop their
skills in a number of orchestras and bands. Effective
48
support was provided across the service by the Arts Unit.
A very successful arts programme offered performances
and workshops to schools from visiting artists.
Productive links had been established with the Edinburgh
Festival.
Very good support was provided for international
activities. The International Unit provided very good
support to schools to promote international work, visits
and exchanges.
Gaelic medium education was provided in Gaelic
medium classes in a primary and a secondary school. A
Gaelic medium nursery was attached to the primary
school and support was provided for Gaelic playgroups in
various parts of the city. The Council was committed to
expanding provision at pre-school level, but progress had
been limited due to difficulties in recruiting appropriate
staff. In 2000, the Council undertook a survey of parents
with children in nursery schools to gauge future demand
for Gaelic Education. In 2002, the Review of Gaelic
Medium Education concluded that there was insufficient
demand for an increase in Gaelic provision. The decision
was made to promote pre-school Gaelic provision in
particular and review future demand again in 2004. This
policy and approach had resulted in some parents losing
confidence in the Council’s stated commitment to
promote Gaelic medium education and a reduction in
partnership working.
There was a well-developed study support programme
which offered a wide range of opportunities to learners.
Almost all secondary schools provided a focused
timetable of study support and Easter revision classes.
They were well supported in delivering these
programmes. In addition, OOSHLA provided a very
wide range of activities to support achievement through
an impressive number of sporting and arts opportunities.
49
The Education Department had introduced a good range
of initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles and personal
safety, particularly in areas of deprivation. Breakfast
clubs and schemes to promote a healthy diet operated
successfully in many schools. Some schools worked
closely with health visitors on general health promotion
and oral hygiene. Schools had access to a range of health
promotion events including sexual health, drugs, mental
health, nutrition and choosing healthy lifestyles.
The Department deployed a range of mechanisms to
disseminate good practice and celebrate success,
including the following:
•
The Education Awards Ceremony;
•
Sports Awards;
•
The Edinburgh Conference;
•
sections in School Review Reports which were placed
on the authority database of good practice;
•
The Edinburgh Grid for Learning;
•
headteacher and other staff meetings; and
•
NLOs and QIOs contact with schools.
The Department was well placed to build further on these
practices to disseminate and share emerging good
practice.
8. How well does the authority perform overall?
Overview
Generally, pupils in the City of Edinburgh pre-school
establishments and schools received a good quality of
50
education. The Council had taken a number of very
positive steps to improve the quality of education and
respond to the scale, diversity and uniqueness of
challenges facing them. There was, however, still scope
to add further value to the work of schools in raising
attainment and promoting social inclusion.
The Education Department had established a very clear
set of aims which focused appropriately on raising
standards of educational achievement and service
improvement. The aims had a strong influence on the
planning and work of staff deployed centrally and those
in schools. They were linked well to the National
Priorities in Education.
Joint-working with other Council Departments and other
agencies was effective and had resulted in improved
planning, policy making and levels of service. However,
a review of the Council’s approach to the development of
New Community Schools was required to ensure the
maximum benefit to pupils and communities.
Consultation and communication with schools, elected
members and a wide range of stakeholders were very
good. Financial management had major strengths overall.
Service planning was very good and provided a sound
framework and clear direction for schools in their
planning for improvement.
The Director and Senior Managers had developed
effective teamwork and had been successful in
establishing an ethos of trust and co-operation throughout
the Department. They had led key developments which
had resulted in improvements in services to pupils and
parents. They demonstrated a strong commitment to
quality and raising standards of provision and
achievement. Processes for departmental self-evaluation
were very thorough and the outcomes helped set future
structure and policy. Procedures for school review were
well established and had been recently reviewed and
revised. Senior staff now needed to build on these
51
achievements and the improved ethos in the Department
to increase the challenge, direction and support to
headteachers and teachers in targeted areas of
under-performance.
The City of Edinburgh is an education authority with
some major strengths, but also with clear headroom and
capacity for further improvement. The substantial
strengths of the Department in terms of its shared vision,
approaches to consultation, communication, service
planning, and commitment to quality and improvement,
provided a strong base on which to further promote and
secure continuous improvement.
Key strengths
52
•
The clear vision, values and aims which provided
strategic direction and a context for planning for
improvement.
•
The high quality of approaches to service planning.
•
Very effective strategies for consultation and
communication.
•
The approachability and responsiveness of senior
managers and centrally-deployed staff.
•
Processes for departmental review and the programme
of school review visits.
•
The range and quality of support for pre-school
education.
•
The very effective framework for Continuing
Professional Development (CPD).
•
High levels of attainment in S5/S6 in most schools.
9. Main points for action
In addition to addressing the areas for improvement
identified in this report, the local authority should act on
the following recommendations.
•
Continue to improve property maintenance and
address issues of over-occupancy and pressures on
school accommodation.
•
Extend the provision of direction and support for the
5-14 curriculum to enable staff to continue to target
under-achievement and raise attainment.
•
Consolidate the revised arrangements for school
review and the role of QIOs in supporting and
challenging schools.
•
Improve arrangements for management information
systems to provide a more co-ordinated approach to
the collection, analysis and reporting of educational
data.
•
Improve the management and effectiveness of the
approach to New Community Schools through the
Working Together initiative to promote social
inclusion and raise educational standards.
•
Further develop approaches to ensure improvements
in educational attainment in numeracy in primary
schools and S1/S2, literacy in S1/S2 and the overall
performance of lower attaining pupils in secondary
schools.
53
Around two years after the publication of this report
HM Inspectors will re-visit the authority to assess
progress in meeting these recommendations. The local
authority has been asked to prepare and make public an
action plan, within eight weeks of the publication of this
report, indicating how it will address the main points for
action in the report.
Ian Gamble
HM Chief Inspector
Quality, Standards and Audit Division
March 2003
54
Appendix 1
Performance information
•
% of school pupils staying on to S5 (post Christmas)
Edinburgh
National
•
1998/99
1999/00
2000/01
63
65
68
65
62
64
Pupil destinations
1998/99
1999/00
2000/01
Edinburgh
National
28
31
27
31
29
32
% Entering Full-Time
Further Education
Edinburgh
National
16
18
17
19
19
20
% Entering
Employment
Edinburgh
National
36
26
39
26
34
24
% Entering Full-Time
Higher Education
•
Absence
As part of the 2002 Target Setting initiative, the City of
Edinburgh Council set itself the following target to
minimise the average number of half-days absence per
pupil in primary and secondary schools by 2002.
Target
Level
(June
2001)
1999
2000
2001
Target
Level
(June
2002)
2002
Primary
Edinburgh
National
17
18
19
20
19
19
21
20
16
-
20
19
Secondary
Edinburgh
National
31
36
49
42
48
41
52
43
39
-
52
42
55
•
Exclusions from schools in Edinburgh
2000/2001
Total
Exclusions Per
Temporary
Permanent
Exclusions
1000 Pupils
Exclusions
exclusions
Edinburgh
1798
36
1730
68
National
38,656
51
38,334
322
As part of the 2002 Target Setting initiative, the City of
Edinburgh set itself the following targets in reading,
writing and mathematics to be achieved by 2002, and has
made the following progress in achieving them.
The figures represent the percentage of pupils in primary
schools attaining and expected to attain appropriate 5-14
levels by end of P75
Primary
1999
2000
2001
Target
Level
June 2002
2002
Reading
Edinburgh
National
75
77
73
73
77
76
81
80
81
81
81
81
Writing
Edinburgh
National
65
67
64
60
68
66
73
70
74
73
74
72
Maths
Edinburgh
National
78
81
75
76
74
77
78
79
81
82
78
80
5
56
Target
Level
June 2001
Level A by end of P3. Level B by end of P4. Level C by end of P6
Level D by end of P7.
The figures represent the percentage of pupils in
secondary schools attaining and expected to attain
appropriate 5-14 levels by end of S26
Secondary
Target
Level
June 2001
1999
2000
2001
Target
Level
June 2002
2002
Reading
Edinburgh
National
51
54
43
44
48
53
53
56
56
59
55
59
Writing
Edinburgh
National
46
48
38
38
41
43
41
46
49
51
47
50
Maths
Edinburgh
National
53
55
44
42
44
47
47
51
55
56
48
54
6
Level E by end of S2.
57
•
Results in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
National Qualifications.
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels:
7: 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
By end of S4
1999
2000
2001
2002
SG Eng 1-6
Edinburgh
National
92
93
93
94
92
94
92
94
92
94
SG Maths 1-6
Edinburgh
National
92
92
93
94
92
94
92
94
91
93
5+ @ level 3 or better
Edinburgh
National
88
90
89
91
87
91
88
91
88
91
5+ @ level 4 or better
Edinburgh
National
70
74
73
75
72
77
73
77
73
76
5+ @ level 5 or better
Edinburgh
National
28
30
33
32
32
33
34
34
33
33
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
By end of S5
3+ @ level 6 or better
Edinburgh
National
22
20
22
21
26
23
25
23
25
22
5+ @ level 6 or better
Edinburgh
National
7
6
7
7
9
8
12
9
11
9
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
11
9
12
10
11
10
13
11
14
11
By end of S6
1+ @ level 7 or better
58
1998
Edinburgh
National
As part of the 2002 Target Setting initiative, the City of
Edinburgh Council set itself the following targets for
pupils attainment in National Qualifications, and has
made the following progress in achieving them.
Target
1999/2001
1999/2001
Target
2002
2002
SG English 1-6
Edinburgh
National
94
94
93
94
95
95
92
94
SG Maths 1-6
Edinburgh
National
94
94
92
94
95
95
91
93
5+ @ level 3 or better
Edinburgh
National
92
93
88
91
93
93
88
91
5+ @ level 4 or better
Edinburgh
National
76
77
73
76
76
79
73
76
5+ @ level 5 or better
Edinburgh
National
35
34
33
33
36
35
33
33
3+ @ level 6 or better
Edinburgh
National
25
23
24
22
25
24
25
22
5+ @ level 6 or better
Edinburgh
National
8
8
9
8
11
9
11
9
59
Appendix 2
Inspection coverage
Establishments visited:
Cowgate under 5s Centre
Children’s House Nursery School
Fox Covert Play Group
Greengables Nursery School
Kirkliston Nursery School
Little Flyers Nursery
North Edinburgh Child Care
Spinney Lane Nursery School
Dalry Primary School
Echline Primary School
Gilmerton Primary School
Inchview Primary School
Lismore Primary School
Oxgangs Primary School
Pirniehall Primary School
St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School
St David’s RC Primary School
St Francis RC Primary School
St Mary’s Edinburgh RC Primary School
Tollcross Primary School
Craigmount High School
Craigroyston Community High School
Holy Rood RC High School
Liberton High School
Portobello High School
St Augustine’s RC High School
St Thomas of Aquins RC High School
Graysmill School
North Edinburgh Working Together Centre
Oaklands School
60
St Crispin’s Special School
Wellington School
Meetings attended:
Council Executive
Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel
Education Awards
The Edinburgh Conference
Education Department Senior Management Team
Consultative Committee with Parents
Sub-committee on Educational Standards
Support and Challenge Working Group
Interviews or meetings with Council Members and
Officers:
Leader of the Council
Executive Member for Education
Opposition Spokesperson on Education
Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny
Panel
Chief Executive
Director of Corporate Services
Director of Finance
Chief Accountant Finance
Director of Housing
Director of Social Work
Interviews or meetings with other Stakeholder Groups:
Focus Groups of headteachers representing
pre-school, primary, secondary and special
education sectors
Focus Group of parents and staff from the primary
school with Gaelic classes, including a
representative of Comann nam Pàrant
Group of School Board Chairs
Trade Union Representatives
61
Interviews with Education Service Staff:
Director of Education
Heads of Service
Neighbourhood Liaison Officers
Groups of and Individual Quality Improvement
Officers
Group of and individual Development Officers
Group of Psychologists
Other Officers, Managers and co-ordinators in the
Education Department
Business Managers, Bursars and administrative
staff in establishments visited
62
Appendix 3
Quality indicators
We judged the following to be very good
•
•
•
•
•
Visions, values and aims
Mechanisms for consultation
Mechanisms for communication
Service planning
Financial management
We judged the following to be good
•
•
•
•
•
•
Effectiveness of leadership and management
Policy development
Deployment and effectiveness of centrally-deployed
staff
Resource management
Measuring, monitoring and evaluating performance
Continuous improvement in performance
We judged the following to be fair
•
No aspects were found to be in this category
We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
•
No aspects were found to be in this category
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How can you contact us?
Copies of this report have been sent to the Chief
Executive of the local authority, elected members, the
Head of the Education Service, other local authority
officers, Members of the Scottish Parliament, Audit
Scotland, heads of the local authority educational
establishments, chairpersons of the local authority School
Boards/Parents’ Associations and to other relevant
individuals and agencies. Subject to availability, further
copies may be obtained free of charge from the address
below or by telephoning 0131 244 0746. Copies are also
available on our web site: www.hmie.gov.uk
Should you wish to comment on or make a complaint
about any aspect of the inspection or about this report,
you should write in the first instance to Ian Gamble,
HMCI at:
HM Inspectorate of Education
Quality, Standards and Audit Division
1-B95
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
A copy of our complaints procedure is available from that
office and on our website.
If you are still dissatisfied, you can contact the Scottish
Public Services Ombudsman directly or through your
member of the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Public
Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has
powers to investigate complaints about Government
Departments and Agencies. She will not normally
consider your complaint before the HMIE complaints
procedure has been used. Instead, she will usually ask
you to give us the chance to put matters right if we can.
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Complaints to Scottish Public Services Ombudsman must
be submitted within 12 months of the date of publication
of this report.
The Ombudsman can be contacted at:
Professor Alice Brown
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
23 Walker Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7HX
Telephone number: 0870 011 5378
e-mail: enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk
More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be
obtained from the website:
www.ombudsmanscotland.org.uk
Crown Copyright 2003
HM Inspectorate of Education
This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except
for commercial purposes or in connection with a
prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and
date thereof are stated.
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