Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
3 February 2009
Contents
Page
Introduction
i
1.
The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
1
2.
What are the challenges for the Council?
1
3.
How good are attainment and achievement of children and
young people and how well are they supported?
3
4.
What impact has the authority had in meeting the needs of
parents, carers and families, staff and the wider community?
12
5.
How well is the authority led?
18
6.
What is the Council’s capacity for improvement?
23
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Quality indicators – Core
26
Appendix 2 – Performance information
27
Introduction
The education functions of each local authority in Scotland were inspected between
2000 and 2005. A second cycle of inspections began in 2006 taking a proportionate
approach using the findings of the original inspection and other information
subsequently available. Section 9 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000
charges HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, to
provide an external evaluation of the effectiveness of the local authority in its quality
assurance of educational provision within the Council and of its support to schools in
improving quality. Inspections are conducted within a published framework of quality
indicators (Quality Management in Education 2)1 which embody the Government’s
policy on Best Value.
Each inspection is planned and implemented in partnership with Audit Scotland on
behalf of the Accounts Commission for Scotland. Audit Scotland is a statutory body set
up in April 2000, under the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000. It
provides services to the Accounts Commission and the Auditor General for Scotland.
Together they ensure that the Scottish Government and public sector bodies in
Scotland are held to account for the proper, efficient and effective use of public funds.
1
Quality Management in Education 2 (HM Inspectorate of Education 2006) is a framework of self-evaluation for
Local Authority Education Services.
i
1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection
HMIE inspects the education functions of all 32 councils within Scotland as part of
its commitment to inspect and report on the quality of education and to help secure
improvement. HMIE reported on the first inspection of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in
January 2003. In the period since the publication of this report HM Inspectors
worked with senior officers of the Council to monitor progress on the main points for
action arising from the January 2003 report. The follow-up inspection report
published in January 2005 found that the education authority had made good
progress in meeting all but one of the main points for action. There had been too
little progress in rationalising the schools estate.
This report refers to progress since the January 2003 report as well as looking more
widely at education across the Council.
2. What are the challenges for the Council?
Context
The Western Isles (Eilean Siar) has a population of around 26,500. The main
centre of population is Stornoway with approximately 6,000 people. Most of
the rest of the population is dispersed throughout more remote islands and
small communities. The population is projected to fall to 22,413 by 2024. The
dispersed nature of the population and the declining school rolls pose
significant challenges for the education authority in relation to the
management of the schools estate and the need to develop appropriate
work-related skills to retain the population and to encourage economic
regeneration. The Council (Comhairle) has placed strong emphasis on Gaelic
as a prominent feature of the work and culture of the area.
Eilean Siar has experienced a significant fall in population, which is projected to
continue. The current population of around 26,500 is predicted to fall by a further
15% within the next 16 years. By 2024, it is expected that 31% of the total
population will be 65 years or over. By that year, Eilean Siar is projected to see the
largest percentage decline in annual births of any Scottish authority at nearly 50%.
In schools, the pupil population has fallen by nearly 2500, from 6,315 in 1977 to
3,850 in 2007. In common with other councils, Eilean Siar shares the difficulties of
providing appropriate education to all pupils over a sparsely populated area. Many
of the buildings in which education is provided are old, and are located in areas
which do not reflect current demographic conditions.
Eilean Siar faces a range of economic challenges due to its remote location and
sparsity of population. Public administration accounts for 28% of all employment.
The other main economic sectors in terms of employment are distribution, fish
farming and construction. Improved road transport links and recently built island
causeways have brought significant advantages for workers. Some of them now no
longer have to move their homes near to available work and can live in larger
1
centres of population. Traditional industries have not grown significantly in recent
years. There are new opportunities in areas such as aquaculture development, the
arts and music sector and through the establishment of Gaelic digital broadcasting.
The Gaelic language is spoken widely throughout the area and many helpful
education initiatives are in place to promote and develop the language. Gaelic is a
key part of the life and culture of Eilean Siar with education provision being an
important driver in the implementation of Gaelic plans and policies. Action taken by
the Comhairle includes the provision of Gaelic medium and bilingual education to
sustain this key aspect of the cultural heritage of the islands. The Comhairle was a
lead partner in the development of the Western Isles Gaelic Language Plan (2006).
The Comhairle actively promotes the uptake of Gaelic medium education.
Features of good practice: Support for Gaelic language and culture
Staff at all levels, including volunteer staff, worked effectively to promote Gaelic
language and culture.
The Comhairle provided extensive Gaelic medium education, particularly in
primary schools and supported a broad range of music and drama events.
Children and young people benefited from participation in a variety of festivals and
performances.
The Comhairle worked in partnership with a range of other national agencies to
promote the use of Gaelic. Secondary pupils had benefited from taking part in a
national Gaelic debate, as a result of the Comhairle’s partnership with BT, the
BBC and Comunn na Gaidhlig.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk.
Political and organisational structure
The political composition of the Comhairle is largely independent and there is
no overall majority. The inspection took place against a backdrop of major
changes within the education service. Proposals to rationalise the schools
estate and to establish Learning Communities had been considered over
several years and had recently been approved by the Comhairle. The
Comhairle had agreed to merge the Education Department with part of Social
Work Services to form a new Education and Children’s Services Department.
This was due to begin in January 2009. An immediate challenge for the
Comhairle was the management of these changes and the development of a
shared vision for the high quality delivery of services for children, young
people and adult learners.
Thirteen new elected members joined the Comhairle following the May elections in
2007. The political composition of the Comhairle includes 25 independent members
from a total of 31 councillors. There is no ruling group. As part of a review in 2007,
the Comhairle introduced a new committee structure which reflected changes in its
2
organisational and management structure. In addition to the Comhairle there are
six main service Committees, including the Education and Children’s Services
Committee. At each Committee cycle, recommendations from the service
Committees are submitted to the Comhairle for approval.
At the time of the inspection, the Education Department was led by the Director of
Education, supported by three Heads of Service. These Heads of Service had
individual responsibilities for Secondary Education and Human Resources, Early
Years and Inclusion, and Educational Resources. Community Learning and
Development (CLD) staff operated within the Sustainable Communities Department.
The Comhairle had agreed to amalgamate the Education Department with the
Children and Families section of Social Work Services into a new Education and
Children’s Services Department. The phased implementation of integrated
arrangements for Education and Children’s Services was due to begin in
January 2009. In 2004, the Education Department had submitted proposals for the
establishment of a number of Learning Communities, in which services and schools
would work together. The establishment of these Learning Communities had
recently been agreed by the Comhairle and the proposals had recently been
implemented.
At the time of the inspection, the Comhairle had just agreed the future rationalisation
of the schools estate. The status of the authority’s seven P1-S2 schools had been
considered by the Comhairle over several years. In 2004, the Education
Department had commissioned an independent Best Value review of secondary
provision. This had considered a number of options and recommended a phased
closure of the secondary stages in P1-S2 schools, with the extension of the
authority’s largest secondary school, The Nicolson Institute. The recommendations
of the review were noted by the Comhairle and the matter was referred to a working
group. Early in 2008, the Comhairle took a decision to close the S1-S2 departments
in a number of P1-S2 schools. This decision was reversed in June 2008 as the
Comhairle sought further advice from the Education Department. In September
2008, the Comhairle agreed that the S1/S2 stages of the seven P1-S2 schools
would be discontinued in 2011, or when a proposed new build for The Nicolson
Institute was in place. At the time of the inspection, the financial implications of this
decision were being considered by the Comhairle.
3. How good are attainment and achievement of children and young people
and how well are they supported?
Improvements in performance
Overall, performance in this area was good. Children and young people
attained well. There were aspects of particular strength including children’s
progress in pre-school centres, the progress of children with additional
support needs and learners’ performance at S6. In primary schools, pupils’
attainment in reading and mathematics was good. Pupils’ attainment in
writing required further improvement. In secondary schools, pupils’
attainment in reading and writing at S1/S2 had improved, and had been
3
sustained at a good level in mathematics. At S3-S5, pupils’ performance in
SQA examinations was good overall and in S6 was very good.
School staff, with support from senior department staff and Quality Improvement
Officers (QIOs), had ensured that children and young people benefited from regular
school attendance. Pupils’ attendance in primary and secondary schools compared
favourably with those in comparator2 authorities and nationally. Fewer children and
young people were excluded from schools in Eilean Siar than in comparator
authorities and nationally.
In the pre-school sector, the quality of centres’ overall performance was good.
Since March 2004, most evaluations in the centres inspected by HMIE had been
good or very good. Children’s progress in emotional, personal and social
development and the quality of interaction between staff and children were
consistently evaluated as areas of strength. Recent inspections had identified
particular strengths in children’s progress in literacy and numeracy and the
promotion of a culture of equality and fairness. Areas for further development
included assessment, meeting children’s needs and self-evaluation.
HMIE reports on primary schools, for the period September 2005 to June 2008,
identified consistently good practice across almost all of the schools being
inspected. Positive aspects of provision included the structure of the curriculum and
the quality of teaching and learning. The quality of pastoral care, school ethos and
partnership with parents were clear areas of strength. All primary schools which had
been part of HMIE’s follow-through arrangements had been very well supported by
QIOs and had made good progress.
The attainment of primary-aged pupils in reading and mathematics was consistently
good. Most pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment and an
increasing number achieved these levels earlier than might be expected. The
Department had introduced a range of initiatives to improve pupils’ writing skills. As
yet this had not had significant impact. There was further scope to improve pupils’
attainment in writing, particularly by the end of P7.
At the secondary stages, most pupils were achieving appropriate levels of
attainment in reading by the end of S2, a significant improvement over the previous
year and the best performance in the last five years. Around three quarters of pupils
were attaining appropriate levels in writing, an improvement over 2007 and the best
performance in recent years. In mathematics, a similar proportion were achieving or
exceeding the appropriate levels, maintaining previous years’ performances.
2
The term ‘comparator authorities’ refers to the group of education authorities which are comparative to each other in terms of
socio-economic and demographic factors.
4
From S3/S4, the percentage of pupils attaining SCQF3 Level 3 or better in English
and mathematics was consistently above or well above the national average. The
percentages achieving five or more awards at Levels 3, 4 and 5 were similar to or
better than those in comparator authorities and nationally. Education Department
staff had focused on further improvement in consistency of attainment between
years, and on targeting aspects and subjects which continued to show weaknesses
in performance. In this, they had been partly successful, but more remained to be
done.
At S5, pupils’ performance at three or more awards at Level 6 or better had
fluctuated over the five year period to 20084. It remained consistently above that of
comparator authorities, and above or well above that nationally. The percentage of
pupils attaining five or more awards at Level 6 or better was generally above those
in comparator authorities and nationally. At S6, pupils’ performance was
consistently strong. The percentage achieving one or more award at Level 7 had
increased markedly and was well above that in comparator authorities and
nationally. The quality of pupils’ wider achievements across schools was very good.
Pupils in primary schools across the Comhairle area were developing confidence
and useful skills through their participation in a range of environmental, sporting,
musical and cultural developments. A significant number of pupils at
P5-P7 received music tuition and were learning to play a wide range of traditional
and modern instruments, many of them through the Youth Music Initiative (YMI).
Pupils responded well to a range of opportunities to take part in cultural initiatives,
many of which related well to promotion of the Gaelic language and culture. These
experiences had a positive influence on pupils’ confidence as learners and their
effectiveness as contributors. The Comhairle was successfully promoting
appropriate use of a wider range of qualifications such as the The Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award, to meet pupils’ needs more effectively.
The Comhairle’s focus on enterprise and employability showed several strengths
and features of good practice. Partnerships between the Comhairle, schools and
employers were strong and improving further. Staff offered very positive
experiences as an entitlement for all children and young people. These experiences
enhanced enterprising activities across pre-school centres, and primary and
secondary schools. Pupils from the Comhairle’s schools consistently performed well
in Scottish and UK national enterprise initiatives. The numbers of pupils taking Skills
for Work programmes at S3/S4 was growing rapidly, as a direct result of the very
strong partnership arrangements with Lews Castle College. Around 260 pupils were
currently involved in work-related programmes accredited through the National
Qualification framework, from Access to Higher levels. The college was working
with its school partners to address a number of issues relating to their Skills for Work
3
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Levels:
7: Advanced Higher at A-C/CSYS at A-C
6: Higher at A-C
5: Intermediate 2 at A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2
4: Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4
3: Access 3 cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
4
Pre-appeal data for 2008.
5
provision, including programmes for S5/S6 which provided appropriate progression.
The Department had made a significant investment in information and
communications technology (ICT) resources to support and extend the quality of
learning across all sectors of education. Staff at all levels had taken part in a wide
range of training events and were making very effective use of ICT to enhance the
quality of learning and teaching. The Comhairle was one of the first ten in Scotland
to implement the national initiative GLOW5, which aimed to provide all Scottish
schools with an on-line network of resource and support. The Department
demonstrated effective leadership and good judgement in its promotion of ICT
approaches to learning and teaching, recognising their potential to help address
some of the challenges of the islands’ remote location.
HMIE inspected CLD in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in March 2005. This report
identified a number of strengths in performance. These included the quality of
achievements of young people and adults in a wide range of informal settings, and
the provision for Gaelic. A number of aspects required improvement.
HM Inspectors published a follow-up report in March 2007, evaluating the progress
made in bringing about improvements. The report stated that the Comhairle had
made good progress overall, but still needed to improve the management and
deployment of resources for community capacity building. School staff, CLD staff
and volunteers had worked effectively together on projects to improve young
people’s life chances. These projects included after school activities with the
Prince’s Trust to support groups of pupils within The Nicolson Institute.
Impact on learners
The impact of the Comhairle’s work on learners was good overall. Staff in
pre-school centres, primary and secondary schools had worked closely and
effectively together. Pre-school centres and schools had enhanced provision
through important initiatives relating to health, the environment, international
citizenship, enterprise, culture and sport. These initiatives formed important
parts of the Comhairle’s promotion of Curriculum for Excellence6. There was
scope for better joint-working between the Education and Sustainable
Communities Departments to support learners more effectively.
Learners of pre-school age
Education Department staff worked closely with schools, the voluntary sector and a
wide range of partner providers to offer a consistently good standard of provision for
pre-school children. Senior staff and the Early Years Link Officer Team worked well
with the Childcare Partnership to deliver pre-school learning experiences across all
areas of Eilean Siar. There was a strong level of commitment to high quality
pre-school education and evidence of effective teamwork across the local authority,
support agencies, and voluntary and private sector providers.
5
GLOW - Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) has the leading role in developing Glow.
6
The Curriculum for Excellence programme outlines the purposes and principles of the curriculum 3-18 to provide a framework
within which improvement to Scottish education can and should be made.
6
In line with the Department’s Integrated Early Years Strategy and the emphasis on
inclusion, the Head of Early Years and Inclusion supported by the Link Officers,
provided well-judged support to a number of childcare networks. This included
effective assistance to a significant number of childminders in remote rural and
remote locations. Department staff provided flexible support in family homes,
community-based parent groups and childcare centres. The provision of additional
financial subsidies for very small nurseries and childminders had been a positive
development. This support had secured the continued provision of pre-school
services across the Comhairle. All children across the Comhairle area benefited
from access to a Gaelic medium experience in their pre-school years.
Features of good practice: Surestart
The Department had carried out a review of Surestart in 2005 and had extended
the size of the team. Surestart staff had developed purposeful links with a range
of partner agencies including health and social work professionals.
Staff met on a regular basis to monitor and review the impact of their work on
children and families. They had introduced a flexible approach to meeting needs
through a wide range of support activities. These included developing parental
capacity, providing transport for socially isolated families and offering home
support to meet individual needs.
The team had been highly successful in working with children and families across
all areas of the Comhairle and were well placed to continue to provide high quality
support.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk.
The review and development of the Surestart service in 2005 had impacted
positively on the work of the pre-school sector. The Head of Early Years and
Inclusion effectively coordinated the work of Link Officers and Surestart staff to
ensure high quality training for the pre-school sector. Staff had recently delivered a
range of appropriate training events on aspects of childcare such as assessment
and recording in the play setting. They had produced a range of support material
and information booklets for use by pre-school staff, multi-agency professionals and
parents.
Across the Comhairle area, pre-school establishments and providers used a range
of approaches to monitor and evaluate the quality of provision. The Department had
introduced a helpful transition policy for children moving from pre-school to primary.
There were systems in place to provide receiving schools with information on
pre-school children’s interests and needs. The quality of information provided was
variable, and support was being provided to ensure greater consistency in the
assessment and recording of children’s progress. This support included a
programme of regular visits by Link Officers to all authority nurseries and partner
providers.
7
A clear system was in place at pre-school level to identify and support children with
additional support needs. Department staff worked closely with a variety of
professionals and agencies to identify and support children with emerging
developmental needs. They shared information well with parents and support
agencies to ensure that all pre-school learners with additional support needs
transferred effectively to primary school.
Primary-aged learners
Primary-aged learners experienced a broad set of well-planned and relevant
learning experiences within Gaelic and English medium settings. A significant
proportion of pupils participated in an extensive range of sporting, creative and
cultural activities. They were developing well as confident, healthy and responsible
citizens. All primary schools across the Comhairle area had achieved Health
Promoting School status at gold or silver level. Staff at all levels effectively
promoted pupils’ awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in areas such as
personal safety, nutrition and wellbeing. All primary schools had established pupil
councils. Staff provided relevant opportunities for pupils to develop good citizenship
skills through buddy systems, participation on pupil councils and through fund
raising for a range of charities. Most primary schools had gained Eco-School
Scotland status or were working towards accreditation in this area. All primary
schools were active in the promotion of enterprise education and pupils were
developing a good understanding of the world of work.
In recent years, a range of helpful development activities had improved the quality of
learning and teaching at school and classroom level. Authority-wide initiatives such
as the implementation of Assessment is for Learning7 (AifL) approaches had
increased the impact of assessment and the level of pupils’ involvement in the
learning process. This work had been effectively supported by the introduction of an
authority-wide electronic system to monitor and record progress at school, class and
individual level. This had assisted staff in planning learning for pupils in English
language and mathematics, and had enabled QIOs to monitor and track pupils’
progress more closely. The Department’s active involvement in activities such as
Joyning the Learning and the GLOW programme had impacted positively on pupils’
learning and had provided a broad range of opportunities for pupils to develop and
improve their skills in ICT.
Primary-aged learners benefited from very good opportunities to take part in
sporting and cultural events despite the difficulties of travelling long distances.
Pupils enjoyed a broad variety of activities including film animation, devising stories
through drama, Gaelic drama clubs, and media activities, many organised by the
Comhairle’s cultural co-ordinators. Pupils at P5-P7 had benefited significantly from
the YMI, which supported them in learning a musical instrument. The YMI had
provided a significant influence on large numbers of pupils, supporting a substantial
increase in the levels of musical activity, and providing helpful reinforcement for key
features of the local culture and promotion of Gaelic.
7
8
Assessment is for Learning (AiFL) is a Scottish Government development programme which outlines key principles which connect
assessment with learning and teaching.
Most pupils received a good level of support from class teachers, support for
learning teachers and auxiliary staff. Support staff were knowledgeable about pupils
and worked well to assist them. Pupils with additional support needs were very well
supported through inclusion on the comprehensive Children’s Services Database.
This valuable source of information was regularly updated by school staff and
monitored by senior department staff. The effective use of the database ensured
that the needs of vulnerable pupils were identified quickly and met with the minimum
of delay. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language were
making good progress in their learning.
Secondary-aged learners
There were effective pastoral arrangements to ensure that primary pupils were well
supported in making the transition to secondary school. There had been some
success in developing better curricular links between primary and secondary
schools, but more remained to be done. Department staff had not yet fully ensured
consistency in the degree to which all secondary school staff built effectively on all
pupils’ prior learning.
Secondary school staff worked effectively with a range of other agencies to promote
learners’ wider achievements. Around 40 pupils had achieved success in The Duke
of Edinburgh’s Award in 2007/2008, with a significant improvement in the number of
boys achieving awards. A small number of pupils had achieved bronze or silver
Youth Achievement Awards. Many secondary pupils benefited from cultural and
sport activities. There were a range of successful musical groups in schools
including the ‘Flying Fiddles’ and the pipe band from Sgoil Lionacleit and the Young
Enterprise initiative at Sir E Scott School. Pupils performed with distinction at the
National Mod, in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for Scotland and National Youth
Choir of Scotland. The Nicolson Institute Under 15 football team had recently
achieved success at national level, winning the Under 15s Scottish Cup.
The Comhairle was committed to meeting the needs of all young learners and
ensured effective outcomes for learners with additional support needs. Members of
the Department’s senior management team placed a high priority, and achieved
much success, in making appropriate provision for all young people in local schools
whenever possible. Most schools used a wide range of effective approaches for
learners who were at risk of exclusion. The Department’s planning for coordinating
inter-agency support for children was very effective. Joint-working with partners in
the health services had been particularly effective. It had improved outcomes for a
wide range of children and young people including those with autistic spectrum
disorders (ASD) and those with mental health needs. Schools were well supported
by the new Inclusion Teams, groups of staff from a range of agencies working
together. Staff made effective use of specialist expertise such as support for
learners with sensory needs. The work of the educational psychology service had
effectively supported improvements in the experiences of both primary-aged and
secondary-aged learners, particularly those with ASD.
9
The Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking Action Team provided effective support to young
people and advised staff and families on how best to support them. The quality of
support services for children and young people with social, emotional and
behavioural needs varied between schools and was not yet consistent. Support
staff were knowledgeable about the pupils they worked with, and supported them
well. A new training programme for staff, based on an authority-wide audit of need,
was beginning to improve skills and confidence in meeting additional learning
needs. Education Department staff recognised the continued need to further raise
achievement levels for a few children and young people with additional support
needs including those with social, emotional and behavioural needs. The authority
had well-developed procedures to ensure effective identification, monitoring and
support for children and young people with additional support needs. Resources
were allocated through an effective audit of need, based on the Comhairle’s clear
Staged Intervention System. Individual schools monitored learners’ progress
through individualised educational programmes (IEPs). These IEPs were reviewed
in partnership with parents and appropriate support agencies, in line with the
Comhairle’s guidance. Learners in most schools were making good progress
towards their IEP targets, and had good opportunities to be involved in the full range
of experience including sports, creative arts and cultural activities.
Features of good practice: Provision for pupils with additional support
needs
The authority’s approaches to inclusion were well developed. Innovative
programmes had been created to support the needs of children and young people,
and maintain them within their local community.
A well-considered strategic framework was helping to deliver high quality support
to children and young people, successfully promoting their personal and social
development and achievements. Pupils with a wide range of additional support
needs benefited from in-school support systems, individualised curricula and
additional provision.
Staff from the Inclusion teams worked in partnership with other agencies to meet
the needs of individual children and young people.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk.
The Department effectively met the needs of children and young people who were
looked after and accommodated8. Partnerships with social work and the voluntary
sector were very productive. Schools effectively monitored and tracked the
attainment, progress and attendance of looked after and accommodated children.
The authority had developed a wide range of imaginative and supportive packages
to meet the needs of a number of vulnerable learners, including in-school support
systems and flexible curricular approaches.
8
The term ‘looked after’ in this report includes all children looked after or looked after and accommodated by the Council.
10
Transition arrangements for learners with additional support needs at primary and
secondary stages were well developed, providing effective support to families,
children and young people.
The Alternative Curriculum Education (ACE) programme for vulnerable young
people provided effective learning programmes including outdoor education,
independent living skills and vocational preparation. The expanding range of
qualifications available to young people whose learning had been disrupted, such as
those who attended the ACE project, included NQ provision at Access level and The
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
The numbers of pupils involved in Skills for Work programmes, and other related
National Qualification courses, had increased rapidly in recent years and significant
numbers of pupils were now involved in these programmes. These provided
learners with valuable insights into specific trades and occupations, and promoted
attitudes, skills and knowledge necessary for success at work. Lews Castle College
staff worked well with school staff to coordinate provision. There was an appropriate
range of programmes, which included engineering, construction, care, and maritime
studies. Staff had yet to ensure that all pupils moving on from S3/S4, including
those with additional support needs, had positive options for building on their Skills
for Work experience. Courses available at Higher levels were wide ranging and
relevant to the Comhairle’s stated aims. These courses included sound engineering
and production, and music performance with technology. A particular feature was
the provision for engineering, associated with the college’s growing strengths and
reputation for energy engineering, with a focus on renewable sources.
Features of good practice: Vocational education
The Comhairle had built considerable capacity in its promotion of skills for work,
enterprise and employability over many years. Partnerships were very strong and
productive, for example, achieving appropriate recognition of the Comhairle’s
specific circumstances in negotiating adjustments to National Qualification criteria.
Good practice in promoting enterprise was evident from the early years, and
sustained well from P1 to S6.
Learners had valuable experiences which contributed well to their employability,
and which provided a key, powerful influence on the wider development of
Curriculum for Excellence.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk.
The experience provided for pupils at S3/S4 was being recognised as an important
base from which students could progress to Higher National Certificate and Higher
National Diploma, and beyond. The developments in engineering provided a strong
example of effective working to ensure employment and future economic potential,
fully reflecting the Comhairle’s aims of growing its population and economy.
11
CLD staff, with the support of a range of volunteers, delivered a broad range of
learning opportunities for young people. These included detached youth work, clubs
and accredited award schemes. Young people engaged in CLD were positive about
the support they received. The Sustainable Communities Department was making
an effective contribution to the development of wider achievement with young
people in sports, arts and culture.
There were high levels of participation in after-school activities including youth clubs
provided by volunteers.
The proportion of secondary-aged learners who entered higher education was
higher than that in comparator authorities and nationally. The Department has had
some promising success in reducing the gap in attainment between the lowest
performing 20% of pupils and the highest attaining pupils. The proportion of
secondary school leavers who are not in education, employment or training was well
below that of comparator authorities and nationally.
Adult learners
Levels of participation in adult learning had increased in recent years with over
1,200 learners engaged in 150 community-based adult learning classes. Learning
Associations planned and developed effective provision with partners including
Lews Castle College and voluntary organisations. Family learning work was
developed to assist Gaelic medium education including help with Gaelic homework
workshops at a number of schools. Effective adult literacy and numeracy support
was being provided through the Community Literacy and Numeracy partnership.
Delivery of family learning and life-skills courses was having a positive impact in
improving adult learners’ life chances. Learners reported improved confidence and
skills with significant numbers reporting improvement in their ability to access
employment and other learning opportunities.
CLD staff were not yet tracking levels of progression from community-based adult
learning to other opportunities such as further and higher education, paid or
voluntary employment and training. This made it difficult for staff and partners to
measure improvements in performance or fully assess the impact of their work.
4. What impact has the authority had in meeting the needs of parents, carers
and families, staff and the wider community?
Impact on parents, carers and families
Overall, the impact of the Education Department in meeting the needs of
parents, carers and families was good. Parents were supportive of their local
schools. Most were positive about the quality of education which their
children received. A few parents felt that they did not have a sufficient role in
influencing the Department’s plans. The strategy to take forward the Scottish
Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 had been effective and almost all
12
schools had a Parent Council. A wide range of activities and services were
available to support families. There was scope to improve the involvement of
parents in their children’s learning. The Comhairle was taking steps to
develop better procedures for dealing with complaints.
Evidence from questionnaires which had been returned during school inspections
indicated that parents in primary schools were very satisfied with the work of the
Department in delivering an effective education service. Parents in focus group
interviews were mostly very positive about the work of staff in their children’s
schools.
Only around a third of Parent Councils responded to the pre-inspection survey.
Almost all agreed that the Department promoted opportunities for pupils to learn
about keeping healthy. Most felt that there were good opportunities for their children
to learn about cultural initiatives and to participate in sporting activities. Almost all
agreed that the standards of education in Eilean Siar were high. A few parents
interviewed expressed concerns about their ability to influence the Comhairle’s aims
and plans for education through consultation.
There was strong parental representation at school organised events. These
included parents’ meetings and events celebrating children’s achievements, such as
those in music and sport. The Comhairle kept parents well informed about national
initiatives. They had developed a good range of parental leaflets and DVDs
covering a range of topics. These included advocacy, mediation, the Curriculum for
Excellence, healthy eating and Gaelic medium information. Advocacy and
mediation services were available across the Comhairle area through Resolve and
the Advocacy Western Isles service. A few parents in focus groups and in written
questionnaire returns stated that the Department did not always respond quickly
enough to complaints or correspondence. The Comhairle had recognised the need
to improve, and was reviewing its communication and complaints procedures to be
more responsive to stakeholders.
With the support of the Department almost all schools had formed a Parent Council.
The Director and his senior staff kept groups of Parent Council members well
informed about the work of the Department at two discussion meetings each year.
The Department had effectively consulted parents in the implementation of the
Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004. Parents who had children
with additional support needs were very positive about their involvement in decision
making which affected their children. Individual educational psychologists took care
to ensure that parents were involved in the development of plans to support their
children. Parents of children and young people with ASD felt the advice and support
from the Educational Psychology Service was particularly helpful.
The Department had a range of successful initiatives in place to involve groups of
parents in supporting their children’s learning. These initiatives included a parental
support group for children with additional support needs, and work to support to
non-Gaelic speaking parents of children in Gaelic medium education. The
Department provided financial support to the online parental support facility through
13
the Storlann Gaelic4parents site. There was not yet an overall strategy which could
build on examples of good practice to ensure the consistent engagement of parents
in supporting their children’s learning. Parents in interviews were unclear about the
role of the Education Department in promoting children’s achievements.
Impact on staff
The impact on staff was good. In almost all sectors, staff valued the range
and quality of opportunities for continuous professional development (CPD).
Staff development opportunities had been linked well to the Department’s
priorities for learning, teaching and assessment. Effective arrangements were
in place to support newly qualified teachers. Short-term secondments to the
Comhairle’s educational development service had benefited individual staff
and had contributed to taking forward key priorities. There was scope for
more sharing of good practice between small departments in secondary
schools.
Evidence from the pre-inspection stakeholder survey indicated strong support from
most staff about the work of the authority. Responses from headteachers were
largely positive. Almost all headteachers agreed that they had access to appropriate
staff development to support improvement in their work. A high proportion believed
that the authority encouraged them to develop a systematic approach to
self-evaluation. The views of centrally-deployed staff were less positive than those
of headteachers. There was low staff morale among centrally-deployed staff as a
result of the introduction of new national job and salary structures. Staff interviewed
during the inspection had been encouraged by the Director’s plans to address their
concerns and confirmed important improvements in their morale as a result of this.
The Department had a clear and effective commitment to the development of staff.
The Department had gained ‘Investors in People’ recognition in 1998, and had
achieved this standard every year since then. Across the Department, teaching and
support staff were very positive about the range and quality of training and
development activities. A number of effective training initiatives had been
implemented which had assisted staff in developing their practice in key areas.
These had included work in AifL, developing mental strategies in mathematics, and
using enterprise activities in education. The Department had introduced a helpful
electronic system for booking training courses.
Strategies to evaluate the long-term impact of CPD were developing well. Staff
were positive about the twice-yearly opportunities to discuss and review their
professional development needs with their line-manager. QIOs made effective use
of this collated information to identify priorities for the CPD programme.
Opportunities to meet the needs of CLD staff were not systematically planned and
morale was low within this sector. Newly qualified teachers were effectively
supported by a programme of activities including pre-arrival assistance, induction
days and further training to support the Standard for Full Registration. Teachers
appreciated the bi-annual Learning Festivals organised by the Education
Department.
14
Features of good practice: Learning Festivals
On a twice yearly basis, the Education Department organised Learning Festivals
in the north and south of the islands. These Learning Festivals provided an
opportunity for all teaching staff to experience a range of high quality CPD
opportunities and included key presentations on national initiatives.
Staff benefited from a wide range of outside speakers on relevant national themes
such as Curriculum for Excellence and active learning.
More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk.
Training in child protection had been made available to all staff in the authority. Staff
development in supporting children and young people with additional support needs
was planned systematically and included training on the implications of the
Equalities Act. Short-term secondments to the Comhairle’s educational
development service, for example in science and citizenship had benefited individual
staff and had contributed to taking forward key priorities.
Staff in pre-school centres had benefited from very good training opportunities and
many of them had obtained accredited childcare qualifications. School and
pre-school centre staff valued the opportunity to be involved in Education
Department working groups, for example, to take forward Curriculum for Excellence
or cross departmental issues such as child protection or health promotion. They
were increasingly taking on responsibility for leading staff training workshops, for
example at the Learning Festivals. The authority had made an effective start to
developing the leadership capacity of its centrally-deployed staff and staff in
schools. Increasing numbers of teachers were seeking additional accreditation,
including the Scottish Qualification for Headship and the Chartered Teacher
qualification. A leadership development group had been set up, in recognition of the
need to develop leadership capacity more systematically. Plans were in place to
work in collaboration with Shetland Islands Council.
The Education Department had a productive partnership with the Local Negotiating
Committee for Teachers (LNCT). Reduction in class contact time was implemented
according to the nationally agreed timetable and in accordance with LNCT
agreement. There was a positive approach to taking forward the teachers’ working
time agreement. The working arrangements for itinerant teachers had improved as
a result of working time agreements with council officers. An audit of the
effectiveness of aspects of the LNCT agreement was carried out from December
2006 to January 2007. There were clear plans to carry out this audit every
two years.
The geography and demography of the islands presented challenges in recruiting
and retaining staff. The nature of the population distribution had resulted in many
small primary schools in which there were between one and three teachers. In such
schools, the headteachers combined their leadership roles with teaching duties and
15
staff absence cover was sometimes difficult to obtain. In order to ensure continuity
of education for pupils, the authority had found effective ways of addressing staffing
requirements, for example, through the use of recruitment agencies. In small
primary schools, the Department had initiated some shared headships. In
secondary schools, where there was only one member of staff within a subject
department, there was often a sense of isolation among staff. There was scope to
encourage greater networking of secondary teachers across the Comhairle area in
order to share good practice and consider subject-specific issues within the context
of Curriculum for Excellence.
Impact on the local community
Performance in this aspect was good. Schools had developed very positive
relationships with their communities. There was a strong, effective voluntary
sector and levels of local volunteering were very high. Community
representatives and organisations were well supported by locally based staff.
The Comhairle’s work with voluntary organisations had provided a broad
range of after school activities which extended children and young people’s
wider achievements. Relationships with service providers at local level were
very good. There was a need to improve aspects of community engagement
in community planning.
Heads of educational establishments and their staff had strong relationships with
their communities. There were high levels of parental involvement and parents
reported that they were listened to and consulted on developments at school and at
local level.
Community representatives were positive about the support they received from
community education staff.
A range of services was provided by a strong and vibrant voluntary sector. These
services included some aspects of youth work and adult learning provision including
Gaelic language and culture initiatives. There was a high level of volunteering by
local people keen to improve the quality of life in their communities. Voluntary
sector organisations received good support from the Comhairle and were engaged
effectively in partnership work at local level. Some of this engagement was
supported through Service Level Agreements and appropriately monitored. Support
to voluntary organisations had helped to extend children and young people’s wider
achievements through high levels of participation in after school activities. There
was a need to improve communication between schools and CLD providers in some
aspects of work, to maximise the benefits of local voluntary activity.
The Western Isles Youth Council received strong support from community
education. Members were effective in representing the views of young people in the
Western Isles through Area Youth Voice networks and some links to school pupil
councils. The Youth Council had campaigned on wider issues affecting young
people’s access to services including the high cost of transport.
16
They felt they had a strong voice in influencing aspects of youth services delivered
through CLD providers.
The Comhairle and its partners had taken a number of approaches to engaging
communities in community planning. These included a community appraisal using a
household survey, engagement by Lews Castle College in gathering the views of
young people, and a community assessment in South Uist. The West Side
Partnership had engaged consultants and held a development day to identify short,
medium and long term aspirations for the future of the community. Most community
representatives and community organisations were unsure of how they could
influence strategic priorities and plans.
The Community Planning Partnership’s structures had been reviewed as part of the
work done to develop the Comhairle’s Single Outcome Agreement with the Scottish
Government. These revised structures were intended to achieve improved focus
and integration. A few Comhairle staff and community representatives were not yet
clear about how these new plans would improve the engagement of communities in
wider aspects of community planning. The CLD Strategy for 2008-11 included a
number of strategic priorities related to community capacity building. Plans to
evaluate the effectiveness of community capacity building activity were unclear. The
engagement of community representatives and organisations in joint evaluations
with the Education Department was limited.
Impact on the wider community
The Department’s impact on the wider community was good. The Department
had developed a range of links at national and international level. Staff had
been involved in a number of international initiatives at pre-school level
involving practitioners from the Scandinavian countries. Close links had been
formed with Canada to promote cultural links and highlight the role of
migrants in shaping the musical traditions and heritage of areas such as Nova
Scotia. Officers of the authority have actively contributed to a number of
national developments such as Determined to Succeed and GLOW. The
impact of the Comhairle in promoting Gaelic Medium education has been used
by Bord na Gaidhlig as an example of best practice.
The Department had developed good links at national and international level.
Senior officials and school staff took an active role in national developments such as
the development of GLOW and the implementation of the AifL initiative, particularly
in primary schools. Officers of the authority had contributed to policy development
at a national level. They had participated in policy development in key areas such
as Determined to Succeed, the CLD Review Group for Gaelic, and the Management
Review Group for Gaelic Education.
Pre-school staff had worked effectively with practitioners from Scandinavian
countries with a view to sharing best practice and to improve the quality of
pre-school provision. The Department and schools had established links with
schools and authorities in Canada as part of the work on highlighting and promoting
17
the shared culture and traditions of Eilean Siar. Schools had contributed to national
developments such as enterprise education and health promotion. Young people
from across the authority had raised funds for a variety of charitable causes. The
Department had worked closely with other education authorities to identify shared
issues, discuss examples of good practice and introduce new initiatives. The
Department’s approach to the promotion and support of Gaelic Medium education
by leading inter-agency initiatives has been identified by Bord na Gaidhlig as an
example of best practice.
Senior staff represented the Inter-Authority Management Review Group in
negotiating with Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) and the Scottish
Government in providing Gaelic courses as part of SCHOLAR, an on-line service to
support subject study in the upper stages of secondary schools. QIOs and school
staff had worked closely with LTS staff to develop key aspects of the curriculum and
to respond to the challenges of implementing Curriculum for Excellence across all
pre-school centres and schools.
5. How well is the authority led?
Vision, values and aims
The Department’s vision, values and aims were good overall. They were
appropriately focused on national priorities and articulated well with the
Comhairle’s wider vision and plans. The Director and his senior management
team had effectively ensured that most stakeholders were aware of their
vision for education. The Department had not yet been successful in securing
the support of all elected members for its vision. Staff in educational
establishments showed a strong commitment to fulfilling the Department’s
aims. The Department had promoted an effective focus on inclusion and
promoting achievement for all. There were clear plans to review the vision,
values and aims to take account of recent changes.
The Director of Education and his senior management team had worked well with
staff and other stakeholders in drawing up the authority’s vision statement Ag Amas
air Adhartas- Aiming for Advancement. The Department’s stated aims and values
took account of national priorities and included a commitment to the principles of
Best Value and continuous improvement. The statement of aims set high but
achievable aspirations and was well focused on the inclusion of all learners. The
department’s vision, values and aims articulated well with priorities set out in the
Comhairle’s Single Outcome Agreement and were effectively reflected in the
Department’s Business Plan for 2008-2011.
The Department had promoted its vision well to most stakeholders through a range
of effective methods including posters and leaflets. The Chief Executive and the
Chair of the Education and Children’s Services Committee showed an effective
commitment to the fulfilment of the Department’s vision values and aims.
Department staff had not been consistently successful in ensuring that all elected
18
members shared their vision for the effective education of children and young
people. Staff in educational establishments showed a good awareness of the
Department’s vision values and aims, and understood their roles and responsibilities
in implementing them. Children and young people, including those with additional
support needs, had benefited from staff’s strong commitment to raising achievement
for all. A new CLD strategy had recently been agreed. CLD staff were not yet fully
aware of the overall vision for improving the achievements of children and young
people.
Staff in educational establishments had responded well to the Department’s aim to
promote positive attitudes to social and cultural diversity. Evidence from school
inspections showed a strong picture of staff’s success in ensuring that all children
and young people were treated equally and fairly. The Department’s commitment to
inclusion was reflected in a range of areas, including work with disaffected young
people and those for whom English was an additional language. Staff in educational
establishments worked well with other agencies, including youth workers, volunteers
and the police to build young people’s confidence and aspirations for achievement.
The Department had clear plans to review its vision, values and aims to take
account of the recently introduced Learning Communities.
Leadership and direction
Strengths in the quality of leadership and direction just outweighed
weaknesses. The Director of Education was held in high regard by senior
staff and headteachers who recognised his commitment to improving the
quality of education for all learners. Headteachers had been actively involved
in identifying and agreeing the improvement priorities in the new Business
Plan. The pace of implementation for major initiatives had been affected by a
lack of consensus on the part of elected members. Key developments such
as the introduction of the Learning Communities and the rationalisation of the
schools estate had taken too long.
The experienced Director of Education showed a high level of commitment to
improving the work of the Department. In recent years, he had successfully
developed the role of the QIOs, to enhance the level of support and challenge to
schools. In the pre-inspection survey, almost all headteachers agreed that the
Director and his senior management team showed a high level of commitment to
improving the quality of education and that QIOs provided well-judged support to
schools. Almost all headteachers agreed that the Department had led the
development of a systematic approach to self-evaluation. Most headteachers felt
that the Department was well led. Around a fifth of headteachers did not agree that
elected members demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the quality of
education. The work of the Director and his team was effectively supported by the
Chief Executive, who had been active in moving forward helpful plans, including
those for the future integration of the Education Department into the wider Education
and Children’s Services Department. The chair of the Education and Children’s
Service Committee had provided effective support to the Director and his staff,
particularly in taking forward the rationalisation of the schools estate.
19
Since 2003, the Director of Education and his senior management team, working
with nationally recognised experts in the relevant areas, had been active in
proposing and directing important new initiatives within Eilean Siar. These initiatives
included plans to rationalise the schools estate and to establish Learning
Communities across the Comhairle. A number of factors, including an extensive
consultation period at Comhairle level, the time taken to agree the key issues at
working party level and a lack of consensus on the part of elected members had
delayed the implementation of these plans. The principals of the Learning
Communities had only just taken up post at the time of the inspection in September
2008. Following considerable public consultation, elected members had found
difficulty in reaching agreement on the management of the schools estate and the
future of secondary departments within P1-S2 schools. Clear proposals agreed by
the Education and Children’s Services Committee had not been agreed by the full
Comhairle. Proposals agreed early in 2008 for the closure of secondary
departments had later been changed, with consequent disruption to learners’
experiences.
A clear decision had now been taken by elected members to rationalise and improve
the schools estate. The Schools Estate Management Plan acknowledged that the
existing budget for the repair and maintenance of the schools estate was not
sufficiently high. Elected members had approved the Western Isles Schools Project
which will provide a significant number of new or renovated schools. Elected
members recently approved a decision to close the secondary departments in
seven P1-S2 schools. Following considerable debate at council level, the transfer of
pupils was delayed until 2011 or until the completion of the new Nicolson Institute.
This decision had significant financial implications and presented a major funding
challenge for the Comhairle.
The budget setting process within the Comhairle was well established and recent
steps had been taken to ensure that resources were directed towards key priority
areas. The Education Department had a good record of maintaining annual
expenditure within approved budgets. Senior managers participated fully in the
budget setting process and provided regular budget monitoring reports to
committee. The three year strategic Business Plan for the Education Department
set out clear links to the Comhairle’s Corporate Strategy. These were closely
aligned to the strategic objectives of the Scottish Government and to the national
outcomes. The Business Plan set out key improvement priorities and was used by
schools to inform their improvement plans. Departmental strategies, policies and
plans were subject to working group development and broad consultation. Schools
had been involved in evaluating the impact of the previous Business Plan and
headteachers had been actively involved in identifying and agreeing the
improvement priorities in the new plan. Recent key developments included the
Parental Inclusion Strategy, the Integrated Early Years Strategy, the Inclusion Policy
and the Children’s Services Plan.
Elected members were represented on a number of groups across Eilean Siar.
They had regular involvement with Parent Councils and attended Community
Councils in their area.
20
There was further scope for elected members to improve their level of
communication with key stakeholders, particularly voluntary groups and young
people.
The Comhairle had established a risk management policy and a risk management
framework. A strategic risk management group had been set up to develop a
common approach to risk management. The corporate strategic risk register was in
place and was supported by risk registers at departmental level. The Education
Department maintained and regularly updated its own risk register, and was an
active participant in the Strategic Risk Management Group of the Comhairle.
Succession planning has been identified as an issue. There was still no formal
succession planning strategy within the Comhairle. However, a number of steps
had been taken to address problems related to succession planning such as the
strategy for shared headship and the arrangements for leading the new Learning
Communities. A number of staff had taken part in leadership training in line with the
Scottish Qualification for Headship.
Leadership of people and partnerships
Performance in this area was good overall. The Director and his senior
management team had taken a clear lead in further developing the work of
staff in pre-school centres and schools. Heads of Service and QIO worked
effectively to develop staff’s skills. There were strong examples of
partnership working in a number of programmes and initiatives. The
introduction of the Learning Communities had the potential to further improve
partnership working. Further work was needed to improve communication
and planning between departments of the Comhairle in order to achieve the
best outcomes for learners.
The Department’s Business Plan set out clearly and effectively how staff were to
take forward local priorities in education and how these priorities fitted into the
national performance framework. The plan was closely aligned to the Comhairle’s
corporate plan and the aspirations of the Community Planning Partnership. The
Director and his senior management team had taken an effective lead in activities to
bring about improvements in staff’s work in schools and pre-school centres. All
members of the senior team were actively involved in planning for continuous
improvement, including the development and delivery of Learning Communities.
QIOs performed a strong role and provided effective support and challenge to assist
staff in schools to develop appropriate skills. They worked well as a team to share
their skills and linked effectively with Heads of Service. The Department had
introduced leadership development programmes, including a helpful leadership skills
programme at The Nicolson Institute which involved both staff and learners as part
of their work as a School of Ambition. Schools had effectively developed pupils’
leadership skills through well judged use of pupil councils.
There were some very effective examples of children, young people and adults
benefiting from the work of a range of partnership groups. The Vocational Strategy
Group demonstrated a good understanding of the strategic challenges facing Eilean
21
Siar and was taking forward a range of skills development programmes to address
economic development and employment priorities. Effective partnership working in
aspects of arts, culture, sport and health had widened opportunities for learners’
achievement. The Comhairle had a developed productive partnership with Lews
Castle College. This had assisted the expansion in Skills for Work provision in
schools and in adult learning opportunities through CLD.
The Learning Communities model had the potential to provide a strong basis for
developing teamwork and partnerships. The post of Learning Community Principal
was well focused on bringing together staff in a range of partnership agencies to
work together to benefit children and young people. There was consensus over the
continued need to develop a stronger corporate approach involving other Comhairle
departments and community planning partners. There remained a need to ensure
that all staff and organisations at operational level were clear about their potential
roles in the work of Learning Communities.
The Comhairle was undertaking an extensive reconfiguration of departmental
structures. As part of these developments there had been changes in the
arrangements for consulting with partner groups. A number of stakeholders who
had formerly been involved in developments were unsure about how the present
structures enabled their continued engagement in partnership planning and delivery.
The Education Department and the Sustainable Communities Department were
beginning to work more closely together at both strategic and operational levels in
order to achieve the best outcomes for learners. More remained to be done to
ensure effective partnership working.
Leadership of change and improvement
Leadership of change and improvement was good. Since the inspection in
2003, the Department had taken significant steps to bring about valuable
changes and build capacity for improvement. The Director and his senior
management team had played a leading role in taking forward these changes.
The Department had effective systems for ensuring the quality of provision in
educational establishments. These involved QIOs and Link Officers working
well with staff in pre-school centres and schools. There were examples of
effective practice in all sectors.
Since the inspection report published in January 2003, the Department had
significantly improved the quality and effectiveness of its support and challenge to
schools and pre-school centres. The Director and members of his senior
management team were appropriately and effectively involved in bringing about
improvements to benefit children and young people. The network of QIOs and Link
Officers worked closely with a range of educational establishments and offered good
support to staff in assisting them to improve provision for children and young people.
Link officers regularly visited pre-school centres to discuss practice and offer helpful
support and challenge. The Department had produced a range of effective policies
and advice for pre-school centres and schools.
22
Members of the senior management team and the relevant QIO visited schools as
part of a shared and agreed programme of assisted self-evaluations. These quality
assurance visits were appropriately supportive and rigorous, and identified each
establishment’s strengths and areas for possible improvement. The Department
knew its schools well and pre-inspection reports were mostly accurate and helpful.
The Director and his senior management team had put in place a robust and helpful
system for analysing pupils’ attainment. This included the use of standardised test
results to enable school staff and QIOs to focus appropriately on the progress of
groups of pupils and individuals. QIOs made effective use of a range of data collect
by the Department, including SQA attainment results, to discuss with schools how to
improve pupils’ attainment. There was scope for improvement in the use of data to
identify and share the good practice of strongly performing departments in
secondary schools.
Staff in educational establishments had responded well to the Department’s greater
sense of purpose and direction in the leadership of change and improvement.
There were examples of strong and effective practice in all sectors. Authority staff
had brought about significant improvements in how they met the needs of children
and young people with additional support needs. Across the sectors, most children
and young people were achieving well and developing as successful learners and
responsible citizens. The delay in introducing proposed changes such as the
improvement of the schools estate had had a negative impact on some learners’
experiences. Changes such as the Learning Community initiative had only recently
been implemented and had not yet had time to bring about improvements in the
Department’s provision for children and young people.
6. What is the Council’s capacity for improvement?
The Education Department had shown a clear capacity for improvement, and the
work of the Department had improved significantly since the inspection of January
2003. The Director and his senior management team had provided a range of
helpful policy guidance and advice for schools and had developed more rigorous
systems for analysing data on schools’ performance. QIOs and Link Officers were
now effectively supporting and challenging pre-school centres and schools.
Attainment and achievement at all levels had improved or had been maintained at a
good level. The support for pupils with additional support needs was now well
organised and more effective. Children and young people were achieving well in a
range of areas.
These improvements had been driven forward by the Director and his team, with the
support of the Chief Executive and the Chair of the Education and Children’s
Services Committee. The implementation of some significant changes had been
delayed due to a lack of clear consensus and direction from elected members. The
introduction of Learning Communities and the implementation of the Western Isles
Schools Project, first proposed in 2004, had now been agreed, but had not yet
benefited learners.
23
In future, the Comhairle faces a number of important challenges, including the
introduction of new structures and the financial consequences of decisions
regarding the schools estate. Influential senior staff, such as the Director of
Education, were due to retire shortly. There will thus be a need for increased
consensus and improved strategic direction from elected members in responding to
future circumstances and building on the clear improvements brought about by the
Education Department since 2003.
24
Key strengths

Well judged leadership of the Director of Education and the effectiveness of the
senior management team and QIO, in improving outcomes for children and
young people.

The impact of the extensive volunteer network in supporting and improving local
communities.

Pupils’ strong performance in Scottish Qualification Authority examinations at S6.

The wide range of effective provision for pupils with additional support needs.

The effective promotion of Gaelic language, heritage and culture.
Main points for action

Continue to improve communication with parents to involve them more in their
children’s learning.

Strengthen partnership working between staff in the Education Department and
staff in the Sustainable Communities Department to ensure effective continuity
and progression in learning for children, young people and adults.

Improve aspects of the Comhairle’s strategic and political leadership and
direction to ensure that the needs of all learners are met effectively.
The authority has been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how it will
address the main findings of the report. As part of continuing work with the authority
HMIE will monitor the authority’s progress in bringing about improvements. In
particular HMIE will monitor the impact of changes to the schools estate.
Annette Bruton
HM Chief Inspector
Directorate 5
3 February 2009
25
Appendix 1
Quality indicators
Quality indicator9
Improvements in performance
Impact on learners
Impact on parents/carers and families
Impact on staff
Impact on the local community
Impact on the wider community
Vision, values and aims
Leadership and direction
Developing people and partnerships
Leadership of change and improvement
Evaluation
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Good
Satisfactory
Good
Good
Note:
The quality scale used in inspections is indicated below. Further details are
provided on the inside cover of this report.
Old level
Very good
9
Good
New level
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Weak
Unsatisfactory
Description
Outstanding, sector leading
Major strengths
Important strengths with some areas for
improvement
Strengths just outweigh weaknesses
Important weaknesses
Major weaknesses
The indicators in this list are evaluated in all inspections.
26
Appendix 2
Performance Information
Attendance
Table A.1: Percentage Attendance
Primary:
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
95.7
95.1
95.6
CA Average
95.9
95.6
95.5
National
95.0
95.0
94.5
Secondary:
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
91.8
92.0
90.5
CA Average
91.8
92.0
89.4
National
90.1
90.5
87.5
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
73.9
73.9
69.9
CA Average
65.3
68.1
68.2
National
63.8
65.0
65.0
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
36
39
37
CA Average
29
30
29
National
31
30
30
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
21
20
17
CA Average
22
23
22
National
21
23
23
Training:
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
5
5
5
CA Average
3
3
2
National
5
5
5
Staying on Rate
Table A.2: Percentage of pupils staying on to S5 (Post Christmas)
Pupil Destinations
Table A.3: Percentage of pupils entering each destination
Higher Education:
Further Education:
27
Employment:
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
33
26
36
CA Average
31
31
35
National
27
26
28
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
3
6
4
CA Average
7
8
8
National
10
11
11
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
1
4
1
CA Average
4
3
2
National
3
2
1
2005
2006
2007
Eilean Siar
1
0
0
CA Average
4
2
1
National
3
2
1
Unemployed and seeking employment or
training:
Unemployed and not seeking employment or
training:
Destination unknown:
Exclusions
Table A.4: Total number of exclusions and exclusions per 1,000 population
Primary:
Eilean Siar
2005
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
8
4
5
2
9
4
9
5,319
Secondary:
Eilean Siar
28
13
10
5,779
2005
15
10
6,018
2006
16
2007
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
Total
Per 1,000
44
23
68
36
86
46
CA Average
National
2007
Total
CA Average
National
2006
58
35,513
112
54
36,136
115
60
37,566
120
SQA Attainment
Table A.5: Results in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels
Level 7: Advanced Higher at A-C/CSYS at A-C
Level 6: Higher at A-C
Level 5: Intermediate 2 at A-C; Standard Grade at 1-2
Level 4: Intermediate 1 at A-C; Standard Grade at 3-4
Level 3: Access 3 Cluster; Standard Grade at 5-6
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S4
English at Level 3 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
94.7
94.4
95.4
95.7
96.0
CA Average
94.4
94.9
95.0
94.5
93.6
National
93.7
93.6
94.0
94.0
93.9
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
97.0
93.3
95.4
94.8
96.0
CA Average
94.2
94.1
94.7
95.3
94.0
National
92.5
92.1
92.9
93.4
93.7
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
92.0
89.6
93.0
91.6
92.6
CA Average
92.4
92.0
91.8
92.8
90.6
National
90.8
90.2
90.7
90.6
90.5
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
82.2
80.1
83.0
78.3
77.7
CA Average
81.5
80.2
80.8
81.5
78.9
National
76.6
76.1
76.8
75.6
75.7
Mathematics at Level 3 or better
5 + at Level 3 or better
5 + at Level 4 or better
29
5 + at Level 5 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
41.4
38.8
47.4
36.4
38.6
CA Average
38.3
37.5
38.0
36.9
36.9
National
34.6
34.2
34.8
33.1
33.8
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S5
3 + at Level 6 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
27.0
28.3
25.8
31.0
26.3
CA Average
25.1
25.1
24.0
23.4
23.8
National
22.7
22.7
21.7
22.1
21.9
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
6.0
10.5
10.1
13.5
8.7
CA Average
10.0
10.6
10.6
10.1
9.8
National
9.4
9.9
9.7
9.7
9.5
5 + at Level 6 or better
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by the end of S6
English and Mathematics at Level 3 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
91.9
94.0
94.7
92.4
95.4
CA Average
94.1
93.1
93.4
93.3
93.9
National
91.6
91.8
91.7
91.4
92.3
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
93.8
93.8
93.7
90.4
94.1
CA Average
93.8
92.8
93.4
92.8
92.8
National
91.3
91.2
91.4
90.8
91.3
5 + at Level 3 or better
30
5 + at Level 4 or better
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
89.4
86.9
84.7
83.1
86.3
CA Average
83.9
82.6
83.3
82.2
83.1
National
78.6
78.4
78.5
78.3
79.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
65.3
63.1
60.2
62.4
63.9
CA Average
53.0
51.7
51.7
51.1
52.4
National
47.2
47.1
47.6
47.2
47.9
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
60.5
59.1
55.9
57.3
57.7
CA Average
48.7
47.5
46.6
45.8
47.2
National
43.5
43.1
43.0
42.5
43.0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
38.7
39.5
40.1
39.6
40.2
CA Average
35.0
33.7
32.4
32.0
32.8
National
30.6
30.1
30.0
29.4
29.8
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
21.8
20.5
27.1
24.7
27.2
CA Average
22.8
22.1
22.0
21.3
21.2
National
19.6
19.4
19.7
19.2
19.4
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Eilean Siar
12.3
10.8
15.0
15.2
19.4
CA Average
14.0
14.0
14.0
13.4
13.7
National
12.3
12.1
12.5
12.2
12.3
5 + at Level 5 or better
1 + at Level 6 or better
3+ at Level 6 or better
5+ at Level 6 or better
1+ at Level 7 or better
31
Notes
(1) CA average denotes comparator authority average.
(2) Comparator authorities for Western Isles include:
Comparators
Orkney Islands
Moray
Highland
Scottish Borders
Angus
Rating
****
****
****
****
***
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Close
(3) Caution should be exercised when making comparisons with comparator authority
averages if there are a number of authorities that are not extremely or very close.
32
How can you contact us?
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the Chief Executive of the local authority,
elected members, the Director of Education, other local authority officers,
Members of the Scottish Parliament, Audit Scotland, heads of the local authority
educational establishments, chairpersons of the local authority Parent Councils
and to other relevant individuals and agencies. Subject to availability, further
copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education,
Directorate 5, Denholm House, Almondvale Business park, Almondvale Way,
Livingston EH54 6GA or by telephoning 01506 600256. Copies are also
available on our website www.hmie.gov.uk.
HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of education authority inspections
you should write in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, at HM
Inspectorate of Education, Europa Building, 450 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8LG
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to
our Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications
Team, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale
Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA. You can also e-mail
HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints procedure is
available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 or from our website at
www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our
complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public
Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers
to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You
should write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also
telephone 0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk.
More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the
website: www.spso.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2009
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.
33