Inspection of the learning community
surrounding Fraserburgh Academy
Aberdeenshire Council
11 March 2014
Transforming lives through learning
1. Context
Community learning and development (CLD) partners within the area of Fraserburgh
Academy were inspected by Education Scotland during January 2014. During the
visit Education Scotland staff talked to children, young people and adults. We
worked closely with local CLD managers, CLD providers, partners, paid staff and
volunteers. We wanted to find out how well partners are improving the life chances
of people living in the community through learning, building stronger more resilient
communities and improving the quality of services and provision. We also looked at
how well, paid staff and volunteers are developing their own practices and how well
partners, including schools are working together. We looked at some particular
aspects of recent work which were identified by partners including:
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taking forward the development of the Local Learning Partnership with a
particular focus on data sharing and planning arrangements;
strengthening the developing partnership approach with Fraserburgh Academy
to embed a targeted approach involving CLD and the school; and
ensuring momentum is not lost following significant local facility investment and
development in the community, including how to best sustain and grow
community involvement.
2. How well are partners improving learning, increasing life chances,
promoting and securing wellbeing?
Learning community partners contribute well to improving learning, increasing life
chances and promoting and securing wellbeing. Their work results in important
outcomes including contributing to progress in social and economic regeneration,
supporting families affected by substance misuse, increasing levels of physical
activity and improving employability.
Participation in physical activity is increasing. The establishment of the new and
attractive Fraserburgh Community and Sports Centre has contributed to increasing
numbers taking part in swimming and other sports. Centre managers are effective in
analysing data on membership revealing good levels of participation from targeted
neighbourhoods facing economic and social disadvantage. Increasing numbers of
primary school children are benefiting from an effective Active Schools programme.
Local community sports clubs are working well together through the Fraserburgh
Sports Hub to increase the range and quality of opportunities in the area.
Families and individuals affected by drug and alcohol use benefit from targeted
support. The Kinship Care group provides an important source of support for
grandparents and other carers. Participants have identified an increased demand for
support to meet the needs of more potential members. PITSTOP (Promoting
Independence Through Support Trust Opportunities Progression) provides an
effective supported housing service for people who are homeless and experience
problematic drug or alcohol use.
A number of youth work opportunities support young people to develop and achieve
well. Young people involved in theatre and music and dance projects are gaining
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important skills in teamwork, working better in school and improving confidence.
Participants gain Dynamic Youth Awards and Youth Achievement Awards.
Partnership working between Westfield School and Arts Development has enabled a
group of young people with additional support needs to develop confidence and skills
in art and creativity. The Friday night youth drop-in provides a safe place for young
people to spend time and try new activities. The Look Good, Feel Good group helps
young women with additional support needs in Fraserburgh Academy to explore
issues including bullying and health and wellbeing. A few young people taking part
have completed Dynamic Youth Awards and progressed to other community based
activities.
Overall, although partners are able to report percentage increases in some youth
award programmes, numbers achieving accreditation are low. A more focused
approach to assessing and recognising skills gained through youth work is needed.
A more effective approach to Curriculum for Excellence could be supported by a
better overview of young people’s achievement amongst all partners, including
Fraserburgh Academy.
A range of provision is focused on improving employability, including the job club at
the Foyer Learning House and through Café Connect through which learners gain
computer and catering skills, and qualifications. Young adults in the Prince’s Trust
programme are gaining important skills for life, such as first aid and food hygiene.
Staff are well informed of individuals progress through effective tracking procedures.
Suited, Booted, Recruited is an effective programme supporting adults to gain skills
and employment experiences. Participants are highly positive about the benefits
gained. A few have made very strong progress in employment as a result.
English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) learners attending North-East
College provision receive effective support and make strong progress. Literacies
and ESOL learners in other aspects of provision benefit from an inclusive and
supportive environment. Learners in CLD service provision could be enabled to
make better progress through a stronger focus on assessment of core skills gained
and a clearer approach to setting challenging learning goals.
In important areas of activity partners do not yet have sufficient evidence to fully
evaluate their overall performance. A more consistent approach to setting clear
aims, objectives and targets is needed to accurately measure progress. Although
work is taking place to introduce better management information systems,
information on trends in performance over time is as yet incomplete and limited in
important aspects of work.
The impact of work on the community is very good, with aspects of excellence.
Local voluntary groups and organisations play a strong role in securing local
improvements. Volunteers and active community members are highly committed,
skilled, well informed and well connected to partnerships. Fraserburgh Development
Trust Ltd provides an outstanding example of community achievement. The Trust
has successfully established premises in the High Street from a semi derelict site
resulting in the creation of a multi-agency hub providing services for health, advice
and employment. Through partnership with Fraserburgh Forward Business
Association and with support from the Town Centre Regeneration fund. The Trust
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has established a regular programme of successful ‘Super Saturday’ events in
Fraserburgh High Street involving retail traders and others in improving the town’s
image. Many of the Trusts 235 members volunteer to assist in the Super Saturday
and other events. Thematic events have celebrated the town’s fishing and farming
heritage. The recent establishment of a walking group resulted in 264 people getting
involved, including families from migrant communities. Recently, the Trust has
successfully taken over a well-established local bakery in New Pitsligo resulting in
securing local jobs. This is a major community benefit in a small rural village.
Through support and advice from Social Firms Scotland, the Trust has developed
ambitious plans to modernise facilities and develop the business and is in the
process of raising funds to achieve objectives.
A number of well supported local groups and organisations make a strong
contribution to the learning and development opportunities. Rosehearty Action
Group raised sufficient funding to pay for the installation of play equipment in a local
play park. The Sports Hub is highly effective in successfully establishing a network
of support amongst local sports clubs resulting in enhanced skills development and
provision and a stronger level of local influence on service provision. Fraserburgh
Initiative for Swimming, Sport and Health (FISSH) has been influential in the
development of a sculpture and poolside artwork in the new Sports and Community
Centre. They successfully engaged local businesses to attract funding for the
project.
Members of community groups are confident about the improvements they can
achieve and are growing more optimistic about the town’s regeneration. In making
their contribution they could be supported by a stronger and clearer local vision
statement for Fraserburgh amongst partners. Young people’s voice in influencing
developments could be better supported.
3. How well are partners working together and improving the quality of
services and provision?
Aberdeenshire Council is setting a very clear strategic direction for the CLD service
and a more focused set of thematic priorities. This is resulting in early improvement
to clarity of purpose and partnership communication. The Fraserburgh Learning
Partnership has recently been formed to improve shared partnership planning and
self-evaluation in the learning community. The broad range of partner organisations
demonstrate a very strong willingness to work together and share a strong ethos and
support for partnership working. Effective partnership work in regeneration is
supported by good analysis of need and a clear action plan. Business planning in
local community groups is effective.
Multi-agency training for staff and volunteers is well supported and focused on
building capacity for improvement. Training in the use of a number of nationally
recognised planning and evaluation frameworks is beginning to improve the capacity
of CLD staff and volunteers to better plan their work. Fraserburgh Academy has
achieved management and leadership stability following a period of change,
resulting in a renewed commitment to working with partners.
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Overall, partners have made good progress in developing their capacity to work
effectively together and improve services. In continuing to build on progress made
there is a need to ensure that all staff consistently set clear aims, objectives and
targets in their work to enable accurate evaluation of progress. Partnership working
and communication between Fraserburgh Academy, North East College, local
employers and the CLD service could be developed further to enhance the range of
opportunities for young people to develop skills for learning, life and work.
This inspection of learning and development in the learning community surrounding
Fraserburgh Academy found the following key strengths.
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Highly committed and skilled volunteer community members.
Strong culture and ethos to work in partnership to improve the local community.
Focus on physical and social regeneration targeted at those most in need.
Partners are developing a clearer sense of direction together.
We discussed with partners how they might continue to improve their work. This is
what we agreed with them.
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Improve collection and analysis of data to inform improvement planning.
Continue to develop the local learning partnership as planned.
4. What happens at the end of the inspection?
We are satisfied with the overall quality of provision. We are confident that the
learning community’s self-evaluation processes are leading to improvements. As a
result, we will make no further evaluative visits in connection with this inspection.
During the inspection, we identified an aspect of innovative practice which we would
like to explore further. As a result we will work with the learning community and
Aberdeenshire Council in order to record and share more widely the innovative
practice.
Peter Hamilton
HM Inspector
11 March 2014
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Additional inspection evidence, such as details of the quality indicator evaluations,
for this learning community can be found on the Education Scotland website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/othersectors/com
munitylearninganddevelopment/FraserburghAcademyLCAberdeenshire.asp.
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a
translation you can contact the administration team on 01506 600381.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact
us by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail:
complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to us, addressing your letter to
The Complaints Manager, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Livingston,
EH54 6GA.
Text phone users can contact us on 01506 600 236. This is a service for deaf users.
Please do not use this number for voice calls as the line will not connect you to a
member of staff.
Crown Copyright 2014
Education Scotland
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