HM Inspectors of Schools
Follow-up to the Inspection of Computing, Physical
Education and Science and Biology
Dalkeith High School
Midlothian Council
Main points for action
1.
The deficiencies identified in accommodation should be addressed.
The school and education authority had made good progress with this
recommendation.
The education authority had decided to relocate the school in a new building, and
plans were being prepared. In the interim, two large rooms had been refurbished
and equipped for the teaching of computing and a science staff base had been
provided. Action had been taken to improve safety on the walk from the upstairs
changing room to the swimming pool. The authority also had plans to provide
new changing facilities.
2.
The computing department’s computer systems should be replaced and resources
for information technology in the sciences need to be improved.
The school had met this recommendation.
The computing department was fully equipped with modern computers. New
computers and associated equipment had been provided for science.
3.
The school and the departments inspected should act on the individual
recommendations on courses and on learning and teaching.
The school had made good progress with most aspects of this recommendation.
A new principal teacher of computing and information technology had been
appointed since the inspection and computing courses had been redesigned.
Courses in physical education now incorporated a wider range of activities.
Members of the science department had revised the S1/S2 science course. New
features included well produced modern resources for some units, more
problem-solving and investigative work, and home projects. Staff were planning
further changes to take more account of science in primary schools. Some steps
had been taken to improve courses and learning and teaching in biology. These
included the introduction of new Higher and Intermediate level courses in S5/S6
and a reduction in time spent copying information from the board. The biology
department should continue to review and improve learning and teaching in order
to raise standards of attainment.
2
4.
Improved teamwork in the sciences should be a departmental priority and staff
should investigate why the uptake of the separate sciences from S3 to S6 is low.
The school had made fair progress with this recommendation.
To enable better teamwork, the school had provided a staff base and a timetabled
weekly meeting of science teachers. Overall teamwork was improving, but the
principal teacher of biology should make a greater contribution to the work of the
science departmental team. Staff had considered the uptake in the sciences and
had produced attractive information leaflets to encourage more pupils to chose to
study more science subjects in S3/S4.
5.
The departmental plans for biology and computing should be revised to ensure
that targets focus on improving teaching, learning and attainment.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this recommendation.
Staff had revised departmental plans. The biology plan included tasks which
aimed to improve attainment. These related to the introduction of new courses
and assessment. The computing plan gave good attention to improving learning
and teaching. Success criteria should refer more specifically to the impact on
attainment.
6.
Senior management should establish more effective arrangements for monitoring
and evaluating the work of departments, including clear guidance on their liaison
roles.
The school was making good progress towards meeting this recommendation.
The headteacher held review meetings with each head of department and the role
of other members of the senior management team had been clarified. The school
should continue to develop its quality assurance procedures.
7.
More effective arrangements for staff development should be put in place in
computing and the sciences.
The school had made good progress with this recommendation.
Steps had been taken to identify staff development needs, particularly in relation
to the school’s priorities of developing approaches to learning and teaching and
supporting pupils experiencing learning difficulties. The school had made
improvements in the arrangements for meeting these needs, for example through
more effective departmental meetings.
Overall the school and education authority have made good progress towards
meeting the main points for action. However, the school and education authority
require to continue to take steps to ensure further progress in some areas.