Perth Grammar School Perth and Kinross Council 17 June 2008 Contents Page 1. Background 1 2. Key strengths 1 3. How well does the school raise achievement for all? 1 4. How good is the environment for learning? 7 5. Leading and improving the school 9 Appendix 1 Indicators of quality 11 Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses 12 Appendix 3 Performance in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications 14 How can you contact us? 16 1. Background Perth Grammar School was inspected in March 2008 as part of a national sample of secondary education. The inspection covered key aspects of the school’s work at all stages. HM Inspectors evaluated how well the school was raising achievement for all pupils, taking into account the extent to which pupils’ learning needs were met by the curriculum and teaching. They analysed pupils’ achievement in national examinations (see Appendix 3) and other areas, the school’s processes for self-evaluation and innovation, and its overall effectiveness and capacity for improvement. HM Inspectors focused particularly on English, mathematics, modern languages, and physical education. The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school’s progress in implementing national recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision. HM Inspectors observed teaching, learning and achievement in lessons and other contexts and examined pupils’ work. They analysed responses to questionnaires 1 issued to a sample of parents 2 and pupils and to all staff. They interviewed groups of pupils, including representatives of the pupil councils, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the Parent Council and a group of parents. Perth Grammar School is a non-denominational school serving the north of Perth and a surrounding rural area. At the time of the inspection, the roll was 1005. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals was below the national average. Pupils’ attendance was well below the national average. 2. Key strengths HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths. • Large numbers of hard-working and cooperative pupils. • Staff involvement in school improvement. • Inclusive approaches to provision for particularly vulnerable learners. • Active development of pupils’ personal and social skills. • The contribution of the headteacher to promoting a positive climate for learning. 3. How well does the school raise achievement for all? To evaluate how well the school was raising achievement for all, HM Inspectors considered the extent to which the learning needs of all pupils were met through the curriculum and 1 See Appendix 2 Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends. 2 1 teaching. They evaluated the impact of the school on the learning and personal development of all pupils in lessons and in other, broader contexts. They also considered pupils’ achievement in examinations and other areas, and the school’s overall success in sustaining improvements in performance. Curriculum The quality of the curriculum was good overall. Recent improvements had helped match provision better to pupils’ needs. Pupils could choose from an increased number of vocationally relevant courses delivered in school and at Perth College. Teachers had begun to consult pupils about further proposed changes to the curriculum. Particular features of the curriculum included the following. • S1/S2 pupils studied a suitable range of subjects. However, these did not build enough on pupils’ prior learning. • From S2, pupils followed courses in English and modern languages leading to early presentation for external examinations in S3. • From S1 to S6, pupils had a balanced physical education programme of around two hours per week. In S5/S6, the programme was run jointly with senior pupils and staff from the neighbouring St Columba’s RC High School. • Pupils at all stages benefited from a well-planned personal and social education (PSE) programme. There was appropriate provision for religious and moral education from S1 to S4 but not yet at S5/S6. • From S3 to S6, pupils had a suitable range of course choices at Access, Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 levels which helped build on pupils’ prior attainment. • Increasingly across the school pupils had motivating opportunities to develop their enterprise skills. • Partnership with St Columba’s RC High School had widened senior pupils’ choice of subjects at Higher and Advanced Higher. Teaching and meeting learning needs The overall quality of teaching was good. The school had enhanced the quality of teaching and learning through the introduction of approaches based on the national initiative Assessment is for Learning. Teachers created a positive learning environment in almost all lessons. They planned their lessons well and gave clear instructions and explanations. In several lessons, teachers used questioning very effectively to extend pupils’ thinking. Teachers usually shared the purposes of lessons clearly with pupils but were less consistent in reviewing learning at the end of lessons. In most subjects, teachers gave homework regularly and used it well to reinforce learning. Teachers were making increasingly effective use of information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance lessons. They provided pupils with good opportunities to work as individuals, in pairs and in small groups. 2 Meeting needs was overall of adequate quality. In most lessons, teachers used resources and provided tasks which matched pupils’ learning needs well. Sometimes the work set, particularly for high attaining pupils, did not offer sufficient challenge to enable them to make appropriate progress. There were very effective arrangements for identifying pupils with additional support needs. A very well-designed “C20” programme helped meet the learning needs of pupils in S2 with significant learning needs. The school had identified the need to improve how subject teachers and support for learning staff worked cooperatively in lessons across the school, building on the good practice already in place in some departments. Across the school, subject teachers did not yet contribute sufficiently to planning and monitoring the progress of pupils with additional learning needs. The school had yet to develop clear individual educational programmes for pupils with social and emotional difficulties. Individual guidance, support for learning and behaviour support staff gave valuable support to pupils with additional learning needs both individually and in small groups. However, the school needed to strengthen the coordination of their work so as to maximise their impact. Impact on learners This section provides an evaluation of the extent to which the school was successful in raising achievement for all pupils. It refers to pupils’ learning experiences, personal development and aspects of their achievement in examinations and other areas. Learners’ experiences and personal development In most lessons, pupils were attentive, well motivated and worked in a purposeful manner. Pupils with additional learning needs were making good progress in literacy, numeracy and personal development. Pupils responded well when given opportunities to work collaboratively. In a few departments, for example English, mathematics and physical education, they regularly received good feedback on their progress and what they needed to do to improve. Overall, pupils did not have enough opportunity and support to enable them to work independently and to take appropriate responsibility for their own learning. In a small minority of lessons, pupils were poorly motivated and did not take their learning seriously enough. The progress of a significant minority of pupils, especially in S3 and S4, was being adversely affected by poor attendance. Overall, strengths just outweighed weaknesses in the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. The school encouraged pupils’ personal and social development through appropriate formal programmes and by offering many opportunities for achievement in a broad range of areas. High numbers of pupils developed their skills and fitness levels through participating in a wide range of sporting activities, including athletics, badminton, basketball, cross country running, and rugby. The girls’ football team had achieved notable success in a national under-15 tournament. Pupils took part in a range of musical groups and had won a number of awards at the recent Perth Music Festival. Well over 100 pupils took part in local and national mathematics competitions and many achieved success. Pupils with additional support needs had made an important contribution to the school’s disability awareness programme and had increased their self-esteem as a result. Their achievements in enterprise activities had been recognised through the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) programme. Pupils successfully took on a range of responsibilities, including acting as prefects, serving on the pupil council and on a number of committees. 3 Pupils on the fundraising committee had successfully led activities to raise money for a school in Namibia, in aid of breast cancer and for sports facilities in memory of two former pupils of the school. Older pupils, including those with additional support needs, supported younger learners in paired reading and in social groups at lunchtime and during breaks. Through participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, pupils had developed their confidence and ability to work with others. Members of the Fair Trade and Eco-School committees had demonstrated well-developed skills in citizenship, for example planning and decision making, and were highly committed to their causes. The Eco-School committee had won an award for improvements made to the school garden. English Teaching was very good. Arrangements for meeting learning needs and learners’ experiences were good. Performance was good and had improved. Teachers shared effectively with pupils what they were expected to learn and how to achieve success. They used questioning well to encourage pupils to share and develop their ideas in lively discussions. They set appropriately high expectations for the work that pupils should produce. Pupils collaborated well and reported back confidently on the outcomes of group work to the rest of the class. They were increasingly assessing their own work and learning how to take more responsibility for improving it. At S1/S2, almost all pupils had made good progress from their prior levels of attainment. The minority who did not achieve national levels in reading, writing, listening and talking by the end of S2 had steadily improved their performance. Pupils were responding very positively to improvements designed to raise their attainment in writing. Increasing numbers were developing their language skills further by participating effectively in debates, reading widely and entering writing competitions, with some success. At S3, a significant proportion of pupils attained Credit awards. Overall, at Standard Grade, performance was above the national average. At Access 3, most pupils were successful. At S5, the proportion of pupils attaining A-C grades was consistently well above the national average at Higher and above the average at Intermediate 2. Mathematics The overall quality of teaching, arrangements for meeting learning needs and learners’ experiences were very good. Performance was at a consistently high standard. Teachers gave thorough explanations which provided pupils with a very clear understanding of concepts and methods. They used questioning very well to engage pupils actively in lessons and challenge them to think for themselves. Several lessons were of a very high standard. Teachers used interactive whiteboards well and involved pupils in appropriate ICT use to support their learning. Homework was regular and very carefully planned to support and extend pupils’ learning. Teachers expected all pupils to work at a brisk pace and to a high standard. As a result, pupils, particularly high-attaining pupils from S1 to S4, were becoming effective and successful learners. Pupils at all stages had positive attitudes to the subject and showed interest in the topics being studied. At S1/S2, pupils made good progress from prior levels of attainment. By the end of S2, a majority attained the appropriate national level. Around a fifth performed beyond this and 4 showed a very good grasp of more challenging topics. At S4, the proportion of pupils attaining a Credit award was above the national average and pupils consistently performed better overall than in their other subjects. At S5, performance at Higher and Intermediate 2 was above the national average with a notably high proportion of pupils gaining an A grade. A majority of Intermediate 1 candidates gained an A-C grade. At S6, most pupils at Advanced Higher attained an A-C grade. Modern languages Overall in modern languages, the quality of teaching, arrangements for meeting pupils’ needs and pupils’ performance were adequate. Pupils’ learning experiences were weak, overall. Teachers planned lessons carefully and provided a variety of activities for pupils. They made some effective use of ICT to support language learning. The pace of teaching was too slow in a number of lessons and, as a result, pupils did not make sufficient progress in their learning. Some tasks were not sufficiently challenging or relevant for pupils. Teachers had introduced a range of promising new approaches to meet pupils’ needs, for example by teaching high-attaining pupils together in S2 and S3 in “fast track” classes, and a course in language awareness for pupils in S5 with additional support needs. A significant minority of pupils were not sufficiently motivated by their experiences of learning a modern language. At S1/S2, pupils produced several good examples of extended writing. Overall, however, their skills in communicating in French were not well enough developed. By the end of S4, the proportion of pupils attaining Credit or General awards at Standard Grade in French was below the national average overall. Pupils’ attainment in French had been notably lower than in their other subjects in two of the last three years. At Standard Grade, the proportion attaining Credit or General awards in German had varied widely over the last three years. At S5/S6, almost all of the very small numbers of candidates had achieved success at Intermediate, Higher or Advanced Higher levels. Physical education Overall, teaching and the quality of pupils’ learning experiences were good. Arrangements for meeting learning needs were very good. Performance was of a consistently high standard. Teachers provided pupils with a well-planned and varied range of learning experiences which matched pupils’ needs well, with pupils’ suggestions and contributions valued. Teachers shared the purposes of lessons well with pupils. They gave clear explanations and instructions, built well on previous learning and, in partnership with support staff, provided appropriate support for individual pupils. Most pupils were engaged, motivated and interested. They cooperated well with one another when on occasion given the opportunity to do so. Pupils responded positively to feedback, which was generally of good quality and gave helpful evaluations of individual performance. However, in a number of classes, a minority of pupils did not participate actively, with several not sufficiently aware of what they needed to do to improve. By the end of S2, most pupils were making good progress in course work at an appropriate level. At Standard Grade, the proportion of S4 pupils attaining Credit awards was above the 5 national average and pupils performed better than in their other subjects. At Intermediate 2 and Higher in S5/S6, almost all pupils presented achieved an A-C grade. Achievement in national assessments, examinations and other areas Information about the subjects inspected has been given earlier in the report. Across the school, particular features of pupils’ progress, results in examinations and other qualifications, including those awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) 3 for the three year period 2005-2007, are included below. Particular features of achievement in national assessments and other areas by the end of S2 included the following. • By the end of S2, the majority of pupils attained appropriate national levels in mathematics and in reading and showed progress from prior levels of attainment. Performance in writing had been variable and in 2007 less than half of S2 pupils attained the appropriate level. In both English and mathematics, around a fifth of pupils attained above expected levels. As yet, there was no evidence of consistently improving performance. The school was introducing a P7 to S1 transition project to help improve attainment in writing. • Across the curriculum, pupils performed well in class and the majority demonstrated positive attitudes to their work. Particular features of achievement in examinations and other areas by the end of S4 included the following. • The proportion of pupils attaining five or more awards at SCQF level 3 was well below the national average and performance was notably weaker than in schools with similar characteristics. • The proportions of pupils attaining five or more awards at SCQF levels 4 and 5 were below national averages and performance was weaker than in schools with similar characteristics. Particular features of achievement in examinations and other areas by the end of S6 included the following. • 3 By the end of S6, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more awards at SCQF level 5 was below the national average overall and the performance of similar schools. However, in 2007, performance at this level had improved to above that of similar schools and only slightly below the national average. 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 6 • By the end of S6, the proportions of pupils attaining one or more, three or more and five or more awards at SCQF level 6 were lower than national averages. The proportion attaining one or more awards at this level was in line with schools with similar characteristics. However, the proportions attaining three or more and five or more awards was lower. • The proportion of S6 pupils achieving one or more awards at SCQF level 7 was in line with the national average overall and the performance of similar schools. • Pupils tended to perform better in hospitality and practical cookery at Intermediate 2 and in product design at Higher than in their other subjects. Overall, the school was actively seeking to raise pupils’ achievement. The proportion of school leavers with positive destinations in further education, training or employment had improved to reach the national average in 2007. Although the proportion entering higher education had also increased, this remained well below the national average. Developments in subject courses and in learning and teaching approaches were helping pupils to become confident and successful learners. Many pupils contributed effectively and responsibly to the life of the school through sporting, cultural and community activities. However, despite these encouraging features, across all stages, the school had yet to secure consistently improving levels of performance. Low levels of attendance had a significant negative impact on performance, particularly at S3/S4 where a significant proportion of pupils had levels of attendance below 80%. 4. How good is the environment for learning? Aspect Comment Care, welfare and development The school gave high priority to ensuring pupils’ care and welfare and had appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place, including for child protection and anti-bullying. Guidance staff knew pupils well and pupils were confident that their teachers would deal with any problems or worries. Staff had a good understanding of the needs of individual pupils and worked well with external agencies to support them. Youth and community workers worked well with school staff to support pupils and their families. A well-targeted project had successfully helped a small number of vulnerable pupils in S1 to S3 to improve their attendance. All pupils had good opportunities through the social education programme to learn about personal safety, emotional well-being and healthy relationships. Pupils received appropriate guidance when making curricular choices and the school had involved parents fully in this process. The school had succeeded in providing work experience opportunities for an increased number of pupils, including those with significant additional support needs. Pupils were positive about the quality of the food served in the school canteen. The school had developed a strong programme to support pupils making the transition from primary to secondary. 7 Aspect Comment Management and use of resources and space for learning The management and use of resources and space for learning was adequate overall. Several teaching areas were of good size, and pupils benefited from spacious school grounds with a range of facilities for sport. Disabled users had suitable access to the school building. Staff made effective use of available space including the school theatre. They enhanced the learning environment with good use of display. Teaching areas were increasingly well supplied with ICT equipment such as interactive whiteboards. The learning resource centre staff encouraged pupils’ interest in reading and helped them develop appropriate research skills, for example in using the Internet. Although the condition of pupils’ toilets and changing facilities for physical education was unsatisfactory, the authority had given a commitment to up-grading them to an acceptable standard by the end of summer 2008. There were insufficient social areas for pupils. A number of corridors were narrow and poorly ventilated. Improvements to the building’s security arrangements were progressing but not yet complete. Equalities, expectations and engagement Staff were very well engaged in the life and work of the school. Staff morale was high. Teachers felt that they had good opportunities to be involved in decision making, discussions about school improvements, and continuous professional development. The recently improved system for promoting positive behaviour indicated the staff’s renewed commitment to high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. House assemblies helped promote achievement and celebrate success and, increasingly, gave appropriate opportunities for religious observance. New arrangements for setting targets for academic achievements had begun to make pupils more aware of what was expected of them. Almost all pupils with additional support needs felt valued and included in the school. A disability awareness programme and presentations at house assemblies by members of the Fair Trade group and by senior pupils who had visited Auschwitz had raised awareness of equalities issues. The school had not yet developed an equalities policy with appropriate staff training and action to promote all aspects of equalities across the school. 8 Aspect Comment The school’s success in involving parents Staff had been successful in involving parents, carers and families in the life and work of the school. The school communicated effectively with parents through regular newsletters, the school website and informative reports on pupils’ progress. Parents’ evenings were helpful. The school had been successful in involving parents in their children’s education, for example when pupils chose their subjects at the end of S2, in the new system to support positive behaviour and in the project to improve pupils’ attendance in S1 to S3. The Parent Council was led by an enthusiastic and supportive chairperson and had made a strong start in its new role. For example, it had supported the school’s application for sports comprehensive status effectively. The school was taking appropriate action to strengthen parents’ involvement in their children’s education and its response to their concerns. 5. Leading and improving the school The inspection found Perth Grammar School to be an improving school. Since the recent appointment of the headteacher, initially in an acting capacity, the morale of pupils and staff had risen. Staff were working well together to improve learning and teaching approaches. Teachers made increasingly effective use of ICT. Most pupils were responding well to the more positive learning environment but a significant minority did not fully engage with learning and had poor levels of attendance. The majority of pupils participated with enthusiasm in sporting, cultural and community activities which helped them develop confidence and personal skills. The curriculum included an increasing number of vocational courses as well as well-designed programmes for pupils with additional support needs. The school recognised the need to improve the coordination of support for vulnerable learners. The many positive initiatives being taken across the school had yet to impact significantly on levels of performance in external examinations. The new headteacher had introduced a range of positive initiatives which had helped the school begin to move forward. However, there was much still to do to consolidate achievements and establish an improving trend in performance. Nevertheless, under his leadership, the school was developing a clear capacity for continued improvement. Before the headteacher took up post in February 2007, the school had had a period of high turnover of senior promoted staff and widespread concerns about indiscipline. The headteacher led the school well and had benefitted from very effective support from the education authority. He had been very successful in winning the support of staff by establishing clear and consistent expectations for pupils’ behaviour and performance. Staff and pupils appreciated his presence around the school and his consultative approach. He had also involved staff well in introducing a range of initiatives, with a strong focus on improving the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. For example, in partnership with St Columba’s RC High School, staff were beginning to take forward an innovative approach to anti-sectarianism. The headteacher was well supported by an experienced and able senior management team who played a key role in helping to establish a more positive ethos 9 throughout the school. They linked well with subject departments and promoted improvement through leading developments in learning and teaching and initiatives to help raise attainment. The business manager made an important contribution across a wide range of aspects of the school’s work. Staff valued her supportive and facilitating role. The school was implementing a planned programme to extend the leadership skills of staff. There were already significant strengths amongst staff at principal teacher level. Increasingly, staff were taking on leadership roles in school initiatives and in working groups. The school’s approaches to self-evaluation were adequate and improving. Existing approaches were being gradually strengthened. Lesson observations by senior managers and principal teachers had encouraged teachers to reflect on and improve their classroom practice. The school was beginning to identify and share good practice more effectively across departments. Senior managers and principal teachers reviewed SQA attainment data annually, identifying areas for improvement and agreeing action points with subject staff. The school had surveyed views of parents and teachers were beginning to involve pupils in evaluating the quality of learning and teaching approaches. The school had established systematic procedures for tracking pupils’ progress. Teachers had begun to use this information to support individual pupils and plan improvements to performance. As well as building on the strengths and addressing the issues raised throughout this report, the school and the education authority should address the following main points for action. Main points for action Continue to improve achievement by: • improving levels of attendance, particularly at S3/S4; • improving the quality of pupils’ learning, meeting needs and performance; and • removing weaknesses in the school’s accommodation as identified in this report. What happens next? The school and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report, and to share that plan with parents. Within two years of the publication of this report parents will be informed about the progress made by the school. Grant Mathison HM Inspector 17 June 2008 10 Appendix 1 Indicators of quality The following quality indicators have been used in the inspection process to contribute to the evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the school in raising achievement for all pupils. Section 3. How well does the school raise achievement for all? The curriculum good Teaching for effective learning good Meeting learning needs adequate Learners’ experiences adequate Improvements in performance: S1/S2 adequate Improvements in performance: S3/S4 weak Improvements in performance: S5/S6 adequate Section 4. How good is the environment for learning? Care, welfare and development good Management and use of resources and space for learning adequate The engagement of staff in the life and work of the school very good Expectations and promoting achievement adequate Equality and fairness adequate The school’s success in involving parents, carers and families good Section 5. Leading and improving the school Developing people and partnerships good Leadership of improvement and change (of the headteacher) good Leadership of improvement and change (across the school) good Improvement through self-evaluation adequate This report uses the following word scale to make clear the judgements made by inspectors: excellent very good good adequate weak unsatisfactory outstanding, sector leading major strengths important strengths with areas for improvement strengths just outweigh weaknesses important weaknesses major weaknesses 11 Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses The following provides a summary of questionnaire responses. Key issues from the questionnaires have been considered in the inspection and comments are included as appropriate throughout the report. What parents thought the school did well What parents think the school could do better • Their children enjoyed school and were treated fairly. • • School reports and parents’ evenings were helpful and informative. • Staff were welcoming and showed concern for children’s care and welfare. • The school was well led. Over a third of parents had concerns about the condition of school buildings. What pupils thought the school did well What pupils think the school could do better • They enjoyed being at school and got on well with other pupils. • • They were expected to work to the best of their abilities and were helped when they had difficulties. • Teachers explained things clearly and told them when they had done something well. • The school kept them safe and healthy. 12 Around two thirds of pupils felt that the behaviour of a few other pupils could be better. What staff thought the school did well What staff think the school could do better • Staff liked working in the school and showed concern for the care and welfare of pupils. • • Teachers set high standards for pupils’ attainment and celebrated their success. • Staff worked hard to promote good relations with the local community. • The school was well led. A majority of staff felt that pupils were not sufficiently enthusiastic about learning and had concerns about levels of indiscipline. 13 Appendix 3 Performance in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications This data is used alongside evaluations of teaching for effective learning, meeting learning needs, expectations and promoting achievement, and the overall quality of learners’ achievement, to inform the overall evaluation of improvements in performance. 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 Percentage of relevant S4 roll gaining awards by end of S4 English and Mathematics @ Level 3 Perth Grammar School Comparator schools4 National 2005 89 90 90 2006 84 92 91 2007 88 91 92 5+ @ Level 3 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 87 89 90 82 89 91 86 90 91 5+ @ Level 4 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 74 74 76 65 78 77 67 75 76 5+ @ Level 5 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 35 30 34 27 31 35 25 30 33 2006 76 77 78 2007 66 79 79 Percentage of relevant S4 roll gaining awards by end of S5 5+ @ Level 4 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools4 National 2005 74 75 78 5+ @ Level 5 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 35 39 45 43 39 45 38 41 46 1+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 30 33 39 34 32 38 31 33 39 3+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 15 17 23 15 18 22 16 17 22 5+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 6 7 10 5 7 10 4 7 10 14 Percentage of relevant S4 roll gaining awards by end of S6 5+ @ Level 5 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools 4 National 2005 40 41 47 2006 37 41 48 2007 44 42 47 1+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 36 36 43 34 38 43 40 38 42 3+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 24 25 30 21 24 30 24 24 29 5+ @ Level 6 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 14 14 19 13 14 20 12 15 19 1+ @ Level 7 or better Perth Grammar School Comparator schools National 9 9 12 13 10 13 12 10 12 5 4 Comparator schools are the 20 schools statistically closest to the school being inspected in terms of the five socio-economic characteristics of the school population and surrounding areas. 15 How can you contact us? If you would like an additional copy of this report Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff, the Executive Director of Education & Children’s Services, local councillors and appropriate Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education, 1st Floor, Endeavour House, 1 Greenmarket, Dundee DD1 4QB or by telephoning 01382 576700. Copies are also available on our website at www.hmie.gov.uk. HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure Should you wish to comment on any aspect of secondary inspections, you should write in the first instance to Frank Crawford, 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 email 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 Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 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 2008 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. 16