Clydebank High School
West Dunbartonshire Council
27 June 2000
Contents
________________________________________
1.
Introduction
Page 1
2.
The school
Page 1
3.
How well does the school
perform overall?
Page 5
How well are the inspected
departments performing?
Page 9
5.
How well are pupils supported?
Page 22
6.
How well is the school managed?
Page 26
7.
What are the school’s key strengths?
Page 29
8.
Main points for action
Page 29
4.
Inspection of Standards and Quality in
Clydebank High School
West Dunbartonshire Council
________________________________________
1.
Introduction
Clydebank High School was inspected in March 2000 as part of a
national sample of secondary education.
The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all
stages. HM Inspectors evaluated learning, teaching and attainment,
examined pupils’work and interviewed staff and pupils. The
subjects included in the inspection were English, mathematics,
modern languages, geography, and art and design. HM Inspectors
also evaluated the quality of support for pupils including
arrangements for the care and welfare of pupils and child
protection, guidance and support for learning. In evaluating how
well the school and departments were managed, HM Inspectors
assessed the school’s processes for self-evaluation and
development planning.
Members of the inspection team analysed responses to
questionnaires issued to a sample of parents. They met the
chairperson of the School Board and some parents.
2.
The school
Clydebank High School serves the western area of Clydebank and
the communities of Bowling, Old Kilpatrick, Hardgate and
Duntocher. At the time of the inspection the roll was 1046.
1
Parents’views
Parents who spoke to the inspection team were positive about the
school.
A questionnaire was sent to a sample of parents. Almost all of the
thirty percent who responded to the survey felt that:
• teachers encouraged pupils to work to the best of their ability;
and
• the school was well led.
Around twenty-five per cent of parents who responded:
• were dissatisfied with the homework their child received;
• felt that teachers did not know their child as an individual and
that the school was not good at letting them know about their
child’s weaknesses or at explaining its work to them;
• were concerned about pupil behaviour and thought that teachers
could deal more effectively with bad behaviour; and
• were unhappy with the school’s accommodation.
Ethos
Overall, the school had a good ethos. Staff and pupils identified
strongly with the school and relationships between pupils and staff
were generally good. Most pupils were courteous and well behaved
but a number lacked motivation. The school had introduced a
2
number of initiatives aimed at increasing the motivation of pupils.
These included additional support to pupils outside class time
through the school’s supported study scheme and classes aimed at
raising attainment. The school should now fully evaluate the
effectiveness of these initiatives. Some teachers needed to have
higher expectations of pupil attainment.
Pupil representatives from all year groups were able to express
their views on aspects of school life as members of a pupil council.
Senior pupils undertook a range of appropriate responsibilities and
assisted younger pupils with their learning. An awards ceremony
was used annually to recognise and celebrate success. Pupils were
able to participate in a number of extra-curricular activities and
external visits, including international exchanges. Regular
assemblies contributed to the strong sense of community and the
school chaplains made valuable contributions.
The school had introduced a range of strategies to improve pupils’
attendance, which was in line with national levels.
School and community
The school had good links with the community. Notable features
included:
• the pastoral links with associated primary schools and
community groups;
• very good links with local businesses through a range of
education – industry activities; and
• a supportive School Board and Clydebank High School
Association, run by former pupils.
3
The school recognised the need to develop further its partnership
with parents. It should build on the established parent-school
contract for learning to ensure that this more effectively supports
pupils’progress. At all stages, reports to parents did not identify
clearly enough individual pupils’strengths and next steps in their
learning.
Accommodation
There were some important weaknesses in the overall quality of
accommodation. A wing of the building had recently been
substantially upgraded by the authority following a major fire in
1999 and provided very good teaching facilities. The education
authority had started a window replacement programme. However,
the remaining areas of the school showed considerable wear to
internal plasterwork and external stonework and required
refurbishment. Fittings and furniture in a number of rooms were in
need of upgrading. The building suffered persistent damage from
water leaks and variable heating. Some toilet provision was
unsatisfactory. The authority and the school had taken a number of
measures to increase the security of the school but aspects required
further attention. The school was not well adapted for disabled
access. The interior of the school was kept clean and tidy but litter
and broken glass around the school’s playing fields presented a
health and safety hazard.
Staffing and resources
The school was well staffed. The education authority had provided
additional staffing as part of a government initiative aimed at
raising attainment. In addition, they had provided a temporary
assistant headteacher post to support the work of the school
following the recent fire. However, the expertise of teaching staff
varied considerably. The school needed better technician support to
meet the present and future needs of information and
communication technology (ICT).
4
The provision of resources was good overall. The school was in the
process of improving ICT resources through funding provided by
the education authority. Arrangements for allocating school
finances were open. However, the process was not linked
sufficiently to the school’s planning for improvement. More pupils’
work should be displayed around the school.
3.
How well does the school perform overall?
Overall quality of attainment
The overall quality of attainment was fair at all stages. At S1/S2,
there were gaps in pupils’knowledge and skills. Most pupils were
well motivated. A number of pupils, especially at S3/4, needed
more opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. At
S1 to S4, tasks were not always well matched to pupils’abilities
and abler pupils, in particular, lacked appropriate challenge. At
S5/S6, however, courses leading to new National Qualifications
were effectively meeting pupils’ needs.
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Awards
At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils gaining five or more
Credit awards had been consistently below the national average
over the last three years and had decreased to less than half the
national average in 1999.
Presentations at Higher Grade at S5 were below the national
average. Overall, results at Higher Grade showed that pupils
performed as well as their previous Standard Grade results had
predicted.
The number of Band A awards per S5 pupil had been consistently
less than half the national average and had fallen to around a
quarter of the national average in 1999. The proportion of the S5
roll with three or more A-C awards was very low. At Higher Grade
5
in S5/S6, the number of Band A-C awards per S5/S6 pupil had
been consistently below the national average but showed an
increasing trend.
Most pupils presented for Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS)
over the past three years achieved A-C awards.
At S3/S4, the number of enrolments and full successes in National
Certificate (NC) modules were above or well above the national
average. Successes had been generally in line with enrolments in
1997 and 1998 but were less strong in 1999.
At S5/S6, the number of enrolments and full successes in NC
modules were below the national average in 1998 and 1999.
A number of pupils at S3/S4 and S5/S6 achieved success in SQA
short courses.
Information on attainment in the subjects inspected is given later in
the report. Significant features of attainment in subjects not
inspected were as follows.
• In Standard Grade music, a notable number of pupils gained a
Credit or General award.
• In Standard Grade science, pupils achieved consistently poorer
results than in their other subjects.
• In Higher Grade modern studies, S5/S6 pupils achieved
consistently better results than in their other subjects.
• In Higher Grade secretarial studies, fewer than half of the
S5/S6 pupils presented gained an A-C award.
6
Curriculum
The overall quality of the curriculum was good. Appropriately, the
school was planning further developments at each stage.
The curriculum in S1/S2 was generally broad and balanced.
Planned improvements included revising arrangements for
timetabling to reduce the number of teacher contacts. Some
departments had made good progress in reviewing their courses for
this stage. Most courses, however, required further adjustment to
ensure appropriate development of pupils’knowledge and skills
and to improve approaches to assessment. Only a limited amount
of drama was taught in S1/S2.
At S3/S4, most pupils studied eight Standard Grade subjects. For
some pupils, one Standard Grade course was replaced by
appropriate programmes of units leading to National Qualifications
or a programme of focused support for their studies. In S3, the
programme also included short courses in aspects of personal and
social education and religious and moral education. As the school
reviews its provision of courses further, it requires to ensure that
appropriate progression routes are available in all subjects. It
needed to take steps to check that sufficient attention is given to
creative and aesthetic aspects within individual courses and
programmes.
At S5/S6, the school was making very good progress in
implementing revised courses leading to the new National
Qualifications. Pupils were able to choose from a good range of
Higher, Intermediate 2 and, also in some subjects, Intermediate 1,
modular or CSYS courses. The school now needed to improve
provision for personal and social education at this stage.
7
Learning and teaching
The overall quality of learning and teaching was fair at S1/S2. It
was good from S3 to S6. Most teachers defined lesson objectives
clearly, gave good explanations, questioned pupils to check
understanding and set appropriate homework. However, this good
practice was not consistent throughout the school. Staff should
ensure that homework planners, introduced at all stages, are used
more consistently in setting and monitoring pupils’homework.
Some teachers did not have sufficiently high expectations of the
quality of pupils’work. Most pupils were attentive in class but a
number, particularly in S3/S4, did not work co-operatively with
their teachers. Teachers required to plan lessons more thoroughly
to meet the varying needs of pupils, notably at S1/S2.
Teachers generally assessed and recorded pupils’progress in line
with departmental procedures. However, they did not routinely
discuss progress with individual pupils or provide sufficient
feedback on how pupils could improve their attainment.
Proficiency in applying information and communications
technology (ICT) skills
The following were notable features of pupils’proficiency in ICT
skills.
• Pupils were generally competent in using general purpose
software on the school’s different computer systems. They
were developing skills in retrieving information from
CD-ROMs and the Internet.
• Pupils had regular opportunities to consolidate and extend their
ICT skills in business studies, computing and technical
education. Pupils also used computers successfully in music
and were beginning to develop ICT skills in art and design.
8
4.
How well are the inspected departments
performing?
English
Attainment
The overall quality of attainment in English was unsatisfactory in
S1/S2 and fair in S3/4 and S5/6. The majority of pupils coped well
with their coursework tasks, but a notable number did not.
Specific features of pupils’attainment were as follows.
• At S1/S2, well below half of the pupils achieved relevant
national standards in listening, talking, reading and writing.
• At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils achieving a Credit
award had declined sharply over the last three years to well
below the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving
a Foundation award or No Award was above the national
average.
• At Higher Grade, over the last three years the proportion of
pupils presented for the examination and achieving A-C awards
was below the national average.
• Success rates varied considerably across NC modules.
• Almost all pupils presented for CSYS examinations over the
last three years had obtained A-C awards.
9
Courses
At all stage courses were well designed. Good features included
planned homework programmes and elements of Scottish and
media studies in S1/S2. An appropriate departmental planning
system ensured coverage of all relevant aspects of each course.
However, at all stages, and especially in S1/S2, the balance should
be adjusted to give more time to analytical reading and extended
writing.
Learning and teaching
The overall quality of learning and teaching was good. There were
weaknesses in meeting the learning needs of a large number of
low-attaining pupils. Teachers used explanations and questioning
effectively, particularly in teaching literature. They developed
pupils’ motivation through encouragement and praise. Pupils
needed much more direct teaching to develop listening and talking
skills, and to support analytical reading and extended writing for
various purposes. The department should liaise with senior
managers and support for learning staff in planning how to meet
pupils’ learning needs.
The department had a good system for recording assessments of
pupils’work, which were passed on to successive teachers. Pupils’
responses to key tasks were carefully recorded and included an
opportunity for pupils to write their own comment. The quality of
teachers’ feedback to pupils on their work was inconsistent and,
often, pupils did not take account of the advice they received,
especially in S1/S2.
Management and quality assurance
The principal teacher’s leadership of the department was fair
overall. She had positive relationships with staff and pupils and had
developed effective teamwork. Several important aspects of the
work of the department required a clearer sense of direction and
specific guidance from the principal teacher. These included the
10
planning of new National Qualifications courses and the key
learning, teaching and attainment issues identified in this report.
The assistant principal teacher had an appropriate remit. He
collaborated well with the principal teacher in developing teaching
resources and organised arrangements for NC modules effectively.
He should contribute, with the principal teacher, to improving
learning and teaching, particularly in S1/S2.
All members of the department had participated in the education
authority’s staff development and review procedures. They had
also taken part in recent staff development activities.
The department’s arrangements for quality assurance were fair.
The principal teacher produced an annual department report, which
was discussed by staff and had led to a number of improvement
initiatives. It had not, however, focused sharply enough on the
quality of learning and teaching. The timing of its production was
not in sequence with the development planning process. Staff
submitted broad teaching plans and records of work to the principal
teacher. There should be a tighter departmental agreement about
the amount and type of work to be completed by pupils each term.
Promoted staff required to regularly monitor the amount and
quality of pupils’work.
The department set its priorities through a development plan and a
separate Education Action Plan. There was a need to rationalise
these different approaches and establish a clear planning process.
The department had made good progress towards some objectives
set out in the previous year’s department report, but had not
planned the introduction of National Qualifications courses
sufficiently.
Priorities for action
The department should adjust the courses in S1/S2 to ensure more
focused attention to analytical reading by individual pupils and
extended writing. Staff should meet the needs of pupils at different
11
levels of attainment more effectively. They should modify teaching
to ensure more frequent and more consistent direct teaching of
skills in listening, talking, reading and writing.
Mathematics
Attainment
The overall quality of attainment was good in S1/S2 and S5/S6 and
fair in S3/S4. Almost all pupils in S1/S2 and S5/S6, and most in
S3/S4 were performing well on the tasks set in their coursework. In
S3/S4, some teachers required to set higher expectations for pupils’
attainment.
Specific features of pupils’attainment were as follows.
• The evidence available indicated that just under half of S2
pupils would attain appropriate national standards by the end of
the current session.
• At Standard Grade, pupils’performance in mathematics had
been better than that in their other subjects in two of the last
three years. The percentage of pupils gaining a Credit award
was below the national average in 1997 and 1998 and fell to
less than half the national average in 1999.
• At S5, pupils’performance in Higher Grade mathematics was
similar to that in their other subjects and was notably better in
1999. The percentage of pupils gaining an A award increased in
1999 but remained below half the national average. The
percentage of A-C awards had improved to just below the
national average in 1999.
• A majority of pupils presented for CSYS mathematics gained
A-C awards.
12
• A majority overall of pupils enrolled for NC modules achieved
full success.
Courses
The S1/S2 course was well structured and included clear guidance
for teachers on homework and assessment. It enabled pupils to
progress from the level of attainment reached in primary school,
and placed commendable emphasis on the development of
numeracy skills. Standard Grade courses were being adjusted to
reflect the introduction of statistics and non-calculator papers. In
S5/S6, courses leading to new National Qualifications were being
implemented at all levels.
Learning and teaching
The quality of learning and teaching was good overall. Teachers
gave clear explanations, questioned pupils carefully to check
understanding and placed an appropriate emphasis on homework.
In S1/S2, in particular, teachers were making very effective use of
new homework and assessment materials. Most pupils worked well
in class but a number required to improve the presentation of their
work. Teachers needed to ensure that pupils take more
responsibility for their own learning. The setting arrangements in
S1/S2 enabled teachers to match tasks closely to most pupils’
needs. In S1, more effective use should be made of learning
support staff to meet the needs of the least able pupils. The school
required to reduce the number of shared classes. At all stages,
assessment procedures had taken good account of national advice.
National testing was being implemented. The department needed to
use assessment information more systematically to evaluate
learning and teaching.
Management and quality assurance
The principal teacher provided sound leadership to his department.
He demonstrated a very high level of professional competence and
13
commitment and had managed changes in the curriculum
effectively. He had the loyalty of his staff and had systematically
developed teamwork. Within the constraints of time available, the
assistant principal teacher carried out his remit effectively. All
teachers had agreed remits, which included responsibility for
development priorities and administrative tasks. Staff had attended
appropriate in-service on new National Qualifications courses. The
school should provide opportunities for staff development in the
use of graphic calculators.
Staff regularly discussed the work of the department and the
principal teacher monitored pupil progress and analysed SQA
results. However, he should adopt a more rigorous approach to
monitoring the work of the department. Particular attention should
be given to evaluating the quality of pupils’work and learning and
teaching.
Departmental development priorities paid appropriate attention to
improving standards of attainment. However, the development plan
required more detailed information against which success could be
measured. The department was making very good progress in
meeting its priorities.
Priorities for action
The principal teacher now requires to place more emphasis on
systematically monitoring the quality of work of the department,
for example, by sampling pupils’work and observing teaching.
Future plans should set out success criteria more clearly.
Modern languages
Attainment
The overall quality of attainment in modern languages was good in
S1/S2 and S5/S6 and fair in S3/S4. Most pupils performed well in
their coursework tasks, which generally presented suitable
14
challenges. In some instances teachers did not provide enough
specific support for tasks. A minority of pupils in S2 to S4 did not
apply themselves well to their coursework.
Specific features of pupils’attainment were as follows.
• At S1 to S4, most pupils were achieving good standards in
writing but needed to develop their skills in extended speaking.
• At Standard Grade, the number of pupils who had gained
Credit awards in the last three years in French, German and
Spanish was generally below national averages.
• Pupils’performances in French Writing, German and German
Writing were consistently better than in their other subjects.
• The small number of pupils presented for Higher Grade
performed as well as their previous Standard Grade results had
predicted. In the last three years, almost all had achieved an
A-C award.
• Most pupils in S3/S4 and a majority in S5/S6 presented for NC
modules in French, German and Spanish achieved full success.
Courses
Courses in all languages were generally good. They had good
elements of culture and grammar and placed an appropriate
emphasis on pupils’writing skills. Course guidelines were suitable,
but lacked specific objectives for pupils. Pupils had insufficient
opportunities to engage in regular speaking activities, to develop as
well as practise language skills and to use ICT applications.
15
Learning and teaching
The overall quality of learning and teaching was good. However,
there was variation in quality across lessons and with some groups
of pupils. Teachers set homework regularly and checked it
consistently. Most interacted well with pupils, used the foreign
language appropriately and had good expectations of pupils’
behaviour, effort and performance. Some needed to engage pupils’
attention more fully and all needed to improve lesson planning to
include a brief revision and setting of lesson objectives. The quality
of pupils’ learning varied considerably. The majority of pupils
worked well and made progress. Pupils’ needs were generally well
met. Teachers set coursework and homework at appropriate levels
to help meet pupils’ needs. Staff needed to improve the motivation
of a notable minority of pupils in S2 to S4 to raise attainment.
However, some pupils did not have enough opportunities to work
independently and develop responsibility for their own learning.
Arrangements for assessment were good, although pupils were not
often enough required to show evidence of progress in speaking.
Management and quality assurance
The acting principal teacher led the department well. She had
sustained the very well established teamwork among staff through
some difficult times in the aftermath of the school fire. She was
ably supported by the acting assistant principal teacher and other
members of the department, each of whom had been given
responsibility for an aspect of development. Almost all teachers
had undergone review in recent years and had taken part in
appropriate staff development activities.
Teachers evaluated effectively the quality of their work and pupils’
attainment. Performance in examinations was scrutinised closely
each year and this had led to some appropriate course changes.
Teachers were beginning to develop approaches to evaluating
pupils’coursework. The departmental development plan was fair.
16
It was well structured and had a number of appropriate
development priorities. However, some lacked sufficient detail as
to how successful implementation would be evaluated. Planned
developments were being implemented successfully.
Priorities for action
Teachers should work with pupils to develop language skills,
provide support for the practice of speaking and encourage pupils
to speak without written notes. They should ensure that all pupils
work to short term targets, in the form of specific lesson and unit
objectives, shared with pupils. The department should continue to
evaluate and develop its courses.
Geography
Attainment
The overall quality of attainment in Geography was good in S5/S6
and fair in S1/S2 and S3/S4. In S1 to S4, the majority of pupils
performed well in their coursework. There were important
weaknesses in the S1/S2 and S3/S4 courses and high attaining
pupils in S1/S2 were not sufficiently challenged.
Specific features of pupils’attainment were as follows.
• Most S1 pupils were developing good mapwork and enquiry
skills. The majority of S2 pupils had a good knowledge and
understanding of physical features and processes.
• At S3/S4, the proportion of pupils achieving Credit awards was
significantly below the national average. Pupils generally
performed less well in geography than in their other subjects.
Over the past three years, the department had been successful
in reducing the number of No Awards.
17
• The proportion of pupils achieving A-C awards had improved
in recent years and was above the national average in 1999.
However, the proportion of pupils achieving Higher Grade
awards at Band A was consistently below the national average.
• Enrolments for NC modules were consistently well above
national averages. Success rates in NC modules had improved
but were generally below national averages.
Courses
The S1/S2 course did not provide sufficient breadth or build
effectively on pupils’prior learning. There was insufficient
collaboration with associated primary schools and with other
subject departments to ensure that pupils made appropriate
progress in their work. Courses at S1/S2 and S3/S4 gave
appropriate emphasis to the development of enquiry skills, but did
not offer pupils a sufficiently wide range of learning experiences.
Courses at S5/S6, including the new Intermediate 1 course in
Travel and Tourism, were well designed. At all stages there was
insufficient use of ICT.
Learning and teaching
The overall quality of learning and teaching was fair. In some
classes there was effective direct teaching with good explanation
and discussion. However, at times questioning was weak and
pupils were not involved actively enough in their learning.
Homework was well organised and appropriately demanding in S3
to S6, but was too irregular in S1/S2. A notable minority of pupils
from S1 to S4 had untidy jotter work. Teachers were responsive to
the needs of most pupils. However, they needed to set higher
expectations for all pupils, particularly to help improve the
motivation of some pupils. Teachers paid insufficient attention to
marking jotters when assessing and recording pupils’progress.
They did not always give clear enough feedback to pupils on how
their attainment might be improved.
18
Management and quality assurance
Overall, the leadership of the department was fair. The assistant
principal teacher, who was head of department, provided effective
day to day management and administration to the department. He
had provided a strong lead in the development and teaching of new
Higher Still units and courses. However, he needed to provide a
clearer strategic lead to the work of the department and promote
higher expectations of pupils’performance. Staff had participated
in appropriate staff development and both teachers had been
recently reviewed.
Approaches to self-evaluation were fair. Staff evaluated their work
and reviewed pupils’attainment through regular departmental
meetings. Assessment results were analysed and a start had been
made to using national performance indicators to evaluate some
aspects of the department’s work. However, procedures for
self-evaluation were not yet systematic enough. Links with the
school’s senior management team did not provide a sufficiently
rigorous and consistent approach to quality assurance within the
department. The development plan for geography was fair. Projects
in the plan were too ambitious and were not planned in sufficient
detail. Good progress had been made in implementing the current
plan.
Priorities for action
Attainment should be improved at all stages. The department
should improve courses from S1 to S4. Assessment information
should be shared with pupils and used more systematically to set
learning targets aimed at improving pupils’attainment. The
departmental development plan should be revised to contain a more
manageable number of priorities and more detail on individual
targets.
19
Art and design
Attainment
At all stages, the overall quality of attainment in art and design was
fair. A majority of pupils performed well in their coursework.
Weaknesses in courses and in the pace of learning in many classes,
meant that not all pupils were able to reach appropriate standards.
Specific features of pupils’attainment were as follows.
• At S1 to S6, pupils’attainment varied considerably across
classes. In some classes, pupils were developing very good
skills in drawing and design. However, pupils’skills in painting
and their knowledge and understanding of artists and designers
were weak.
• Standard Grade presentations were below the national average
over the last three years. The proportion of pupils achieving
Credit awards was consistently well below the national
average.
• At Higher Grade, presentations were below the national
average over the same period. The proportion of pupils
attaining A-C awards was consistently well below the national
average.
• Fewer than half of the pupils enrolled for NC modules over the
last three years had achieved full success.
Courses
The S1/S2 course had some important weaknesses and lacked
consistency across the department. The principal teacher should
build more effectively on the recent work being developed by some
20
members of staff to ensure a balanced and coherent programme. In
S3 to S6, courses were generally broad and balanced but offered
limited choice. The department had made slow progress in
developing courses leading to the new National Qualifications in
S5/S6. At all stages, staff should offer pupils a broader experience
of two- and three-dimensional work and more opportunities to use
computers.
Learning and teaching
Overall, the quality of learning and teaching was fair. There were
some examples of very good teaching with effective use being
made of questioning to ensure pupils’understanding. Approaches
to lesson planning and setting homework were not consistent and
varied considerably in quality. Staff needed to review the range of
homework being set and link this more effectively to the
progressive development of pupils’skills. In a number of classes,
the pace of learning needed to be increased. Most pupils were well
motivated. At all stages, tasks set were often undemanding and did
not always take sufficient account of pupils’prior learning.
Teachers needed to be more consistent in their procedures for
assessing pupils’progress.
Management and quality assurance
The leadership of the principal teacher was unsatisfactory. He had
established good relationships with pupils and was committed to
the school. However, teamwork within the department was limited
and staff were not deployed effectively. The principal teacher
should provide a clearer sense of direction and guidance to staff on
key aspects of learning, teaching, assessment and reporting to
ensure an appropriate focus on raising attainment.
Teachers had participated in recent staff development. All full-time
members of staff had been reviewed.
21
Teachers had taken some steps to monitor pupils’progress.
However, approaches to monitoring and evaluation were not
sufficiently systematic or rigorous. The departmental development
plan contained broad priorities that were not well defined and
lacked sufficient focus on raising attainment. There was
insufficient detail on priorities, targets, timescales and ways of
evaluating the success of projects. The department had made fair
progress in implementing the priorities in its current plan.
Priorities for action
The department should focus on raising attainment. Courses should
be developed to provide appropriate breadth and challenge. The
principal teacher should work with his staff to ensure a consistent
approach to planning, evaluating the quality of learning and
teaching and monitoring pupils’progress. The development plan
should be reviewed to more clearly define how agreed priorities
will improve attainment.
5.
How well are pupils supported?
Care and welfare
The school had sound child protection procedures. The child
protection officer had attended appropriate training courses. A
number of initiatives had been launched to promote healthy
lifestyles.
Guidance
Guidance staff provided very good pastoral care for pupils.
• They knew pupils as individuals and were sensitive to their
emotional, physical and social needs. At each stage, pupils
trusted their guidance teacher.
22
• They supported pupils well when they transferred from primary
school and met pupils frequently through interviews and
informal contacts.
• They communicated well with parents and with other teachers.
• Together with other agencies, they provided good support to
individual pupils.
Guidance staff provided very good curricular and vocational
guidance.
• They provided good advice and support for pupils choosing
courses at S2, S4 and S5. Parents frequently attended meetings
with their child to discuss future courses.
• With the careers officer, guidance staff provided good advice
on further and higher education and careers. Successful
conferences with outside speakers have helped to raise pupils’
awareness of business and industry.
• Work experience placements helped pupils to understand the
requirements of different careers.
• The careers library was to be developed further by the recently
appointed librarian.
Guidance staff effectively monitored the progress and attainment of
pupils.
23
• Regular progress reports and end-of-year reports enabled
guidance staff to monitor pupils’attainment. In addition, good
procedures enabled other teachers to alert guidance staff when
an individual pupil’s progress was causing concern.
• Progress File materials were well used to help pupils to review
their own progress and set goals.
A good programme of personal and social education was taught
from S1 to S4. The course included a good range of topics on
health education, education for work and citizenship. A separate
course on study skills and motivation was taught in S2, and the
school planned to integrate these courses. Good features of both
courses were the systematic arrangements to obtain the views of
pupils and teaching staff. The timetabling arrangements for S5 and
S6 did not enable all pupils to benefit from the planned
programme.
Guidance was well managed. The department was well organised
and had sound record keeping procedures. Communication within
the department and with other departments was good. Staff worked
well as a team and the weekly house meetings provided a good
focus for monitoring pupils’ behaviour and attendance. The less
frequent full guidance meetings enabled all guidance staff to share
working practices and reflect on the quality of their work. Staff had
carried out a very good evaluation of guidance provision using
performance indicators, and this audit had determined the
department’s development priorities.
Support for learning
Pupils received good support for their learning from specialist staff.
Teachers in other departments also received a range of services
from this department. The services included:
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• the provision and management of good individual planned
programmes of study for pupils with Records of Needs;
• individual and small group tuition for pupils experiencing
difficulties with learning;
• in-class support for pupils in a range of subjects;
• the provision of very good information to departments on
pupils experiencing difficulties with learning and high attaining
pupils in S1;
• the training and supervision of senior pupils who helped S1
pupils with their school work;
• providing advice for departments on learning materials and
teaching methods; and
• good joint working arrangements with guidance staff and
external services for pupils who required additional support.
Pupils with a Record of Needs were making good progress.
However, the school did not have as good records on the progress
being made by a significant number of other pupils with learning
difficulties. The pupils did not have individualised education
programmes and they were not receiving significant planned
intervention.
The senior teacher of learning support had made a major
contribution to the development of learning support since she was
appointed on a full-time basis. She had good relationships with
pupils and staff. The department planned to focus more clearly on
the key areas of learning support and this was being supported by a
newly appointed assistant headteacher. The department had a good
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bidding system to prioritise its work across the school. It should be
improved by departments specifying their objectives more
precisely. This would enable support to be targeted more accurately
and its effectiveness more clearly determined.
Priorities for action
Guidance staff should continue to develop their procedures to
monitor the progress of all pupils and to set them appropriate
targets. The school and education authority should review their
procedures for opening Records of Needs. The school should
introduce individual educational programmes for pupils with major
learning difficulties who require significant planned intervention.
6.
How well is the school managed?
Overall management and leadership
The school had recently undergone a period of disruption. A major
fire to part of the building had disrupted learning and teaching last
session. The retiral of the headteacher in December had resulted in
staffing changes, including a number of acting posts. The acting
headteacher had responded very effectively to the challenges of the
post and had made a good start to managing the school. He had
identified appropriately key areas for development and had shown
a strong commitment to developing a culture of improvement. He
had built on his very good relationships with staff, pupils and
parents. In his three months in post, he had taken steps to develop
an effective partnership between departments and the senior
management team. He had made very good progress in establishing
an open and consultative approach to management. The new
headteacher, when appointed, should build on these steps to more
effectively co-ordinate and monitor the range of initiatives within
the school. A systematic approach should be taken to improving
learning and teaching, pupils’attainment and key aspects of
management.
26
The remits of senior promoted staff had been recently revised and
took good account of individual strengths. The acting depute
headteacher and assistant headteachers carried out their remits
conscientiously and energetically. They should build on the
growing sense of teamwork to take a more direct role in policy
development. All members of the senior management team should
be more closely involved in monitoring and evaluating the work of
the school.
The quality of leadership varied considerably across the
departments. Heads of department should continue to raise
expectations of pupils’attainment and ensure a more consistent
approach to learning and teaching. Senior teachers’generally
carried out their duties effectively.
The remits of all promoted staff should be kept under review to
ensure that they fully meet the needs of the school.
The school had a clear set of aims that provided a basis for
evaluating its work. They should be adjusted to reflect a
commitment to raising levels of attainment. There was a range of
policies and procedures for school organisation and management.
The school had established a review group to up-date its policy on
homework. It should act on its plan to develop a policy on learning
and teaching. Policy advice on the use of ICT, including the ethical
use of the Internet, should also be developed.
Staff development and review
The school offered a wide range of opportunities for staff
development but these were not linked clearly enough to the
school’s development planning priorities. Almost all staff had
taken part in the education authority’s scheme for staff
development and review. The school should build on its system for
monitoring staff development to evaluate the effectiveness of
in-service training in improving the work of the school.
27
School development planning
The quality of development planning was fair. The school plan
contained aims and a statement of the initiatives undertaken in the
previous cycle of planning. However, the plan contained too many
priorities and was not sufficiently linked to the progress made in
the previous year’s plan. Although departmental plans related
broadly to the school plan, they did not include all of the work that
departments were doing to raise attainment. Plans should include
clear information on objectives, staff responsibilities, timescales
for the completion of tasks and how success will be measured. The
school had made fair progress towards addressing previous
development priorities.
Approaches to improving quality
The school had taken some steps to evaluate the quality of its work.
Senior management met with heads of department annually to
review performance in external examinations. Senior managers’
liaison with specific departments had improved this session and
this had led to enhanced communication. Staff had made a start to
using performance indicators to evaluate teaching and identify
good practice. The school should proceed with its plans to adopt a
more systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating. Clearer
guidance was required on how senior managers and heads of
department should undertake their responsibilities for quality
assurance.
Overall, the school provided a fair standard of education. A higher
priority should be given to raising standards of pupils’attainment.
The school should continue to build on its strengths and develop a
range of approaches, including working more closely with parents,
to improve further learning, teaching and attainment.
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7.
What are the school’s key strengths?
• Staff and pupils identified strongly with the school.
• Very good links with local businesses through a range of
education – industry activities.
• The quality of vocational guidance and pastoral care given by
the guidance team.
• Very effective use made of performance indicators by guidance
staff to assist in the audit and identification of the department’s
development priorities.
• The leadership of the acting headteacher.
8.
Main points for action
In addition to addressing the priorities for action identified in this
report, the school and the education authority should act on the
following recommendations.
• The school and the education authority should address the
weaknesses in accommodation indicated in the report.
• The school should implement its plans to improve its
partnership with parents.
• The school should review further its policy on homework and
develop and implement policies on learning and teaching and
use of ICT to ensure greater consistency in pupils’learning.
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• The school and the education authority should ensure
appropriate individualised education programmes and planned
intervention for pupils with significant learning difficulties who
do not have a Record of Needs; and review their procedures for
opening Records of Needs.
• The school should continue to develop its strategies for
ensuring quality and self-evaluation including the systematic
monitoring and improvement of learning and teaching.
• The school should improve all aspects of its planning to
identify manageable priorities and ways of evaluating success
directly linked to raising attainment. Staff development and
review should be more effectively linked to the planning
process.
HM Inspectors will return between one and two years after the publication
of this report to assess progress in meeting these recommendations.
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Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff,
the Director of Education, local councillors and appropriate Members of
the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be
obtained free of charge from the office at the address below or by
telephoning 0141 204 1220. Copies are also available on our web site:
www.scotland.gov.uk/hmis
Should you wish to make a complaint about any aspect of the inspection or
about this report, you should write in the first instance to Frank
Crawford, HMCI whose address is given below. If you are unhappy with
the response, you will be told in writing what further steps you may take.
HM Inspectors of Schools
1st Floor
Meridian Court
5 Cadogan Street
GLASGOW
G2 6AT
B E Biagini
HM Inspector of Schools
on behalf of HM Chief Inspector of Schools
Western Division
Crown Copyright 2000
Scottish Executive
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 are stated.
27 June 2000
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HM Inspectors use published criteria when making judgements about the
work of a school. These performance indicators relate judgements to four
levels of performance. This report uses the following word scale to make
clear the judgements made by Inspectors:
very good
good
fair
unsatisfactory
major strengths
more strengths than weaknesses
some important weaknesses
major weaknesses
This report also uses the following words to describe numbers and
proportions:
almost all
most
majority
less than half
few
over 90%
75-90%
50-74%
15-49%
up to 15%
We ensure that inspection activities give due regard, without unfair
discrimination, to disability, gender, religious persuasion, racial origin and
cultural and linguistic background.
32
Appendix
We judged the following to be very good
• Quality of pastoral care
• Quality of curricular and vocational guidance
We judged the following to be good
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The school’s ethos
Provision of staff, their qualifications and experience
Provision of materials and equipment
The structure of the curriculum
Effectiveness of the learning support
Guidance role in monitoring pupils’progress and attainment
Effectiveness of leadership of the school
We judged the following to be fair
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Communication with parents
Partnership with parents and the School Board
Provision of accommodation and facilities
Organisation and use of resources and space
The school’s management of devolved finances
Implementation of Special Educational Needs legislation
Effectiveness of promoted staff and senior teachers
The school’s approach to evaluating its own work
The school development plan
Implementing the school development plan
The school’s arrangements for staff development and review
We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
• No aspects were found to be in this category
Quality of lessons observed
HMI also evaluated the quality of the lessons observed. The overall quality
of lessons was very good in 17% of cases, good in 55%, fair in 27% and
unsatisfactory in 1%.
33