18 June 2013
Dear Parent/Carer
Bachlaw Learning Centre, Macduff
Bachlaw Learning Centre, located in Macduff, was inspected in May 2013 following
the recent registration as a new school in August 2012. This inspection provided
information to the Registrar of Independent Schools about the quality of the school’s
educational and care provision.
The school opened in August 2012. HM Inspectors conducted a pre-registration visit
in July 2012. The school was registered with the Registrar of Independent Schools
to provide education for a maximum of ten pupils with an age range of 8-18 years.
The school is part of a set of overlapping services managed by Bachlaw Projects,
including intensive support units, crisis care, respite provision, the ‘Bright Horizons’
local charitable youth organisation and community work. At the time of inspection
there was one pupil.
How well do children and young people learn and achieve?
Young people are motivated by their learning experiences. They enjoy working with
staff on a range of engaging activities which are often based on their interests.
However, staff need to be more consistent in the way they organise lessons. Young
people get a real sense of achievement from outdoor learning opportunities designed
by staff to develop their practical skills. They are encouraged to list and monitor their
personal achievements through their pupil profile folder. Good use is made of
photographs to capture young people achieving during their learning experiences.
These photographs are often used in displays in the school but could also be used to
evaluate their achievements. The wider work of Bachlaw Projects, including
community and school work, gives young people a range of ways in which they can
achieve. All members of staff have high expectations of young people who attend
the school, and are able to engage them in a wide range of opportunities.
Young people are making good progress in their literacy skills. They are
demonstrating their abilities in a range of different types of writing including movie
reviews and reporting on international football matches. They are reading novels
and demonstrating their understanding through close reading exercises. They are
also constructing their own crosswords, for others to solve, to demonstrate
understanding of what has been read. Young people are making adequate progress
in numeracy, but respond better to practical approaches than written number work.
We have asked staff to consider further ways to accredit the learning of young
people who attend the school.
Education Scotland
Denholm House
Almondvale Business Park
Almondvale Way
Livingston
EH54 6GA
T
01506 600 380
F
01506 600 337
E colleges@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
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Transforming lives through learning
How well does the school support children and young people to develop and
learn?
In most cases, tasks, activities and resources are appropriate for young people.
Learning centre staff are aware that they need to have better assessment systems in
place to more clearly identify and meet young people’s needs. Almost all staff have
a good understanding of young people’s capabilities and try to adapt their lessons to
accommodate this. Staff understand their roles in the education of young people
who attend the learning centre and work well together. The centre holds open days
to celebrate its work and monthly education reports are sent home to parents,
although these should always be written in plain English. The centre has a range of
appropriate plans in place for all young people.
The curriculum is being designed appropriately, based on the interests of young
people, but now needs to be developed more quickly. Work is clearly planned using
the Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes. We have asked staff to
work with colleagues in other schools to develop ways to track and monitor the
progress of young people. The curriculum available at the school makes good use
of outdoor learning opportunities, including bush craft in the woods and the use of a
boat. The school is planning to accredit young people’s work with the boat. The
school needs to make sure that the curriculum is appropriately broad and balanced.
Staff are planning to enhance the opportunities available for young people to be
involved in expressive arts, particularly drama and music.
How well do the accommodation and resources support learning?
The school has an appropriate level of staffing, including several part-time teachers.
Some staff who work with young people but are not trained as teachers would
benefit from greater help with their tuition skills. The learning centre building in
Macduff is appropriately set out for indoor learning experiences. Young people have
access to a small classroom, a larger learning area, a dining room, cooking facilities
and computers linked to the internet. Whilst there are few outdoor learning
opportunities around this building, the school also has access to a large area near
Cornhill where it is constructing a new school. This has a significant amount of
woodland and other outdoor areas which it is using increasingly effectively for
outdoor learning experiences. The school will wish to continue to develop the
grounds around the Cornhill campus to encourage and facilitate outdoor learning.
The school also has the use of an ocean-going boat which is being used to travel
along the Scottish coast and help young people to develop their seamanship skills
and nautical knowledge.
How well does the school improve the quality of its work?
The school has a group of staff who work together well as a team and are effectively
coordinated by the operations manager. There are significant strengths in their wide
range of experiences and abilities and also in the local community links which they
have developed over a number of years. Bachlaw Projects was awarded the 2012
‘Spirit of Enterprise Award’ for the Grampian Region for the agency which
contributed most to its local community. The school is committed to improving the
work that it does. Annual questionnaires are sent out to parents, young people and
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external professionals. Information from these is used to inform the development
plan. The school also has a participation strategy which shows how it is working with
partners. The Advisory Board along with other partners should now be more clearly
involved in working with the school to help it to plan for improvement. The school’s
quality assurance calendar needs to be improved so that it is useful for staff and
helps to bring about improvements.
This inspection of your school found the following key strengths.



Motivated and engaged learners.
Staff who bring a wide range of experiences and abilities to enrich the education
of young people who attend the school.
Positive and productive links with the wider local community.
We have agreed the following areas for improvement with the school and Advisory
Board.


Create a greater consistency of approach to learning and teaching.
Continue to develop the curriculum in line with the principles the school has
decided to follow from Curriculum for Excellence.
What happens next?
Education Scotland will copy this report to the Registrar of Independent Schools for
information.
Recommendation for Registrar’s consideration
As a result of the overall quality of education provided by the school, we will make no
further visits in connection with this inspection. The Advisory Board will inform
parents about the school’s progress as part of their arrangements for reporting to
parents on the quality of its school.
Ken McAra
HM Inspector
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Additional inspection evidence, such as details of the quality indicator evaluations,
for your school can be found on the Education Scotland website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/school/primsec/ba
chlawlearningcentre.asp.
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a
translation please 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.
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