Auchmuty High School
Glenrothes
Fife Council
5 June 2007
Contents
Page
1. Background
1
2. Key strengths
1
3. How well does the school raise achievement for
all?
2
4. How good is the environment for learning?
8
5. Leading and improving the school
11
Appendix 1
Indicators of quality
14
Appendix 2
Summary of questionnaire responses
15
Appendix 3
Attainment in Scottish Qualifications
Authority (SQA) National Qualifications
17
How can you contact us?
19
1. Background
Auchmuty High School was inspected in January and February 2007 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 also analysed pupils’ attainment in national examinations
(see Appendix 3), the school’s processes for self-evaluation and innovation, and its overall
effectiveness and capacity for improvement. Inspectors focused particularly on English,
mathematics, physical education, and technical education.
The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school’s progress in implementing national
recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision.
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 pupil councils, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the
chairperson of the School Board, representatives of the parent-teacher association (PTA), a
group of parents and the school chaplain.
Auchmuty High School is a non-denominational school serving the eastern side of
Glenrothes and the surrounding villages of Coaltown of Balgonie, Markinch, Milton of
Balgonie, Star of Markinch and Thornton. At the time of the inspection, the roll was 1233.
The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals was in line with the national average.
Pupils’ attendance was above the national average. There was a resourced base for the deaf
located within the school, catering for pupils with hearing impairments from across Fife.
2. Key strengths
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
•
Leadership of the headteacher in setting the direction for school improvement.
•
Partnership working with other agencies to support pupils and well-developed pastoral
and learning support links with associated primary schools.
•
Willingness and effectiveness of a growing number of staff in taking forward key
developments in the school.
•
Range of opportunities for pupils to achieve in a wide range of activities beyond the
curriculum.
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
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
teaching. They evaluated the effectiveness of the school in promoting the learning and
personal development of all pupils in lessons and in other, broader contexts. They also
considered the standards attained in specific aspects of learning.
Curriculum
The overall quality of the curriculum was good. The school was beginning to explore the
possibilities of curriculum flexibility to better meet the needs of all pupils. Particular
features of the curriculum included the following.
•
Pupils in S1/S2 had access to an appropriately broad range of subjects. Drama had been
introduced this session. The school had begun the process of improving curricular
liaison with its associated primary schools to ensure better continuity and progression for
pupils’ learning.
•
In S3/S4 a group of about 40 pupils in S3 followed Skills for Work courses in child care,
construction and hairdressing. In this initial year, pupils were making appropriate
progress and benefiting from these experiences. While closer liaison was developing
with a local college, the school did not yet plan sufficiently for progression for these
pupils beyond S4.
•
This session, there was a wider range of Access courses, available in a variety of
subjects, which was better suiting the needs of a range of pupils.
•
A small number of S3/S4 pupils had been selected for the Club XL option, which
maintained a very good focus on developing pupils’ self-esteem, their skills in
communication, team-working and other life skills.
•
In S5/S6, pupils could choose from a good range of courses which enabled them to
progress effectively from S4. The school made sound use of arrangements with the two
other local secondary schools to extend the breadth of the curriculum. College staff
delivered programmes in psychology at Higher level and sociology and philosophy at
Intermediate 2 level. The school did not provide a continuing element of religious and
moral education (RME) provision and physical education provision was concentrated in
the first half of the school year.
•
The school was currently reviewing its programme for personal, social and health
education (PSHE). The current programme offered good coverage of important themes
including healthy lifestyles.
•
Supported by staff from Careers Scotland, the school offered pupils a good level of
support in making curriculum and career choices.
2
•
While pupils in S1/S2 had access to a common course in information and
communications technology (ICT), the school had not yet developed pupils’ skills in this
area in an integrated and progressive way across the curriculum. Similarly, it should
continue to develop enterprise skills progressively across the school.
Teaching and meeting pupils’ needs
The overall quality of teaching was adequate. Interactions between pupils and teachers were
good in the majority of classes, and staff provided some useful individual feedback. Some
lessons had good or very good teaching, but the overall variation in quality within and
between departments was too great. Most teachers gave clear explanations but some did not
always share learning objectives with pupils or summarise key points at the end of lessons.
Too many lessons were overly teacher led, with an insufficient variety of activities in some
classrooms. While most teachers interacted well with pupils through questioning, the
majority needed to give pupils more time to think and to explain their understanding more
thoroughly. Homework varied too widely in both quantity and quality. Teachers did not
involve pupils closely enough in identifying what they could do to improve.
The way the school met pupils’ needs was adequate overall. The school had developed
effective learning support links with its associated primary schools. It had introduced some
vocational options, units at Access level, and other courses. These were helping a number of
pupils to achieve their potential. The school was beginning to ensure a better focus on
children at risk of missing out from their education. Some teachers focused well on the
range of pupil abilities in their classes. In other cases, where lessons were largely
teacher-led, staff did not adequately meet pupils’ needs, particularly those of higher attaining
pupils. There were several strengths in provision for pupils with additional support needs.
The committed specialist staff maintained a good focus on addressing the needs of a range of
pupils and offered good support with individuals and groups. However, staff did not always
view support for learning as a whole-school responsibility and more than a few staff had yet
to take individual responsibility for fulfilling their own role in meeting all pupils’ needs.
Clear learning targets needed to be developed and shared with all staff and used to review
progress and identify next steps. Behaviour support staff aimed to maximise pupils’
potential to learn. They showed a detailed awareness of the complex needs of their pupils
and offered them good support. Supported by individualised educational programmes (IEPs)
and a system of rewards, they had achieved good levels of success with some pupils. School
managers, with the support of all staff concerned, had not yet developed a sufficiently
integrated approach to meeting pupils’ needs, including better opportunities for joint
planning and the review of individual and group needs. The school did not closely review
the needs of each pupil in the pilot arrangement for two S1 supported classes, ensuring that
all staff involved with them have a common set of strategies to engage and support.
Learning and personal development
The overall quality of learning was adequate. In a few lessons, learning was very positive,
but in others, learners were poorly engaged. Overall, pupils’ learning experiences were
inconsistent across the school. Teachers did not have consistently high expectations of what
pupils could achieve and the pace of lessons was often too slow. Most pupils were attentive
and did as they were asked but, in non practical subjects, many remained only passive
learners. Pupils were significantly less motivated in a number of lessons where they had few
3
opportunities to work collaboratively or exercise meaningful responsibility, choice or
independence in their learning. A minority of teachers had broadened their approaches to
include more effective methods such as cooperative learning and increased group work.
Pupils sometimes received praise and constructive feedback to improve their learning but
such good practice was not widespread. A few teachers had begun to involve pupils
effectively in using ICT to enrich their learning. The library resource centre made a strong
contribution to learning for many pupils.
Overall, the quality of pupils’ personal and social development was good. The majority of
young people were developing some useful personal skills and a growing self-confidence,
but this was not sufficiently developed across the school. The school’s PSHE programme
developed a broadly appropriate range of skills, including a focus on relationships, health
education, self-evaluation skills and citizenship. It was currently being reviewed in line with
the outcomes of ‘Curriculum for Excellence’. It did not yet have a sufficient focus on
encouraging pupils’ positive attitudes and high expectations of themselves or on developing
informed attitudes. Parents were not yet informed in reports about the progress of key skills
in pupils’ personal development. The school promoted achievement through assemblies,
awards ceremonies and the issue of praise postcards. It also helped pupils to develop
positive attitudes and good interpersonal skills through an extensive extra-curricular
programme, including musical groups, sporting activities, educational visits and a talent
contest. Senior pupils were positive role models and carried out a range of duties in the
school. Some had been trained, and were effective, as peer mediators. Pupils’ citizenship
skills were enhanced in a variety of ways such as through working in the community or with
younger pupils. The pupil council was beginning to offer them the opportunity to be part of
the decision-making process but the school did not yet offer them enough substantial
experience.
The quality of learning and personal and social development experienced by deaf pupils was
good. Pupils within the resourced base had access to the full range of subject choices on
offer within the school. Specialist staff used their detailed knowledge of pupils and their
expertise to identify the communication and learning needs of deaf pupils. They made
effective use of tutorial sessions to consolidate pupils’ learning. The good use of signing by
specialist staff enhanced pupils’ understanding. Pupils’ overall levels of attainment were in
line with those of other pupils at the same stage. With specialist support, they were
developing good communication skills both in British Sign Language/Signed English and in
oral/aural communication. Staff in the resourced base provided subject teachers with a range
of information in relation to the needs of deaf pupils. They did not always share formally or
consistently the steps required to ensure that deaf pupils participate fully in learning. Deaf
pupils were encouraged to be involved in the life of the school. The provision of a Sign Club
for pupils and staff encouraged the whole school community to consider the implications of
being deaf. The contributions of senior deaf pupils to PSHE classes for younger pupils gave
an opportunity for pupils to develop positive self-esteem. Notably, one senior deaf pupil had
volunteered to be a befriender to younger hearing pupils. Specialist staff needed to continue
to support pupils in developing communication strategies when in collaborative learning
situations with hearing peers.
English
In all classes, teachers set out clear learning outcomes. Teachers had appropriately high
expectations and showed care and concern for all pupils. Pupils knew their strengths and
were clear about what they had to do to improve. In most classes pupils worked well
4
together at an appropriate pace. Teachers provided all pupils with encouraging and helpful
written comment on next steps in learning. Praise in class was not always well focussed.
Overall, the quality of teaching, learning and arrangements for meeting pupils’ needs was
good. The quality of attainment was adequate. Particular features included the following.
•
By the end of S2, the majority of pupils attained appropriate national levels in reading.
Fewer than half did so in writing.
•
By the end of S4, the proportion of pupils attaining a Standard Grade Credit award was
in line with the national average. Pupils performed notably better in English than in their
other subjects.
•
By the end of S6, the proportion of pupils attaining awards at A-C in Intermediate 2 was
in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils attaining Higher awards at
A-C was in line with the national average. These proportions had declined from being
above the national average.
Mathematics
Teachers provided clear explanations. They were starting to use ICT effectively to enhance
pupils’ learning. In most lessons, they shared the aims of the lesson with pupils but failed to
reinforce the main points at the end of the lesson. The majority of pupils worked well in
class but pupils were not sufficiently actively involved in their learning. Overall the pace of
learning was too slow. Teachers directed lessons too closely and pupils did not have enough
opportunities to think for themselves. The level of challenge for some higher attaining
pupils at S1 to S3 had been increased. The department needed to improve the continuity and
progression of all pupils’ learning, to raise attainment.
Overall, the quality of teaching was adequate. The quality of pupils’ learning and meeting
needs was weak. Attainment was weak. Particular features included the following.
•
By the end of S2, the proportion of pupils attaining appropriate national levels was
increasing. The majority were gaining or exceeding these levels.
•
By the end of S4, the proportion of pupils attaining grades 1-2 and grades 1-4 was
decreasing and below national averages.
•
At S5/S6 the proportions attaining A-C awards was below the national average. Too
many pupils at Advanced Higher, Higher, and Intermediate levels did not gain A-C
awards. However, in 2006, pupils’ attainment at Intermediate 1 and 2 had improved.
Physical education
All teachers provided clear and helpful explanations for pupils. Teachers provided some
very useful feedback to pupils to help them progress. Teaching approaches were limited in
variety. Pupils responded well to the positive and encouraging learning environment. Most
pupils behaved well and progressed in their learning without close supervision. There were
too few opportunities for them to collaborate and interact with each other in learning
activities. Pupils were not always clear about what they needed to do to improve. Teachers
5
had worked hard in consultation with pupils to increase the range of experiences in the senior
school. They had grouped pupils of similar ability together and had improved opportunities
for choice from S4 to meet pupils’ needs more effectively.
Overall, the quality of teaching and meeting pupils’ needs was good. The quality of learning
was adequate. Attainment was adequate. Particular features included the following.
•
At S1/S2, most pupils were making good progress in their learning and there was a very
high level of participation.
•
At S3/S4, entries in Standard Grade had increased. The proportion of pupils attaining a
Credit award, while broadly in line with national averages, had decreased.
•
At S5/S6, the proportion of pupils gaining A-C awards at Higher had decreased and was
well below the national average.
•
A commendable number of girls were choosing to study certificated physical education.
Technical education
The majority of teachers gave helpful explanations and demonstrations. Most did not give
pupils a clear idea of intended learning outcomes. Teachers made very little use of
homework, despite pupils’ unsatisfactory knowledge of technology. The majority of pupils
applied themselves to their tasks but few showed any motivation. Support staff provided
conscientious, helpful assistance. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour and
attainment were too low.
Overall, the quality of teaching, learning and meeting needs was weak. Attainment was
weak overall. Particular features included the following.
•
At S1/S2, pupils showed some useful graphical skills, but craft skills were weak. Pupils’
achievements in design and engineering aspects were weak.
•
At S3/S4, the proportions of pupils attaining Credit awards at Standard Grade in craft and
design and graphic communication were below or well below national averages and had
declined. Pupils performed substantially less well in these subjects than in their other
Standard Grades.
•
At S5/S6, few pupils followed courses in technical education and their performance
overall was weak. The majority of pupils achieved A-C awards at Intermediate 2.
Almost all presented for Advanced Higher graphic communication gained bands A-C.
6
Attainment
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
2004-2006, are included below.
By the end of S2 attainment was adequate. Particular features included the following.
•
The majority of pupils were attaining appropriate national levels in mathematics and
reading but less than half were doing so in writing.
•
The proportion attaining appropriate national levels in mathematics was increasing.
•
In a number of subjects, pupils’ learning experiences did not always take sufficient
account of their prior learning. Broadly across the curriculum, the school had
insufficient data about pupils’ progress at these stages, including in listening and talking.
By the end of S4 attainment was weak. Standard Grade results had declined significantly.
Particular features included the following.
•
At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils attaining five or more awards at SCQF
level 5 or above was below the national average and notably less than other schools with
similar characteristics. The proportion at level 4 was below the national average but in
line with similar schools.
•
There were no subjects where pupil performance was consistently above or well above
the national averages.
•
The proportions of pupils attaining Credit awards in craft and design and physics were
well below the national average.
•
The proportions of pupils attaining Credit awards in administration, art and design,
biology, computing, French, German, graphic communication, history and modern
studies were below national averages.
By the end of S6 attainment was weak. Particular features included the following.
•
3
By the end of S5, the proportions of pupils attaining three or more or five or more awards
at SCQF level 6 were below the national averages. The school performed less well than
similar schools. However, by the end of S6 the proportions were in line with both
national averages and similar schools.
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
7
•
Girls were performing significantly better than boys in each of the last three years at five
or more awards at SCQF level 6.
•
The proportions of pupils attaining A-C awards at Higher were above the national
average in art and design, German and music, below in business management and
chemistry, and well below in biology, French, graphic communication and physics.
•
The majority of pupils presented at Advanced Higher in 2006 gained A-C awards.
4. How good is the environment for learning
Aspect
Comment
Pastoral care
Staff at all levels placed a priority on pastoral care and ensuring
pupils’ welfare. Clear guidelines were in place to deal with child
protection, bullying, racial incidents and drugs abuse. Pupils
benefited from a very effective transition programme from primary
school. Guidance staff were committed to their pupils, responsive to
individual needs as they arose and maintained purposeful contact with
parents. They knew their pupils well and accessed a range of support
agencies and a variety of approaches to meet the needs of individual
pupils. Most pupils were confident that if something worried them
the school would take appropriate action. The school aimed to
establish a more integrated approach to pupil support. The Pupil
Support Plan, currently out with staff for consultation, had much
potential to deliver this approach, involving key players working
closely together to meet a range of individual needs. The school
needed to explore better use of ICT to support this integrated
approach. The promotion of healthy lifestyles was a priority,
delivered effectively through PSHE. An after-school chefs’ club was
effectively developing pupils’ knowledge of healthy eating, and
practical cookery skills.
8
Aspect
Comment
Quality of
accommodation and
facilities
Accommodation was adequate. Particular features included the
following.
•
Extensive playing fields and an outdoor all weather surface were
well used for physical education classes and school sport.
•
The changing rooms in physical education were unsatisfactory
and many of the toilets required redecoration.
•
The school had few, internal, social spaces for pupils.
•
Parts of the building were inaccessible for those who had
difficulty with mobility.
•
Lighting was poor in many rooms, and draughty windows
contributed to making the temperature difficult to regulate.
•
The building had a drab outward appearance and a number of the
rooms and corridors, while of a good size, were bare and
unattractive.
•
Several internal areas of the school had been redecorated and
refurbished as part of the school’s ongoing programme for
enhancing the appearance and creating a more welcoming and
stimulating environment for all. Such efforts were being well
received by pupils.
9
Aspect
Comment
Climate and
relationships,
expectations and
promoting
achievement and
equality
Relationships between staff and pupils and pupils’ behaviour were
generally positive in stimulating lessons, but not where learning was
insufficiently engaging for pupils. Less than half of staff thought that
discipline was dealt with consistently across the school and more than
half of pupils thought behaviour was not good. In a significant
minority of lessons, teachers did not deal effectively with
inappropriate behaviour. Staff shortages had adversely affected staff
morale. Pupils’ attitudes in relation to cooperating more with each
other in their learning needed further development. The pupils’
council had been relaunched and restructured but still needed to be
given greater responsibilities. The school’s anti-racist policy was in
line with authority guidelines. Multi-faith issues were proactively
addressed through the RME programme but did not yet permeate the
wider curriculum. A number of new initiatives had been successfully
introduced to promote and celebrate pupils’ achievement. The new
registration system, rebranded house system and daily assemblies
were helping to raise expectations but staff expectations of pupils’
punctuality, presentation and amount of work covered were widely
variable and not sufficiently high. The majority of pupils’
expectations of their own behaviour, attitude, participation and
readiness to work and their commitment to learning were not high
enough. The school was developing its approach to ensuring more
appropriate arrangements were in place for religious observance.
10
Aspect
Comment
Partnership with
parents and the
community
The quality of partnership with parents and the community was good.
Particular features included the following.
•
The school was continuing to develop its strong relationships
with the School Board and PTA.
•
The school had good partnerships with a number of other
agencies in supporting pupils with additional support needs.
•
Strong relationships were established with other local secondary
schools and local colleges in extending provision within the
senior school curriculum.
•
Very good links were established with associated primary schools
to ease pupils’ transition to secondary school.
•
Good links were being developed with local senior citizens
within the community through the annual tea dance, Veterans’
Day celebrations and visits to a local residential home.
•
Partnership with parents needed to be extended to help them
better support their children in their learning, enhance the level of
pupil achievement and expectation, and to help them understand
the school’s priorities for improvement. It was creating a school
website to help in this regard.
5. Leading and improving the school
Auchmuty High School provided a caring and supportive environment for pupils and was
successfully raising the achievement of the majority. Pupils responded positively in
stimulating lessons. The school provided a good range of opportunities for pupils to achieve
in out of class activities. Most teachers had responded positively to the headteacher’s drive
to improve the climate for learning, raise morale and promote a greater sense of
achievement. However, the overall quality of pupils’ learning experiences, levels of
attainment and the level of expectation across the school remained too variable. While
self-evaluation was improving, inconsistencies in approach had resulted in limited
improvements in key weaknesses. As a result, the school was underachieving in a number of
aspects. The school needed to work with its pupils and parents to raise young people’s
aspirations and their overall achievement.
The headteacher provided good leadership. He had been in post for one year. He was
helping the school to establish a clear sense of direction. Pupils, parents and most staff were
responding positively to new initiatives. The headteacher was committed to ensuring the
school more effectively met the needs of all pupils. He had an ambitious vision for the
future of the school but he needed to communicate this further, clearly outlining how it
11
would be achieved in recognisable steps. With strong support from many staff, he had
already successfully achieved part of that vision by raising expectations and improving the
climate for learning. Morale and the sense of teamwork was gradually improving. Many
staff were supporting initiatives to bring about improvements in learning. The principal
teachers and staff forum had been successful in creating increased opportunities for staff
involvement in decision making. Revised remits of senior staff were also helping to promote
greater team working and consistency. However, leadership across the school remained
adequate. Much still needed to be done to establish a culture of improvement through
effective corporate leadership at all levels. Senior managers and principal teachers supported
their departments but their impact on raising pupils’ achievement was uneven. Whilst they
carried out some of their responsibilities for managing their areas well, collectively they had
insufficient impact on improving the quality of pupils’ learning experiences.
Self-evaluation was weak but had shown recent signs of improvement. The headteacher had
a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Within a short period of
time, he had established a more thorough approach to departmental review. Examination
results were analysed and discussed with principal teachers and action points identified. A
few departments reviewed their work thoroughly to bring about improvements but this good
practice was not consistent across the school. Target setting had been introduced but was not
yet well established or uniformly practised across the school. To improve learning and
teaching, senior managers and principal teachers needed to ensure greater effectiveness in
monitoring pupil progress, in gathering views about learning, and in evaluating the quality of
learning and teaching directly in classes. In particular, the school and education authority
should ensure that teachers in the least effective departments take action to raise the levels of
pupils’ attainment and provide high quality learning experiences for all pupils. Encouraging
signs of progress were beginning to emerge. While much required to be done, the school had
taken the first steps in developing its capacity to continuously improve the quality of
education it provides for all its pupils.
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
•
Improve attainment at all stages.
•
Improve the quality and consistency of pupils’ learning experiences.
•
Raise expectations of pupils’ behaviour, achievement, punctuality and attitude to
learning.
•
Implement arrangements for more consistent management of behaviour.
•
Improve leadership across the school by ensuring staff, including those with additional
responsibilities, work together in a coordinated way to improve the school.
•
Improve the impact of the school’s approaches to self-evaluation.
12
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 and
carers. HM Inspectors will engage with the school and the education authority to monitor
progress. They will publish an interim report on progress within one year of the publication
of this report. Thereafter, HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school and the
education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a follow-through inspection.
This will result in another report to parents and carers, within two years of the publication of
this report, on the extent of improvement that has been achieved
Donald Macleod
HM Inspector
5 June 2007
13
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 promoting learning and achievement
for all pupils.
Section 3. How well does the school raise achievement for all?
Structure of the curriculum
good
The teaching process
adequate
Meeting pupils’ needs
adequate
Pupils’ learning experiences
adequate
Personal and social development
good
Overall quality of attainment: S1/S2
adequate
Overall quality of attainment: S3/S4
weak
Overall quality of attainment: S5/S6
weak
Section 4. How good is the environment for learning?
Pastoral care
good
Accommodation and facilities
adequate
Climate and relationships
adequate
Expectations and promoting achievement
weak
Equality and fairness
good
Partnership with parents, the School Board and
the community
good
Section 5. Leading and improving the school
Leadership of the headteacher
good
Leadership across the school
adequate
Self-evaluation
weak
This report uses the following word scale to make clear the judgements made by inspectors:
excellent
very good
good
adequate
weak
unsatisfactory
14
outstanding, sector leading
major strengths
important strengths with areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
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
Almost all parents thought that:
•
•
•
Around a third did not have a clear idea
about the school’s priorities.
staff made them feel welcome;
Around a quarter thought:
their child was treated fairly;
•
their child enjoyed being at school; and
•
if they raised a matter of concern the
school would do something about it.
•
they were unsure about how to support
their child with their homework; and
•
the school did not have a good reputation
in the community.
What pupils thought the school did well
What pupils think the school could do
better
Almost all pupils thought that:
•
More than half of pupils thought that the
behaviour of pupils was not good.
•
Around a third thought they were not
treated fairly and the school was not
good at dealing with bullies.
•
teachers expected them to work to the
best of their ability;
•
they got on well with other pupils;
•
teachers checked their homework; and
•
teachers helped them when they had
difficulty.
15
What staff thought the school did well
What staff think the school could do
better
•
All staff thought pupil success was
regularly celebrated.
•
•
Almost all staff liked working in the
school.
Two thirds of staff thought indiscipline
was not dealt with effectively and more
than half thought that standards for pupil
behaviour were not consistently upheld
across the school.
Around a third of staff thought that:
16
•
senior managers did not work effectively
as a team and pupils were not
enthusiastic about learning;
•
communication between senior managers
and staff could be improved;
•
there was a lack of mutual respect
between teachers and pupils; and
•
they did not have good opportunities to
be involved in decision making.
Appendix 3
Attainment in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
National Qualifications
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 attaining by end of S4
English and Mathematics
@ Level 3
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools4
National
2004
95
92
91
2005
91
93
90
2006
94
94
91
5+ @ Level 3 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
95
90
91
93
90
90
93
90
91
5+ @ Level 4 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
79
73
77
73
74
76
71
78
77
5+ @ Level 5 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
32
31
35
25
32
34
22
31
35
Percentage of relevant S4 roll attaining by end of S5
5+ @ Level 4 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools4
National
2004
78
77
78
2005
80
74
78
2006
75
77
78
5+ @ Level 5 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
43
42
45
48
40
45
38
41
45
1+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
38
36
39
38
35
39
27
40
38
3+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
17
19
23
20
19
23
11
22
22
5+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
6
7
9
6
7
10
4
8
10
17
Percentage of relevant S4 roll attaining by end of S6
5+ @ Level 5 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools 4
National
2004
53
45
47
2005
44
44
47
2006
51
43
48
1+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
48
42
44
41
40
43
47
39
43
3+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
32
29
31
26
29
30
28
25
30
5+ @ Level 6 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
18
18
20
16
17
19
17
16
20
1+ @ Level 7 or better
Auchmuty High School
Comparator schools
National
17
11
12
13
9
12
15
11
13
5
4
Comparator schools are the 20 schools statistically closest to the school being inspected in terms of the key
characteristics of the school population.
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If you wish to comment about secondary inspections
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Crown Copyright 2007
HM Inspectorate of Education
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