CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT POLICY (2009)
Policy:
This revised policy takes account of the school’s Quality Assurance Policy (2002) and the various national and local
advice/guidance documents recently produced.
Aim:
To provide an excellent education for all our pupils.
Introduction:
Our collegiate approach to ensuring quality is based on: Systematically using self-evaluation approaches and quality indicators as outlined in ‘How Good is Our School’ (2007)
 The assumption that as reflective practitioners, quality assurance is everyone’s responsibility
 Linking this policy to our school policy on Learning and Teaching and the school improvement plan( with a focus on
expected outcomes)
Every 3 years as a school we will complete a full self-evaluation audit or will take a closer look at specific HGIOS themes
over the three year cycle. This school audit will inform and help us plan for any future improvements.
687271865
The school Quality Assurance calendar (Appendix 1) highlights our collegiate and rigorous approach to securing the highest
quality education for all our pupils. Staff should regard these quality procedures as an additional means of support and are
expected to contribute their thoughts and ideas as to how the system and indeed the quality of education for our young
people can be improved.
There is a range of quantitative and qualitative data which we will use to help us reach an evaluation. Appendix 5 of HGIOS
3 suggests a list based on:
 Quantitative data e.g. STACS analysis
 People’s views e.g. questionnaires
 Direct observation of episodes of learning and teaching by peers (followed by feedback based on the teacher’s
self-evaluation of the lesson to the benefit of both teacher and peer learner)
 Direct observation of a range of documents e.g. sample pupils’ work
Each department, led by the Principal Teacher/Faculty Head will carry out a yearly review in May and thereafter produce a
departmental Standards and Quality report before mid June. This information will assist in the preparation of the school
Standards and Quality report due with the authority before September.
Each department/faculty will produce a department policy on Quality Assurance and Improvement that reflects the school
policy and quality calendar (appendix 1). This department/faculty policy will outline in more detail the roles and
responsibilities of all colleagues in the department/faculty. A list of examples of self-evaluation activities used in our school
is attached for information (appendix 2).
687271865
CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL
Self-evaluation leading to improvement
* Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.



















Quality Assurance and School Improvement policy
School Improvement Plan – values, aims, vision and audit sections/QI for improvement/expected outcomes
Calendar of self-evaluation activities – planned programme of whole school
SMT link meetings – four times per year
SQA analysis meeting – HT/link SMT
Standards and Quality Reports – school and departments
Questionnaires – QUAESTOR (2005); SMT leadership 2004 and 2007;
Department Improvement Plans – linked to School Improvement Plan
Investors in People award – linked to Quality Indicators
Health Promotion – school self-evaluation moderated by visiting team – 9 Quality Indicators covered
Fast track classes in English and Maths – department self-evaluation ongoing
Evaluations of Parents Evenings/Buddy training event/Prizegiving event debriefing
Use of pupil questionnaires at department level
Every Enterprise event has evaluation built into feedback for improvement
PRD/EDR process starts with self-evaluation exercise for all staff
Feedback following classroom observation – self-evaluation before comment from peer observer (what went well/what was tricky if
anything/what to do differently?)
New staff – meeting with HT and use of three questions above – self-evaluation of how things going shortly after induction spell
Cross curricular groups – annual report
Quality Review by local authority based on self-evaluation – every department completed a self-evaluation of key indicators
687271865



School of Ambition – evaluation by SCRE – of CPD via Mary Pirie and curricular enhancement at S5/6
Parent Reports – quality assured by PT before sampling by DHT
Monitoring and Tracking of pupil Targets
NB This is not an exhaustive list.
687271865
CASTLEMILK HIGH SCHOOL QUALITY ASSURANCE CALENDAR 2008/2009
Activity
Action
Completed by
Frequency
The Curriculum - S2 & S4 options
Checking of option forms
DHT, PT Pastoral Care
Annual
School attainment (5-14, SQA)
SMT Link/PT Meeting Sept
SMT, Faculty Heads
Quarterly
Assessing, forward plans, monitoring and
reporting progress and achievement
Review and recording
Class teachers, PTs,
Faculty Heads, SMT
Ongoing
Homework Diaries
Review
Student Tutor/SMT
Weekly
Pupil Jotters and Classwork
Sampling
Class teachers, PTs,
Faculty Heads
Monthly sample
Working in Classrooms (meeting pupil needs)
SMT, PT classroom observation
Peer, PTs, Faculty
Heads, SMT
Planned programme
S1 Reports
Department PT review and DHT for overall review
DHT
Twice per year
S2 Reports
Department PT review and DHT for overall review
DHT
Twice per year
S3 Reports
Department PT review and DHT for overall review
DHT
Twice per year
S4 Reports
Department PT review and DHT for overall review
DHT
Twice per year
S5/6 Reports
Department PT review and DHT for overall review
DHT
Twice per year
Pupil progress tracking
Monitoring Individualised Educational
programmes
1-1 PC Meetings, Review of progress against
targets at report card time, Option interviews for S2
and S4/5.
PT review involving pupils, parents and other
agencies
687271865
Faculty Heads,
PTPC,SMT
PT SfL
Continuous
Continuous
AU
Attendance
Review of daily, monthly attendance statistics,
Attendance Councils
SMT, ELO, PT Pastoral
Care
Daily, Monthly
Comparisons
Behaviour
Remove monitoring
SMT
Fortnightly
Staff Views through cross curricular groups and
PT Meetings
PT Meetings
SMT
Termly
Cross Curricular Groups
SMT
Annually
Pupils Views
Pupil Council
Parents Views
Health & Safety Checks
Parental Questionnaires, Quality Review, Voice of
the Customer research
Meetings Amey/Council/SBM, Tour of Building
SMT
Council, SBM ,Amey
3 times per year
Termly
Progress towards Improvement plan targets
4 Link meetings per year , SMT meetings
SMT
Termly
Staff Review
PRD, PSP (Support staff)
Line Manager, employee
Annually
687271865
3 times per year