Main points for action
1. In conjunction with the education authority and the School Board, the school should take appropriate steps to improve signposting and restrict public access to the school campus.
The school and the education authority had made good progress in meeting this recommendation.
Extensive signposting had been carried out across the school campus. This included clear notices designed to restrict the use of the campus area as a public thoroughfare.
2. The school should review its curricular provision in S1/S2 in line with the recommendations in HM Inspectors’ report ‘Achieving Success in S1/S2’; ensure that pupils follow national recommendations on balanced courses in S3/S4; and improve the provision of religious and moral education in S3-S6 to meet national requirements.
The school was making good progress towards meeting this recommendation.
A full review of the curriculum from S1 to S4 had been carried out. In S1/S2 effective action was being taken to implement national advice. This included the introduction of a rota system in the social subjects and the elimination of subjects studied for only a single period each week. The school had suitably reviewed its advice to S2 pupils and their parents on course choice. Figures for session 2000-2001 indicated that nearly all pupils entering S3 would have a well-balanced curriculum. The school was appropriately increasing the time allocated to religious and moral education.
3. To improve attainment, the school should review its arrangements for curricular advice and provision from S3-S6 to ensure that pupils choose more appropriately demanding courses.
The school was addressing this recommendation effectively.
The senior management team and guidance staff had taken effective action to ensure that pupils in S3 to S6 were able to maximise their potential. The school had reviewed and improved its advice to pupils from S3 to S6 on the number of subjects they should study. Positive steps were being taken to ensure that from June 2000 almost all S3 pupils would be taking eight as