Main points for action
1. At S1/S2, progress in implementing the 5-14 curriculum should be accelerated, taking account of recent HMI reports, including “Achieving Success in S1/S2”.
The school had made good progress in meeting this recommendation.
Since the May 2000 inspection visit there had been a well organised and systematic approach to addressing this recommendation. All departments had audited their courses against national 5-14 guidelines and had made good progress in developing S1/S2 courses. Several departments had responded promptly and well to new national advice issued in the course of the current session. Development work had been well co-ordinated by an assistant headteacher who had monitored progress with departments. The school and the education authority had made suitable arrangements for good practice to be shared across subjects and for necessary development work to be undertaken.
2. National advice on the assessment and reporting of pupils’ progress in S1/S2 should be implemented, including national testing in English and mathematics.
The school had made good progress in meeting this recommendation.
The school had already developed a new format for reporting on children’s progress to parents. The format had already been used in reporting to the parents of S2 pupils about their progress in relation to national levels of attainment. A similar format was to be used for S1 reports later in the session. Departments had developed a range of more systematic procedures for assessing pupils, including appropriate use of national testing in English and mathematics. Several had developed improved ways of recording pupils’ attainments which let them monitor pupils’ progress in relation to national levels of attainment.
The headteacher and the school had responded very well to the findings of the 2000 inspection visit with sustained efforts to implement both recommendations. There had also been significant further progress in taking forward the other points for action in the original report. In particular, more systematic arrangements had been introduced for the monitoring by senior promoted staff of learning and teaching. As a result of the good progress which has been made, HM Inspectors will not make any further visits to the school in connection with the 1998 report.