Crieff High School
Perth & Kinross Council

9 January 2007

Contents

1. Background
2. Key strengths
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
5. How well are pupils supported?
6. How good is the environment for learning?
7. Leading and improving the school
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
Appendix 3 Attainment in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications
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1. Background

Crieff High School was inspected in September 2006 as part of a national sample of secondary education. The inspection covered key aspects of the school’s work at all stages. It evaluated the quality of the curriculum, analysed pupils’ performance in examinations (see Appendix 3) and assessed the quality of pupils’ broader achievement. It also evaluated the quality of learning and teaching and pupil support, the environment for learning, the school’s processes for self-evaluation, and its overall effectiveness and capacity for improvement. There was a particular focus on the work of the English, mathematics, geography, and physical education departments.

HM Inspectors observed learning and teaching and examined pupils’ work. They analysed responses to questionnaires issued to a sample of parents1 and pupils and to all staff. They interviewed groups of pupils, including the pupil council, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the School Board, representatives of the parent-teacher association (PTA) and a group of parents.

Crieff High School is a non-denominational school serving the town of Crieff and the surrounding area, including the villages of Madderty, Muthill, Braco, Greenloaning, Comrie and St Fillans. At the time of the inspection, the roll was 724. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals was well below the national average. Pupils’ attendance was above the national average.

2. Key strengths

HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.

3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?

Parents, pupils and staff were positive overall in their views of the school. In particular, they commented on the significant improvements in ethos and management in recent months. Parents were very supportive of the school and its staff. Many expressed approval of the introduction of the school uniform and felt that behaviour had improved this year. However, they also expressed ongoing concerns about specific aspects. They had serious concerns about staffing instability over the past 18 months and the perceived impact of staff shortages on pupils’ attainment. They did not feel that the school had communicated well with parents. Pupils enjoyed being at school and felt that they got on well with other pupils. They felt safe and secure and appreciated the support of their teachers. They enjoyed a range of extra-curricular activities but would like more opportunities to participate in team sports. Teachers and support staff felt that they operated very effectively as a team. New teachers felt that they were made very welcome and supported well by staff. All expressed concerns about aspects of the existing accommodation.

Further details about what most pleased parents, staff and pupils, and what they would most like to see improved, can be found in Appendix 2 of this report.

4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?

The curriculum, learning and teaching

The overall quality of the curriculum was adequate. The school had begun to review the curriculum with a view to meeting pupils’ needs better through more opportunities for flexibility and choice. A significant change was the move to a 30 period week after full consultation with staff. At S1/S2, pupils followed a broad and well balanced curriculum. However, pupils at this stage were still taught by too many different teachers. Links with primary schools were not sufficiently developed to enable pupils to progress in their learning across the curriculum. The school had recently introduced a course at S2 aimed at helping pupils to learn more effectively. At S3/S4 almost all pupils studied eight Standard Grade or National Qualification (NQ) courses. All S3 pupils had the opportunity to participate in work experience. The school had developed flexible arrangements across a range of subjects to enable groups of lower attaining pupils and those with specific additional support needs to follow courses well matched to their needs. There was scope to extend flexibility at this stage for the more able pupils. At S5/S6, most pupils studied five courses selected from a good range at Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Higher level. These arrangements generally enabled pupils to build successfully on their prior learning. Pupils intending to leave school at Christmas attended vocational courses at Perth College and a small number of pupils studied Higher psychology. All S5 pupils had one period for physical education. Pupils at all stages had opportunities for enterprise, information and communications technology (ICT) and health education but these needed to be embedded more fully into the curriculum.

The overall quality of teaching was good, with some very good examples of effective practice. Most teachers gave clear explanations and instructions and there were instances of effective use of questioning to encourage independent thinking. Teachers used praise very well to encourage and motivate pupils and generally had high expectations of good behaviour. However, across the curriculum, there was a tendency to rely too much on direct teaching, providing too few opportunities for pupils to work independently and take responsibility for their own learning. Although ICT was often used very effectively, this was not yet consistent across all departments. At the beginning of lessons, teachers shared the anticipated content with pupils. Many also set out clearly the aims and intended outcomes of the lesson. In most classes pupils were well motivated, on task and well behaved. Where they had opportunities to work collaboratively, pupils responded very positively but there was scope for more of this kind of activity. In some departments the pace of learning was appropriate. In others it was too slow, and the approaches used did not always provide appropriate levels of challenge for all pupils. With some exceptions, teachers did not pay enough attention to pupils’ prior learning when planning their next steps in learning. Tasks and activities were not always well matched to pupils’ needs. Auxiliaries provided effective support for learning. Almost all staff showed care and concern for pupils and there was good evidence of teachers communicating effectively with pupils about their individual progress. Increasingly, teachers were beginning to use assessment information more effectively to monitor pupils’ progress and set targets for further attainment.

Achievement

The overall quality of attainment at S1/S2 was adequate. By the end of S2, the majority of pupils were achieving appropriate national levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. Across other areas of the curriculum, pupils were making good progress in their coursework.

The following comments are based on Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) data, using the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)2 for the three year period 2004—2006 and also draw on the overall evaluations of the quality of learning, teaching and meeting pupils’ needs.

The overall quality of attainment at S3/S4 was good. By the end of S4, the proportion of pupils gaining five or more awards at SCQF levels 4 and 5 or better was in line with the national average. The proportion attaining five or more awards at level 5 had improved steadily and was now in line with that in schools with similar characteristics. In a few subjects, pupils had been presented for awards at Access 2 and 3 and at Intermediate 1 with the majority gaining A-C grades overall.

The overall quality of attainment at S5/S6 was good. By the end of S5, the proportions of pupils gaining one or more and three or more awards at SCQF level 6 or better were in line with the national average. The proportion attaining five or more awards at level 6 had declined but remained above the national average and was better than in schools of similar characteristics. By the end of S6, these proportions were all above the national average. The proportion gaining one or more awards at level 7 had improved steadily and was now above the national average.

Information on the subjects inspected is given later in the report. Significant features of attainment in the subjects not inspected were as follows.

The school provided pupils with a very good range of opportunities for them to develop skills and demonstrate wider achievements in other contexts. Staff and pupils participated in a range of lunchtime and after-school activities such as a chess club, Scripture Union, guitar club, choirs, writers and readers group, debating, homework club and a book club. Pupils had achieved success in team sports and a diverse range of other sporting and cultural activities. Large numbers of pupils participated successfully in activities leading to Duke of Edinburgh awards. Fourteen pupils had achieved silver awards from expeditions undertaken earlier this year. Pupils had many opportunities to develop their social skills. More than 80 pupils took part annually in a very popular ski trip. Annual exchanges with French and German schools involved many pupils in a range of activities including accompanying exchange partners on trips and hosting events such as a ceilidh open to all senior pupils. Significantly large numbers of pupils received instrumental tuition and many participated successfully in a wind band. The successful annual school shows involved large numbers of pupils working closely with staff in the music and drama departments. Pupils from art and design classes had recently been invited to exhibit some of their work in the local public library. Others demonstrated increasing responsibility during experiences such as theatre visits run by the English department, field trips in geography and science, and an annual visit to the first world war battlefields organised by the history department.

English

Learning and teaching

Most teachers gave clear explanations and instructions and fostered a positive atmosphere in class. They used questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding. However, they often did not explain clearly enough the aims of lessons and what pupils would learn. Most pupils worked conscientiously but needed to develop their own ideas and skills for independent learning. They were not sufficiently aware of their individual strengths, needs or next steps in learning. There were several examples of effective teaching. However, overall, the quality of teaching varied too much between classes and lessons, leading to inconsistencies in the quality of pupils’ learning.

Achievement

By the end of S2, the majority of pupils were attaining appropriate national levels in reading and writing. About a quarter of pupils exceeded these levels in reading. Writing levels had recently improved. The evidence available indicated that a majority attained national levels in listening and talking. At Standard Grade, the proportion of S4 pupils gaining Credit awards was consistently above national averages. At S5/S6, results had fluctuated and in 2006 had fallen to well below national averages at Higher. In recent years, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C awards at Intermediate 2 had improved and was well above the national average in 2006. At Intermediate 1, only a quarter of pupils presented had achieved A-C awards.

Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.

Mathematics

Learning and teaching

Teachers gave clear explanations and used questioning skilfully. They were developing teaching approaches which enabled pupils to participate more actively in lessons and helped teachers to monitor their understanding of key points. Teachers set regular homework and gave pupils helpful feedback on their performance. Pupils generally responded well in class and worked purposefully and at a brisk pace. ICT was used well in a few lessons, but overall there was insufficient use of new technology to enhance the quality of learning. Teachers matched the level of work well to the stage pupils had reached in their learning, and individual pupils were given a high level of support.

Achievement

Over the last three years a majority of S2 pupils had reached expected national levels of attainment. The proportion attaining above these levels had increased to over a third of pupils in 2006. The proportion of S4 pupils gaining a Credit award had improved and in 2006 was above the national average. At Higher, the proportion of S5/S6 pupils taking the subject had been low but was now showing improvement. Awards at grades A-C were above the national average. At Intermediate 2, a very high proportion of pupils took the subject and of these, the proportion attaining an A-C grade was above the national average. Most pupils at Intermediate 1 and a majority at Advanced Higher, attained an A—C grade.

Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.

Geography

Learning and teaching

Teachers used a wide variety of approaches effectively to motivate pupils and achieve learning outcomes. They used questions well to direct pupils’ learning and gave clear explanations and instructions. They were increasingly using ICT effectively to improve the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. Regular fieldwork at some stages encouraged pupils to work cooperatively and helped extend their understanding of geographical concepts. Pupils worked well in class and responded well to lessons, especially when given responsibility for aspects of their own learning. At S1/S2, pupils were very well supported by class teachers. Staff were developing appropriate materials to provide more challenging tasks for some pupils. They needed to take account of pupils’ prior learning in primary schools in preparing courses, however.

Achievement

At S1/S2, most pupils were making good progress in their coursework. Pupils were developing a good knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts, including map and atlas skills. At Standard Grade, the proportion of S4 pupils achieving Credit awards was consistently well above the national average. Pupils performed better in Standard Grade geography than in their other subjects. At S5/S6, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades at Higher varied widely. At Intermediate 2 in geography, and Intermediate 1 and 2 in travel and tourism, all of the small number of candidates had achieved an A-C award.

Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.

Physical education

Learning and teaching

Relationships between teachers and pupils were positive. In the best practice, teachers planned lessons carefully and varied their approaches to challenge pupils. Overall, however, there was too much variation in the quality of teaching across the department. At times, too much time in lessons was allocated to whole class teaching without sufficient interaction with pupils. Lessons were often slow in getting started and rushed towards the end. Teachers made some effective use of ICT, including the Smart Board for certificate classes. The majority of pupils were well behaved and worked diligently without close supervision. Teachers needed to build more effectively on pupils’ prior learning and provide more focused feedback to help them improve their performance. They were beginning to revise courses and homework to match tasks better to pupils’ abilities in order to raise their attainment. A significant majority of pupils did not complete their Higher or Intermediate courses.

Achievement

At S1/S2, most pupils were performing well in their coursework. At S3/S4, pupils undertaking the performance course were not achieving high enough standards. The proportion of S4 pupils presented for Standard Grade and the proportions attaining Credit awards were well below national averages. At S5/S6, of the low numbers presented, the majority attained A-C grades at either Intermediate 2 or Higher. Only a small number of girls opted to study physical education from S3 to S6.

Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.

5. How well are pupils supported?

Overall, the school had effective procedures for the care and welfare of pupils. Guidance teachers were very committed to the welfare of the pupils in their care, and responded very positively to the concerns of pupils, parents and class teachers. Staff and pupils had good relationships and pupils felt confident about raising any concerns they might have. Guidance staff met all pupils at each stage annually for individual interviews, while some vulnerable pupils were seen more often. There were appropriate procedures in place for dealing with health and welfare issues, including child protection, bullying and personal safety. Staff kept careful records of any incidents and communications concerning pupils.

The arrangements for pupils’ personal and social development were good. Most pupils, including those with additional support needs, were developing self esteem, acquiring appropriate personal and social skills and learning to cooperate with others. Pupils were developing responsible attitudes through participation in pupil councils and peer support programmes. Many extra-curricular activities and excursions also contributed positively to pupils’ personal and social development. From S1 to S6, the social education programme included a broad range of topics appropriate to the needs of pupils at each stage. However, while the courses were carefully planned, some resources were outdated, and some topics had already been covered at earlier stages or within other subject areas.

The provision of curricular and vocational guidance for pupils was good. Pupils were supported well at key transition stages. Arrangements for entry to S1 included visits, information sessions and, commendably, a residential experience. Guidance and senior management staff gave helpful advice in choosing courses to pupils and their parents. All S3 pupils, and some pupils with additional support needs at different stages, had been involved in work experience placements, which contributed to the development of vocational skills. The school’s careers officer contributed to the social education programme, and was available for individual appointments with pupils every week. The school librarian maintained a small, but well organised careers section of the library and supported pupils’ use of careers software packages at appropriate times. Outside speakers offered advice to senior pupils on a range of topics relevant to their future needs.

The overall quality of support for learning was good. Learning support staff, ably assisted by a team of support for learning assistants, provided very good, and often imaginative programmes, activities and experiences for a number of pupils with significant additional support needs both in school and in the community. Staff made good use of ICT within the base to assess or support the learning of pupils with a wide range of learning needs. While learning support staff, including those responsible for supporting behaviour, offered suitable work for pupils with additional support needs, they did not review targets contained within the individualised educational programmes rigorously enough. At current staffing levels, learning support staff were unable to offer a sufficient level of support to departments for cooperative teaching or staff development.

The acting depute headteacher coordinated all aspects of pupil support very effectively. Recent developments had improved joint working between teams within the school and with external support agencies. The school should continue to extend this integrated approach for the benefit of all pupils.

6. How good is the environment for learning?

Aspect

Comment

Quality of accommodation and facilities

The school’s accommodation had some strengths. It was clean and generally well maintained. External security arrangements were appropriate. Pupils benefited from access to small gardens and seated areas, as well as large playing fields. Many departments had good-sized classrooms and adequate storage space. However, in music, drama, physical education and support for learning, the present facilities did not provide a suitable environment for learning. The library, though well equipped, was too small for the demands now placed on it. While some adaptations had been made to enable access for the disabled, such access was still limited. Pupils did not have suitable social areas to gather in at breaks. Some toilets were in need of refurbishment to ensure appropriate levels of hygiene. Limited space for parking gave rise to congestion on access roads. The education authority planned to build a new school in the next two years on a neighbouring site.

Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality

The school had a welcoming atmosphere. Pupils and staff identified strongly with the school. While pupils had some initial misgivings, almost all were very pleased with the new school uniform and were proud to wear it. Despite the recent difficulties in staffing, teachers appeared to have retained good morale. Pupils and staff enjoyed good relationships in almost all classes. Overall, pupils behaved very well, displayed good manners and were polite to adults and each other. The school had revised the structure of the well established Pupil Council to enable pupils to present their views better to staff. Teachers made effective use of praise to encourage pupils and reinforce successful learning. Their expectations of pupils’ learning and achievement were variable. The introduction of a revised policy for discipline and rewards had helped raise expectations of behaviour. Staff were not yet consistently applying these strategies, however, and pupils were not convinced that the system was fair. The successful inclusion of many pupils with additional support needs was a major strength of the school. The social education programme included well planned opportunities to promote race and gender equality. However, the school did not use other curricular and whole-school opportunities to promote aspects of equality and diversity actively. The school had good arrangements for religious observance.

Partnership with parents and the community

The school had developed good links with parents and the wider community. Staff had regular and productive contacts with the supportive School Board. The PTA was very active in organising social and fund-raising events. Parents contributed to a range of activities to support pupils. The school communicated with parents through a well presented monthly newsletter, a helpful school handbook and an annual report. School reports provided relevant and helpful information on pupils’ progress. Staff had changed the arrangements for parents’ evenings to enable parents to meet with more teachers. The senior management team made themselves available to meet parents without appointments on a weekly basis. The school had developed good links with a wide range of external support agencies. The chaplains and community police made regular visits and positive contributions to assemblies and programmes for personal and social education courses. The school should continue to strengthen links with Perth College and the local business community.

7. Leading and improving the school

Crieff High School had undergone significant challenges prior to the inspection. Several changes to staffing had led to low staff morale. Pupils’ behaviour had provided increasing challenges to staff and parents’ confidence in the school had declined. Recognising these concerns, senior managers had worked with staff and pupils to ensure that ethos, communications and behaviour were recognised as priorities requiring urgent attention. The initiatives undertaken to address these priorities had already begun to achieve an impact, and parents, pupils and staff felt that the school had ‘turned the corner’. There was evidence of growing pride in the school, improvements in pupils’ behaviour, and better consultation and communication across the school. At the same time, although attainment at S3/S4 had remained stable, it had declined at S5/S6. Attainment in some individual subjects was good. In others, there had been significant improvements in recent years. Senior managers had introduced a range of approaches to improve the curriculum and aspects of learning, and raise attainment. The school should continue to monitor the alternative provisions at S3/S4 to evaluate their impact on attainment. Overall, most pupils were very well supported in their work and their learning experiences continued to be enhanced by a wide range of activities beyond the classroom.

The acting headteacher had been in post for around nine months. She had demonstrated good leadership in guiding the school through a very difficult period. She was using her good communication and interpersonal skills successfully to provide better direction for senior managers and to bring back a sense of teamwork across the staff. She had recognised the importance of consulting pupils, parents and staff prior to the introduction of new initiatives earlier this year. Priorities for improvement were based on evidence from surveys and very effective use of staff meetings. The acting headteacher had ensured that immediate needs were addressed with suitable urgency. The senior management team (SMT) had supported the headteacher very ably in taking forward these key developments. Each of the deputes brought individual strengths to remits carefully matched to their abilities and experience. They had a very good grasp of these remits and a good knowledge of the school and its needs. The leadership qualities demonstrated by principal teachers varied considerably, although their teamwork had improved. Procedures for analysis and discussion of examination information were rigorous and had led to improvements in some subjects. They had had little impact on improving attainment in other subjects. Some departments tracked the attainment of individual pupils effectively and systematically set them targets, in order to improve their learning. The headteacher and SMT now planned to work with principal teachers to extend these approaches across the rest of the school. Senior managers had good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of individual teachers and subject departments through informal observations and an effective cycle of formal classroom visits. Principal teachers conducted frequent classroom observations and provided appropriate feedback to staff. Information gathered in these ways should be used to plan more effective sharing of good practice across the school. With the current management team, and continued support from the education authority, the school now had a good capacity to improve.

Main points for action

The school and the education authority should continue to take action to improve the overall quality of pupils’ learning experiences and attainment. In doing so, they should take account of the need to:

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 continue to engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a follow-through inspection. This will result in a report to parents and carers, within two years of the publication of this report, on the extent of improvement that has been achieved.

Jim Bruce
HM Inspector

9 January 2007

Appendix 1 Indicators of quality

The sections in the table below follow the order of this report. You can find the main comments made about each of the quality indicators in those sections. However, aspects of some quality indicators are relevant to other sections of the report and may also be mentioned in those other sections.

How good are learning, teaching and achievement?

Structure of the curriculum

adequate

The teaching process

good

Pupils’ learning experiences

adequate

Meeting pupils’ needs

adequate

Overall quality of attainment: S1/S2

adequate

Overall quality of attainment: S3/S4

good

Overall quality of attainment: S5/S6

good

How well are pupils supported?

Pastoral care

good

Personal and social development

good

Curricular and vocational guidance

good

Learning support

good

How good is the environment for learning?

Accommodation and facilities

weak

Climate and relationships

good

Expectations and promoting achievement

adequate

Equality and fairness

good

Partnership with parents, the School Board and the community

good

Leading and improving the school

Leadership of the headteacher

good

Leadership across the school

adequate

Self-evaluation

adequate

This report uses the following word scale to make clear the judgements made by inspectors:

excellent

excellent

very good

major strengths

good

important strengths, some areas for improvement

adequate

strengths just outweigh weaknesses

weak

important weaknesses

unsatisfactory

major weaknesses

Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses

What parents thought the school did well

What parents think the school could do better

Almost all parents felt that staff made them feel welcome and that their children were treated fairly in the school.

Most parents thought that:

  • school reports gave them useful information and parent’s evenings were helpful and informative;
  • staff showed care and concern for their children; and
  • the school had explained to parents how to help their children with their homework.

Just under half of parents thought that:

  • they did not have a clear idea of the school’s priorities for improvement;
  • the school did not make clear the standards of work expected of pupils;
  • teachers were not good at letting them know pupils’ strengths and weaknesses; and
  • the school did not have a good reputation and was not well led.

What pupils thought the school did well

What pupils think the school could do better

Almost all pupils thought that:

  • they enjoyed being at school and got on well with other pupils;
  • teachers expected them to work to the best of their ability and helped them when they were having difficulties with their work;
  • teachers explained things clearly, checked their homework regularly and listened to what they had to say;
  • they felt safe and secure in the school and knew what to do if something was worrying them: and
  • the school helped them to keep safe and healthy.
  • Around a quarter of pupils felt that they did not have enough of a say in improving the school.
  • A few felt that not all pupils were treated fairly and that the behaviour of other pupils was not good.

What staff thought the school did well

What staff think the school could do better

All, or almost all teaching and non-teaching staff thought that:

  • teachers set high standards for pupils and provided good feedback on their work;
  • they showed concern for the care and welfare of pupils and were aware of the school’s procedures for child protection;
  • the school dealt effectively with instances of bullying;
  • staff worked hard to maintain good relationships with the community;
  • the school communicated clearly the standards of work and behaviour it expected; and
  • they liked working in the school.
  • Almost all non-teaching staff thought that the school was well led and that senior managers operated effectively as a team.

Fewer than a third of teachers felt that standards set for behaviour were consistently upheld.

Only around half of teachers thought that:

  • senior managers operated effectively as a team and there was effective communication between senior managers and staff
  • indiscipline was dealt with effectively;
  • the school was well led; and
  • there was regular staff discussion about how to achieve the school’s priorities.

Fewer than half of non-teaching staff felt they had 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

2004

2005

20063

English and Mathematics @ Level 3

Crieff High School

96

95

91

Comparator Schools4

95

96

94

National

91

90

91

5+ @ Level 3 or Better

Crieff High School

96

91

91

Comparator Schools

95

95

94

National

91

90

91

5+ @ Level 4 or Better

Crieff High School

81

79

80

Comparator Schools

83

85

83

National

77

76

76

5+ @ Level 5 or Better

Crieff High School

32

35

40

Comparator Schools

36

38

39

National

35

34

34

Percentage of relevant S4 roll attaining by end of S5

2004

2005

20063

5+ @ Level 4 or better

Crieff High School

89

82

79

Comparator schools4

86

86

86

National

78

78

78

5+ @ Level 5 or better

Crieff High School

58

50

47

Comparator schools

54

51

50

National

45

45

45

1+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

51

41

39

Comparator schools

46

45

43

National

39

39

38

3+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

27

25

21

Comparator schools

25

25

23

National

23

23

21

5+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

14

15

11

Comparator schools

9

10

10

National

9

10

9

Percentage of relevant S4 roll attaining by end of S6

2004

2005

20063

5+ @ Level 5 or better

Crieff High School

58

62

51

Comparator schools4

58

55

52

National

47

47

48

1+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

54

54

48

Comparator schools

53

50

50

National

44

43

43

3+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

35

37

33

Comparator schools

36

34

33

National

31

30

30

5+ @ Level 6 or better

Crieff High School

20

27

21

Comparator schools

25

23

22

National

20

19

19

1+ @ Level 7 or better

Crieff High School

7

11

15

Comparator schools

17

15

14

National

12

12

12

How can you contact us?

If you would like an additional copy of this report

Copies of this report have been sent to the acting headteacher and school staff, the Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services, local councillors and appropriate Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education, 1st Floor, Endeavour House, 1 Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QB or by telephoning 01382 576700. Copies are also available on our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.

If you wish to comment about secondary inspections

Should you wish to comment on any aspect of secondary inspections, you should write in the first instance to Frank Crawford, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Europa Building, 450 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8LG.

Our complaints procedure

If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to Hazel Dewart, Business Management Unit, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office or by telephoning 01506 600258 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4-6 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS. You can also telephone 0870 011 5378 or e-mail enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk.

Crown Copyright 2007

HM Inspectorate of Education

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated.

Footnotes

  1. Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.
  2. 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
  3. Pre Appeal
  4. Comparator schools are the 20 schools statistically closest to the school being inspected in terms of the key characteristics of the school population.