Carrick Academy Maybole
South Ayrshire Council

15 March 2005

Contents

1. Background
2. Key strengths
3. What are the views of parents and carers, pupils and staff?
4. How good are learning, teaching, attainment and achievement?
5. How well are pupils supported?
6. How good is the environment for learning?
7. 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

Carrick Academy was inspected in November 2004. Subjects included in the inspection were English, mathematics, biology and S1/S2 science, and modern foreign languages. The school is a non-denominational integrated community school which serves Maybole and its surrounding area. At the time of the inspection the roll was 586. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals was in line with the national average. Pupils’ attendance was well above the national average.

Members of the inspection team analysed responses to questionnaires issued to samples of pupils, parents and carers, and to all staff. They also met the chairperson of the School Board, a group of parents and representatives of the school’s network of partners. They interviewed groups of pupils and staff.

2. Key strengths

HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.

• Pupils’ impressive enterprise skills, particularly at S2 and S5/S6, and wider achievements.
• The contribution of the home economics department to the development of pupils’ skills and confidence and to the wider life of the school.
• Well-developed integrated approaches to support for pupils as they progressed through primary into secondary school.
• High quality pastoral care for pupils.
• Very strong and productive partnerships with a wide range of individuals, companies and agencies.

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

Parents and carers were positive about most aspects of the school. Almost all felt that the school set high standards for pupils’ attainment and was well led. They appreciated the high level of concern shown by staff for their child’s care and welfare. A significant number of parents expressed concern at the condition of the school buildings. Around a quarter of those who responded thought that the school could be better at consulting them and at letting them know about its priorities. Almost all pupils felt that the school helped them to keep healthy and safe and that they got on well with other pupils. They believed teachers expected them to work to the best of their ability and told them when they did something well. Around a third of pupils felt that the behaviour of some pupils was not good. Almost all teachers and support staff liked working in the school and felt that the school regularly celebrated pupils’ successes. Teachers felt that they provided constructive feedback on pupils’ work and set high standards. Most teachers and support staff felt that indiscipline was not dealt with effectively and that standards were not upheld consistently. Less than half of teachers and around a third of support staff felt that the school was well led or that senior managers worked effectively as a team. Further details about what pleased parents and carers, staff and pupils, and what they would like to see improved, can be found in Appendix 2 of this report.

4. How good are learning, teaching, attainment and achievement?

In evaluating the overall quality of learning, teaching, attainment and achievement, HM Inspectors observed aspects of learning in the inspected departments and more widely across the school. They also reviewed the extent to which the structure of the curriculum addressed pupils’ needs and analysed pupils’ performance in examinations. (See Appendix 3).

The curriculum, learning and teaching

The overall quality of the curriculum was good. As a result of staffing shortages, at the time of the inspection the school did not offer history at S1/S2. Otherwise, the curriculum at this stage was appropriately broad and balanced. It had been designed to reduce the number of teachers with whom pupils had contact each week. However, the number of classes shared by more than one teacher had reduced the benefits of this approach. While staff in some subjects had worked closely with their primary colleagues to take better account of pupils’ experiences in their courses, programmes needed to be updated. The school was reviewing its arrangements for building on pupils’ prior learning in primary school to ensure appropriate continuity and progress. Pupils had good opportunities to develop skills in information and communications technology (ICT) through a well-planned course but the school had no arrangements to allow this to develop systematically beyond S2. There was good provision for the development of enterprise skills through programmes in home economics and technical education. At S3/S4, almost all pupils studied eight courses at Standard Grade or its equivalent. Several subjects had successfully introduced courses at Access and Intermediate levels with a view to raising attainment and music had introduced Higher at S4. Almost all pupils continued to study a modern foreign language. The school had recently made alternative provision for a few less motivated pupils to support the development of their personal and social skills. Senior managers had not yet had time to monitor these programmes to evaluate their impact on pupils’ levels of attainment or their achievements. The school was working to establish links with Ayr College to extend the number of courses available for pupils following an alternative curriculum. At S5/S6, pupils could select from a good range of courses at Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Higher levels and units in religious and moral education. Almost all pupils were able to progress from courses chosen at an earlier stage. Around half the pupils at S5/S6 were engaged in activities designed to develop aspects of citizenship.

In almost all of the lessons observed, teachers provided clear explanations and instructions and shared the content of lessons with pupils. Most teachers questioned effectively to check pupils’ understanding and, in the best practice, to develop their thinking. However, they rarely shared the aims of lessons and did not always consolidate new information or skills. Some used praise very effectively to encourage and build pupils’ self-esteem, although this practice was not consistently strong across the school. Teachers set homework regularly but it lacked variety in a few subjects. Most pupils responded well and demonstrated effective teamwork when asked to work collaboratively. However, in a few lessons the quality of pupils’ learning was limited because pace was not well-judged and was either too slow or too fast. Teachers did not always provide pupils with sufficient challenge and some pupils were too passive. Overall, pupils did not have enough opportunities to think and work independently. The behaviour of a small number of pupils in some classes disrupted the learning of others. Teachers provided helpful feedback on pupils’ work and some encouraged pupils to be involved in monitoring their own progress. Approaches included well-structured checklists, for example, in geography, and setting personal targets in English. Across the school, there was too much variation in the practice of sharing assessment criteria with pupils to help them take responsibility for their own progress.

Attainment and achievement

The overall quality of attainment at S1/S2 was fair. Pupils were making variable progress in their coursework. In English in particular, they did not make sufficient progress from their previous levels of attainment. By the end of S2, around half the pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment in reading and writing. The proportion of pupils achieving appropriate levels of attainment in mathematics was consistently well above the national average.

The overall quality of attainment at S3/S4 was good. The proportion of pupils attaining five or more General and Credit awards was above the national average and better than schools with similar characteristics. Boys’ attainment at Credit level had improved over the last three years.

The overall quality of attainment at S5/S6 was fair. The proportion of pupils achieving five or more A-C grades at Higher by the end of S5 was generally in line with the national average and the performance of similar schools. The proportion achieving five or more A-C grades by the end of S6 was below the average and had decreased. In a number of subjects, too many pupils achieved No Award at Intermediate 2 or Higher. Most of the pupils presented for Advanced Higher were successful.

Significant features of pupils’ attainment in the subjects not inspected included the following.

• At Standard Grade, pupils performed consistently and notably better in craft and design than in their other subjects.
• At Standard Grade, in four of the past five years pupils performed notably less well in history than in their other subjects.
• In recent years, S5/S6 pupils performed better in Higher geography than in their other subjects.
• Almost all of the significant number of pupils presented for units in religious and moral education passed.

The promotion of pupils’ wider achievements was a strength of the school. Pupils achieved success in a variety of activities, including public speaking, a work shadowing project and initiatives to develop active citizenship. Pupils had developed impressive enterprise skills through, for example, the S2 ‘Bites in a box’ initiative led by the home economics and technical departments and the S5/S6 enterprise company. The school had won a gold award for its enterprise education. Pupils in S2 developed sound citizenship skills through their involvement in a community project with Trading Standards officers. A growing number of pupils had become involved in playing rugby, football, volleyball and golf regularly. The senior rugby team won the Ayrshire Schools’ League last session. Pupils in S3/S4 home economics developed their skills further by working with professional chefs from nearby hotels. Pupils in the Young Engineers Club designed a very striking piece of metalwork sculpture which had become a landmark beside Prestwick Airport. Pupils in S5/S6 partcipated enthusiastically in Welcome Host training. The school band performed in the associated primary schools and the local community. Pupils developed their self-confidence and teamworking skills through participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

English language

Learning and teaching

Teachers questioned pupils well to check for understanding and to develop their thinking. They used a range of teaching approaches, praised pupils effectively and were open and responsive to pupils’ ideas. In a few lessons, teachers provided too much direction and limited pupils’ opportunities for independent thinking. Most worked conscientiously and listened attentively in lessons. They worked productively in pairs and small groups. However, some pupils were too passive and the behaviour of a few pupils disrupted the learning of others. Teachers provided helpful and focused written feedback on pupils’ work and helped pupils set improvement targets. Overall however, the approaches used had not met the needs of all pupils and had not made sufficient impact on raising pupils’ attainment. The lack of clearly defined programmes to ensure the appropriate development of language skills affected pupils’ attainment.

Attainment and achievement

By the end of S2, the proportion of pupils achieving appropriate attainment levels was below the national average in reading and in line with the average in writing. The school was unable to provide reliable data on pupils’ performance in talking and listening. At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils achieving a Credit award had improved and was in line with the national average. At Intermediate 2, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades had improved and was above the national average. At Higher, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades had declined to below the national average, and, in 2004, was well below the national average. Too many pupils gained No Award. The majority of pupils presented for Advanced Higher gained A-C grades.

Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.

• Almost all S1 pupils participated in an annual essay competition organised by the community council and some wrote very thoughtful and well-structured essays.
• S2 pupils wrote some impressive, extended pieces of imaginative writing.
• At S4-S6, some pupils were very skilful in creating sensitive pieces of personal writing and well-constructed imaginative writing.

Mathematics

Learning and teaching

In most lessons, teachers made effective use of direct teaching. They gave clear explanations and set regular homework which linked well with classwork. While teachers used direct questioning well to check pupils’ understanding they rarely questioned to develop pupils’ reasoning skills. Pupils behaved well and worked purposefully. When the pace of learning was brisk they responded positively. Teachers did not provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to take responsibility for their learning. Pupils were unable to develop their mathematical skills sufficiently because there was limited use of ICT in the department. Teachers involved pupils in checking their own progress by using assessment summary sheets. However, there were no specific targets to help pupils identify next steps for learning and to raise their levels of attainment. Teachers did not provide sufficient challenge for pupils or take enough account of pupils’ learning styles. Overall, teaching approaches were too limited to meet the needs of all pupils.

Attainment and achievement

By the end of S2, the proportion of pupils achieving appropriate national levels of attainment was consistently well above the national average and many exceeded these levels. At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils achieving a Credit award was slightly above the national average. At Intermediate 1 and Higher, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades was above the national average and at Intermediate 2, was well above the national average. At Advanced Higher, the majority of those presented achieved A-C grades.

Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.

• Pupils participated successfully in a national mathematical challenge competition and the RAF Maths Challenge for S1 pupils.
• S6 pupils provided effective peer support for S1 pupils in their mathematics lessons.

Biology and S1/S2 science

Learning and teaching

Teachers used a suitable variety of approaches to involve pupils, although they rarely shared lesson and course objectives with their classes. They generally gave clear explanations and instructions and some teachers were skilled at asking open-ended and challenging questions. Teachers made effective use of praise to reward success and build confidence. Where pupils were actively involved in their learning, they responded enthusiastically and contributed effectively. At S1/S2, tasks were sometimes undemanding and did not help to stimulate pupils’ interest in science. Homework was given regularly but lacked variety. Most pupils worked well together although the behaviour of a few pupils in particular classes disrupted the learning of others. In the Intermediate 1 and 2 biology classes, there were a few pupils for whom the level of course was too demanding. Insufficient advantage was taken of the arrangements to group pupils by prior attainment in science and biology to provide appropriate challenge and support for particular groups of pupils.

Attainment and achievement

At S1/S2 science, the majority of pupils were performing well in their coursework. There were gaps in their knowledge of some key areas of modern science and investigative skills were not sufficiently well developed. In Standard Grade biology, the proportion of S4 pupils gaining Credit and General awards was in line with national averages. At S5/S6, the proportion of pupils attaining A-C grades in Higher biology was above national averages. The proportion of pupils gaining No Award at Higher had decreased over the last three years and was now below the national average. Less than half the pupils presented at Intermediate 2 attained an A-C grade. The majority of pupils who sat Advanced Higher attained an A-C grade.

Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.

• S3 and S4 pupils practised a good range of practical techniques while carrying out fieldwork at Culzean Country Park.
• Specially designed lessons enabled S1 and S2 pupils to develop critical thinking skills, including problem solving, drawing conclusions, and analysing and evaluating evidence.

Modern languages

Learning and teaching

In some classes, especially at S1/S2, teachers made very effective use of open-ended and directed questioning. Skilful questioning provided older learners with opportunities to go beyond rehearsed sentences to new and personal language. Teachers’ own language skills provided pupils with strong models of pronunciation and intonation. They gave clear explanations. However, they did not make the aims of lessons clear to pupils. Some lessons lacked pace and teachers had yet to develop ICT fully as a means of making foreign language learning interesting and accessible. Pupils remained on task and cooperated with teachers, even when some tasks were undemanding. They did not have enough opportunities to develop their oral skills. The department had sound arrangements to build on pupils’ prior learning and used a well-planned homework pack effectively to support pupils’ learning needs. Teachers monitored pupils’ progress regularly but they did not involve pupils in discussions about their progress.

Attainment and achievement

Pupils at all stages were making good progress in writing and listening. At S1/S2, pupils were careful and accurate in their use of spoken language. At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils achieving Credit and General awards in French was above national averages. The proportion of pupils achieving No Award was also above national averages. There had been a slight upward trend in examination results at Credit and General level in French but insufficient improvement in raising attainment for the majority of pupils at General and Foundation level. There had been a marked improvement in results in German. In Standard Grade German, the proportion of pupils achieving a General award or better was above national averages. In Higher French and German, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades was below national averages.

Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.

• Pupils developed their language skills further through participation in a lunchtime Euro Club.

5. How well are pupils supported?

Arrangements for promoting the care and welfare of pupils were very good. Procedures for dealing with child protection were appropriate. Guidance staff had a very good knowledge of their pupils. The school worked hard at creating a bully-free environment and senior pupils played a very effective and supportive role as peer helpers. Pupils were confident that the school would deal well with any concerns they might have. Focused support from classroom assistants helped to free time for guidance staff to meet the pastoral needs of pupils. The school had not developed fully the pastoral role of all teachers, in particular register teachers.

The school used a range of productive approaches to develop pupils’ personal and social skills. A well-organised personal and social education (PSE) programme covered a suitable range of topics for pupils from S1-S6. Outside agencies and speakers contributed effectively to the formal programme. In a few lessons, however, the pace was too slow and teachers did not provide sufficient challenge for pupils or encourage sufficiently active involvement in discussions. Pupils were developing positive values and a good awareness of health issues. The formal PSE programme and initiatives such as a Values Day and a day for S3 on the dangers of substance abuse played a strong part in this. The school had also introduced a health drop-in centre for pupils and related activities for staff. It provided pupils with a good range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils were given a number of responsibilities. These included membership of pupil councils, duties as house captains and vice-captains and acting as S1 peer helpers and as P7 buddies. An ‘Open Space’ initiative provided pupils with opportunities to debate education issues.

The school provided very good curricular and vocational guidance. At transition stages, pupils and their parents were given clear advice to help them choose future career options and the courses they should study. The careers adviser worked well with guidance staff to provide individual information to pupils. The business studies department supported pupils’ use of ICT to access vocational information. The school helped pupils prepare effectively for work and further study through work experience, conferences, visits and links with the local community. Guidance staff made good use of reports from subject teachers. However, the school’s monitoring system did not give learning support staff access to specific subject information about pupils’ progress and next steps. It is important that the school addresses this as part of current work to improve its monitoring system.

The overall quality of support for learning was good. The support for learning teachers and special educational needs (SEN) assistants were highly committed and worked very well together to support pupils. The principal teacher provided good leadership to her staff. The school had sound procedures to identify pupils’ needs at an early stage. Pupils with a Record of Needs had individualised educational programmes (IEPs) with appropriate targets shared with staff and pupils. Learning support staff and SEN classroom assistants worked with a number of subject departments. Some of the co-operative teaching and curriculum development was of a very high quality. In some lessons, however, the deployment of learning support staff and SEN classroom assistants was not sufficiently well planned to ensure that all needs were met. The school provided a behavioural support base to support disaffected pupils and poor attenders. It was still at an early stage and had achieved variable success in improving pupils’ behaviour. The school did not yet have clear arrangements for sharing information with teachers about the strategies used in the support base. Teachers were not involved enough in planning for the return of pupils from the suport base into the mainstream school.

The senior depute headteacher managed support for pupils very well. Guidance and support for learning staff worked effectively as a team and with a range of appropriate agencies. They were well placed to continue to improve their integrated approach by making wider use of the school’s monitoring system and by increasing the number of joint pupil support meetings.

6. How good is the environment for learning?

Quality of accommodation and facilities

The overall quality of accommodation was unsatisfactory. The school had benefited from some recent refurbishment to the home economics and business education departments and the installation of lifts. Almost all departments had new interactive whiteboards. However, they were not all in regular use. The large library was well stocked and contained a suite of reasonably modern computers. However, the atmosphere in the library was damp and stale. Many classrooms were cramped and had outdated furniture and fluctuating temperatures. This had a significantly negative impact on learning and teaching. Classrooms for some subjects, including science and technical education, were split between two buildings which created extra pressure on resources and departmental management. Other weaknesses included water damage, uneven floor coverings and a generally poor state of decoration. Some toilets were in a poor condition. Security around the campus was unsatisfactory. Pupils had limited social space. Janitorial staff worked commendably hard to keep the buildings clean and tidy

Ethos

Parents felt very welcome and almost all staff liked working in the school. Many pupils identified strongly with the school, especially through their involvement in enterprise, music and sports activities. A small but significant number of pupils challenged the school’s authority and their behaviour demoralised other pupils and staff. Senior managers needed to ensure that the school’s strategy of promoting positive behaviour and attitudes was having a consistent impact across the school. Pupils contributed to decision-making through their involvement in pupil councils and surveys. The school celebrated pupils’ successes at assemblies, through a ‘triple A’ award scheme and at an annual awards ceremony. However, some members of the teaching and support staff did not feel sufficiently valued. The expectations of some teachers of the amount and quality of pupils’ work were too low. The school promoted pupils’ understanding and appreciation of diversity and equality, for example in modern studies and religious and moral education. Whole-school strategies to help raise boys’ attainment had begun to make a positive impact. The school had appropriate arrangements for religious observance.

Partnership with parents and the community

The school had established very strong and productive partnerships with its School Board, parents, the wider community and external agencies. A group of parents and friends from the community had recently formed a new Carrick Academy Association and had raised a significant sum to purchase rugby and football strips. For some years, the senior depute headteacher had helped to develop very strong relationships with the associated primary schools. Her work helped ensure very effective and well-integrated support for pupils. Education support services, the chaplain and, in particular, the school nurse made important contributions to the school’s work. Parents appreciated the range and helpfulness of the school’s communications with them. These included monthly newsletters, reports of pupils’ progress, parents’ evenings, curriculum workshops and the school website. The school benefited from very effective partnerships with local hotels and local employers.

7. Improving the school

The school had sound arrangements for self-evaluation and quality assurance. Senior managers had been involved for some years in the systematic monitoring of pupils’ classroom experiences to identify and share best practice and offer advice as necessary. Principal teachers met with senior managers twice a year to analyse examination results and review the work of their departments. They produced annual reports evaluating their work against national indicators. Although the quality of the reports varied widely across departments, some were of a high standard and provided a model for others. Not all teachers contributed to these reports. The school also surveyed pupils and parents regularly on aspects of its provision. The school had established a culture of quality improvement and most aspects of quality assurance were being carried out by staff at all levels. The next step is to ensure a consistency of approach by all staff in applying rigorous standards to quality assurance procedures.

The experienced headteacher was committed to the school and had won the confidence of parents. He had taken a lead in establishing the school’s culture of inclusion. He had worked with his management team to develop the school’s systems for quality assurance. Staff appreciated his personal support. However, he did not have the full confidence of staff in his management of school improvement. He had not given a sufficiently focused lead in ensuring that the quality of pupils’ learning and attainment improved, or that their learning needs were met. Although the school was committed to the promotion of positive behaviour, senior managers devoted too much time to discipline strategies which had not proved fully effective. The headteacher needed to take steps to improve communication with staff to share the rationale behind longer term plans to achieve priorities. He should ensure that senior managers, as a corporate group, met the school’s priorities in a more strategic and rigorous way. Overall, leadership to the school was fair. The senior depute headteacher provided a very high quality of support to the headteacher and staff. She fulfilled her extensive remit very ably and energetically. She was highly respected in the school and its wider community, particularly for her work in the Academy’s integrated community schools cluster. The two depute headteachers were committed and hard-working and were effective in taking forward aspects of the school’s work. A number of the school’s principal teachers were part of the education authority’s network of lead practitioners.

Carrick Academy should build on existing good practice and involve all staff in well-planned and rigorous quality assurance of learning, teaching and strategies to meet pupils’ learning needs. The school and education authority must take urgent steps to reduce the impact of the disruptive behaviour of a significant minority of pupils on other pupils’ learning experiences, to safeguard pupils’ attainment and to raise morale among staff and pupils.

The school and education authority, in liaison with HM Inspectors, should take action to ensure improvement in:

• the quality of pupils’ learning experiences, especially the extent to which they are expected to think and work independently;
• the implementation of consistent strategies to challenge pupils and meet their learning needs;
• pupils’ attainment at all stages, and particularly at S1/S2;
• the quality of accommodation;
• the behaviour of pupils who were disrupting the learning of others; and
• aspects of the headteacher’s leadership and the way in which senior managers worked as a team.

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, particularly in relation to improvements in English and the strategic management of school priorities, 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.

Mary Ritchie
HM Inspector

15 March 2005

Appendix 1 Indicators of quality

We judged the following to be very good

• Personal and social development
• Pastoral Care
• Curricular and vocational guidance
• Partnership with parents, the School Board and the community

We judged the following to be good

• Overall quality of attainment: S3/S4
• Structure of the curriculum
• The teaching process
• Learning support
• Expectations and promoting achievement
• Self-evaluation
• Effectiveness and deployment of staff with additional responsibilities

We judged the following to be fair

• Overall quality of attainment: S1/S2
• Overall quality of attainment: S5/S6
• Pupils’ learning experiences
• Meeting pupils’ needs
• Climate and relationships
• Equality and fairness
• Leadership

We judged the following to be unsatisfactory

• Accommodation and facilities

Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses

Appendix 3 Attainment in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) National Qualifications

Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by end of S4

Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by end of S5

Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by end of S6

1. Pre Appeal.
2. Comparator schools are the fifteen schools immediately above and the fifteen schools immediately below the school being inspected in terms of the percentage of pupils entitled to free meals (FME).

How can you contact us?

If you would like an additional copy of this report

Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff, the Director of Education, 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, Europa Building, 450 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8LG or by telephoning 0141 242 0100.

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 Dr Bill Maxwell, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.

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 .

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HM Inspectorate of Education

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