29 March 2005
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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Cathkin High School was inspected in December 2004. Subjects included in the inspection were English, mathematics, computing and history. The school is a non-denominational secondary school which serves a widespread urban area of Cambuslang. It was a pilot for the education authority’s New Community Schools initiative and had an extensive range of additional staff. At the time of the inspection the roll was 782. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals was well above the national average. Pupils’ attendance had improved over the last three years but it was still well below 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 School Board and representatives of the Parents’ Association. They interviewed groups of pupils and staff.
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
Parents and carers, pupils and staff had a very positive view of the school. Parents and carers said that staff made them feel welcome in the school. They thought that parents’ meetings were helpful and informative, that school reports gave them useful information about their child’s progress and that teachers set high standards for pupils’ attainment. However, they were dissatisfied with the condition of the buildings. Pupils thought that teachers explained work clearly and told them when they had done something well. They enjoyed being at school and got on well with other pupils. They particularly appreciated the help and support teachers gave them outside of class time. Staff liked working in the school. They thought that there was mutual respect between teachers and pupils and that pupils’ successes were regularly celebrated. Staff and parents and carers thought that the school was well led. Teachers also thought that senior managers worked well as a team and that there was good communication within the school. Further details about what most pleased parents and carers, staff and pupils and what they would most like to see improved can be found in Appendix 2 of this report.
In evaluating the overall quality of learning, teaching, achievement and attainment, HM Inspectors observed aspects of learning and teaching 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 very good. Pupils followed a broad and balanced curriculum at each stage. At S1/S2, the school had successfully adjusted the curriculum and reduced the number of teachers with whom pupils came into contact in any week. Staff had begun to develop a coherent programme that enabled the systematic development of pupils’ skills in information and communications technology (ICT), building on the introductory course in S2. At S3/S4, pupils were able to study up to eight Standard Grade courses. Very good alternative programmes were available at this stage to meet the differing needs of pupils. These included vocational courses in partnership with the local further education college and also extended work experience. Additional teaching time was also available in a range of subjects to help to raise pupils’ attainment. At S5/S6, pupils could select from a very good range of courses at Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Higher levels. Effective timetabling in S5/S6 ensured that almost all pupils were able to progress to appropriate courses from S4. A few pupils studied courses at other local schools and colleges. The school had yet to audit its provision of study skills from S1-S6 to ensure there was a coherent and continuous programme for pupils.
The overall quality of learning, teaching and meeting pupils’ needs was good and sometimes exemplary. Very effective practice was seen in art and design, English, music, personal and social education (PSE), and technical education. In the best cases, teachers explained new work clearly, used effective questioning and set homework to build on earlier learning. In these classes, pupils worked independently and co-operatively at a brisk pace. They used precise feedback from their teachers to set themselves personal targets for improving their work. In science, S1/S2 pupils responded enthusiastically to skilled teaching. Throughout the school, class teachers and learning support staff provided well targeted help for individuals needing additional assistance. However, on some occasions higher attaining pupils in some subjects required additional challenges. Pupils and staff valued the support for learning given by the librarian. Where practice was less effective, there was often too narrow a range of approaches in use. In some classes, teachers spent too much time introducing lessons and explaining new work and pupils listened passively. In some other lessons, all pupils were given the same tasks and expected to work at the same pace regardless of attainment. In the school as a whole, ICT was used effectively to enhance learning.
Attainment and achievement
The overall quality of attainment in S1/S2 was good. In English and mathematics, attainment had improved over the last three years. The majority of pupils were attaining appropriate national standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of S2. Good standards of work were also being achieved in computing and history.
The overall quality of attainment in S3/S4 was fair. At Standard Grade, the proportion of pupils achieving five or more grades 1-2, 1-4 and 1-6 was well below the national average. For the proportion of pupils achieving five or more grades 1-2, the school performed less well than schools with similar characteristics. A significant number of pupils did not achieve awards, for example, in the sciences. However, for the proportion of pupils achieving five or more grades 1-6, the school performed better than schools with similar characteristics.
At S5/S6, the overall quality of attainment was good. The proportion of pupils gaining one or more A-C grades at Advanced Higher by the end of S6 was in line with the national average. Overall, these results were much better than those achieved by similar schools. The proportion of pupils gaining three or more A-C grades at Higher by the end of S5 was in line with schools with similar characteristics but below the national average. There was a strongly improving trend in the proportion of pupils gaining five A-C grades at Higher at this stage. Overall, the proportions of pupils gaining five or more A-C grades at Intermediate 2 or five or more at Intermediate 1 at this stage were better than the results achieved by similar schools.
Information on the subjects inspected is given later in the report. Significant features of attainment in the subjects not inspected were as follows.
Pupils had many opportunities to achieve in a wide range of areas through the extensive programme of extra-curricular activities. Pupils expressed their views on school matters and influenced developments through the Pupil Forum. Elected representatives showed well-developed skills in participating in group discussions, focussing on key issues and taking decisions. Pupils were developing enterprising skills through attending a variety of workshops and participating in a range of projects and courses from S1-S6. A number of these activities were supported by local and national businesses. The successful fund raising events for charities helped pupils to understand the needs of others. Participation in sports and physical activities was high and many individuals and teams competed successfully in local and national competitions. Many pupils were developing their talents in music and drama through joining bands and taking part in the school show. Seniors were contributing to the school community by supporting younger pupils when they transferred from primary and by helping them with reading and in a number of classes. Residential study weekends and excursions for a wide range of pupils were developing their self confidence and self esteem. The achievements of many pupils across a broad front was regularly celebrated in award ceremonies.
English language
Learning and teaching
The quality of teaching was very good. Teachers used a varied range of teaching approaches very effectively and overall set a brisk pace. Explanations were clear, homework was regular and appropriate, and feedback was precise and constructive. Pupils were purposeful and co-operative in their learning, and were acquiring commendably independent work habits, for example through personal target-setting in reading, writing and talking, and through widening their personal reading. They had some good opportunities to use ICT for re-drafting and research. A combination of supportive strategies such as using study guides, exemplars and prompts, and access to ICT all helped pupils to achieve. Pupils were encouraged to excel and choose challenging books for personal reading.
Attainment and achievement
There was some evidence of improved standards of attainment, at all stages. At the end of S2, the majority of pupils achieved appropriate national standards in reading and writing. The school was not yet able to provide reliable assessments of pupils’ standards of attainment in listening and talking. At Standard Grade, pupils performed notably better than they did in their other subjects. The proportion of pupils achieving grades 1-2 was broadly in line with national averages. The proportion of pupils achieving grades 3-4 was more variable. At S5/S6, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades at Higher was broadly in line with national averages. At Intermediate 2, the proportion of entries was well above the national average and the proportion achieving an A-C grade was well below average. At Intermediate 1, of the small number of candidates, the proportion achieving an A-C grade had fallen from above to below national averages.
Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.
Mathematics
Learning and teaching
There were some examples of very good interactive teaching where pupils were fully engaged in their learning. Almost all teachers made good use of questioning to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, teachers did not always share the aims and objectives of lessons; and they did not always provide sufficiently clear feedback to enable pupils to know how they could improve their attainment. The pace of lessons was generally good. Most pupils worked well, although a few pupils’ behaviour hindered the learning of others. Some teachers organised classes to enable pupils to benefit from working collaboratively. Teachers took good account of pupils’ prior learning in classes which had been formed by taking account of their attainment. Tasks and activities were generally chosen well to meet pupils’ needs and the department had introduced a range of National Qualifications (NQ) courses in S3 to raise levels of attainment.
Attainment and achievement
The majority of S2 pupils were reaching national standards of attainment, and this proportion had increased in 2004. In S4, the proportions of pupils achieving grades 1-2 and grades 1-4 at Standard Grade were well below the national average. This performance was significantly poorer in mathematics in comparison with pupils’ results in other subjects. At Intermediate 1, the proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades was in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving A-C grades at Intermediate 2 was below the national average. At Higher, the proportion achieving A-C grades was below the national average with a high proportion not achieving an award. In the last three years, all of the pupils presented at Advanced Higher gained an A-C grade.
Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.
Computing
Learning and teaching
Teachers organised lessons well and let pupils know at the outset the plans for each lesson. Lessons generally had a good mix of practical exercises and theory. Teachers explained new work clearly and made effective use of a digital projector to enliven lessons. However, on some occasions too much time was spent on these explanations and not enough time was given for other learning activities. Teachers set homework regularly and marked it in detail, praising pupils for their efforts. Pupils worked well as a class with teachers and individually on practical exercises. However, in some classes there were insufficient opportunities for pupils to work in pairs or in groups to discuss computing concepts and issues. Teachers generally met the needs of pupils well in mixed attainment classes by providing a range of appropriate tasks. In some cases, higher attaining pupils required more challenging work.
Attainment and achievement
At S2, pupils had acquired good computing skills. They were able to use a number of features of a word processor and produce a report with graphical images. They were skilled at downloading suitable images for their reports from the Internet. The proportion of pupils presented for Standard Grade computing was well below the national average. Of these pupils, the proportion achieving grades 1-2 was in line with the national average. The number of pupils presented for Higher Grade computing was also below the national average but the proportion of those presented who gained an A-C grade was in line with the national average. At Intermediate 2, the number of presentations was broadly in line with national averages, and the proportion gaining A-C grades was also in line with national averages.
Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.
History
Learning and teaching
The quality of learning and teaching was high. The new team of history teachers was making effective use of a wide range of teaching approaches. Lessons were well prepared with skilful use of questioning. Activities for pupils were varied, relevant and interesting. Teachers used homework well to develop further pupils’ skills in extended writing. They encouraged pupils to learn independently and to express opinions orally. Pupils showed considerable interest in lessons and responded positively to the opportunities provided for group work. There was now scope to extend the use of ICT within the classroom as more facilities become available. Although most pupils’ needs were well met, additional support for lower attaining pupils was still required. They were not always given detailed enough feedback on their progress and how they might improve their learning.
Attainment and achievement
Most pupils were performing well in extended writing tasks. Some still needed a better overview of events within the courses studied. At S4, presentations for Standard Grade had been variable, but had increased in 2004. The proportion of pupils achieving grades 1-2 and grades 1-4 had been well below national average. At S5/S6, the proportion of pupils presented at Higher was below national averages, as was the percentage achieving grades A-C. All of the small number of pupils presented for Advanced Higher history had gained an A-C grade.
Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.
The pastoral care in the school was very good. Pupils were well supported on transfer from primary schools and throughout their school career. The school had a very effective house system with senior managers and principal teachers providing very good quality care and guidance. Pupils and staff were clear about the policies for dealing with bullying, racial incidents, drugs misuse and safe use of the Internet. Staff worked well with partner agencies and in particular the integrated children’s services team in providing additional support for a number of more vulnerable young people.
The school had very good approaches to developing pupils’ personal and social skills. The PSE programme contained a suitable range of topics for each year group and it was taught effectively. Pupils were regularly consulted on the programme and it was shared with parents. The very extensive range of extra-curricular activities on offer helped pupils to develop their social skills and self esteem. The school trips and residential experiences provided additional opportunities for the development of active citizenship. S6 pupils ably helped younger pupils through the paired reading and buddying schemes.
The arrangements for curricular and vocational guidance were very good. Pastoral care staff helped pupils in S2 and S4 to make informed course choices. Pupils had access to an extensive careers library which included ICT facilities. The school staff and pupils were ably supported by two careers advisers. All S4 pupils took part in work experience and gained Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) certification. The school encouraged pupils to apply to universities and provided them with effective guidance on their applications. Pupils had set individual targets within very good personal learning plans. Staff encouraged senior pupils to improve their attainment through very effective mentoring arrangements.
The overall quality of provision for pupils with additional support needs at all stages was very good. Staff made effective contributions to raising the achievement of pupils with additional support needs through group tutorials, in class support and advice to departments. Pupils with additional support needs had good individualised educational programmes which contained appropriate long and short term targets set by subject staff. These could be further strengthened by defining more clearly the success criteria to help inform the next steps in learning. Pupils with specific learning difficulties had Records of Needs which were reviewed effectively. Learning support staff made very good arrangements to meet the needs of those pupils who required extra assistance in SQA examinations.
The depute headteacher responsible for pupil support inspired confidence and commitment within her team. She provided very good leadership and direction, particularly within pastoral care. All members of the team were strongly committed to the school. The school should continue to develop further its inclusive approach to supporting pupils with a wide range of additional support needs.
Quality of accommodation and facilities
The quality of accommodation was fair overall. Staff had made very good use of the available facilities and most departments used display very well to enhance the learning environment. Many classrooms were large and spacious and enabled teachers to plan for a variety of activities. There were extensive social areas for pupils and comprehensive physical education facilities, with a number of changing areas and playing fields. A well-resourced library and open learning area with access to computers provided good facilities for learning and teaching. Some of the science laboratories and modern language classrooms, as well as the reception area, had been upgraded to a good standard. The school buildings were safe and secure. However, there were weaknesses in the accommodation. The fabric of the building was generally in poor condition and had a bleak appearance. There was a large number of water leaks from flat roofs and this compromised pupil safety and ease of movement on occasions. The heating in parts of the school was unreliable. Ventilation in some areas was also a problem. The condition of the flooring in physical education and the poor lighting in many departments were a concern. The science block, the dining hall and the physical education changing rooms were in much need of further refurbishment and redecoration and the furniture in most areas of the school was in need of upgrading.
Ethos
The school was very welcoming. Pupils and staff identified strongly with the school and morale was high. Relationships between pupils and staff were very good. Pupils felt that staff were very approachable and supportive. Regular year and house assemblies and contributions from the school’s chaplaincy team provided appropriate opportunities for religious observance and celebrating achievements. Staff set high expectations for pupils’ attendance, behaviour and achievement. Pupils responded positively to these high standards. They were well-behaved and co-operative and wore the school uniform with pride, although a small number had irregular patterns of attendance. A settled and purposeful working atmosphere was evident in the school. Displays of achievements and awards recognised pupils’ ongoing successes. Pupils felt they were treated fairly. There were appropriate arrangements for equal opportunities and racial equality. Staff, pupils and parents were consulted on school development planning. They could identify the impact they had made on improving policies and facilities.
Partnership with parents and the community
The school had very good partnerships with parents and carers, the School Board and the local community. Staff communicated effectively with parents and carers through newsletters, individual letters, pupils’ reports and parents’ evenings. Parents were fully involved with their children and staff in drawing up personal learning plans. Some parents attended classes specifically for adults and others had enjoyable lessons with their children on a variety of topics after school hours. Links with parents and the local community were further enhanced through the Neighbour’s Forum, the home-school partnership worker and other members of the additional support staff. The School Board and Parents’ Association provided very good support for the school. Local businesses helped the school by providing good work experience placements for S4 and work shadowing opportunities for older pupils.
The headteacher provided very effective leadership for the school. She had been very successful in communicating a clear vision for the school’s development to staff, and gaining their commitment. Since her appointment in 2002, major improvements had been made to the ethos and pupils’ behaviour, to the number of exclusions and to pupils’ attendance and achievements. Attainment at S1/S2 and S5/S6 had improved during this period. The support the school gives to pupils and their families had been extended and enhanced over the last four years as a result of the additional staffing and funding provided by the New Community Schools initiative. These changes had provided the necessary platform for further improvement in attainment, especially at S3/S4. The headteacher had been very ably supported by the four depute headteachers. Each had well-considered remits and together they worked as a strong coherent team. Principal teachers and teachers worked well in most departments and in school committees to improve the effectiveness of the school.
The school had a strong culture of self-evaluation based on a wide range of effective approaches. These included annual consultations with stakeholders, departmental self-evaluations using quality indicators and rigorous review of examination results. The school also published an evaluative report on standards and quality. Senior managers regularly attended department meetings and visited classes to evaluate the quality of learning and teaching. Overall, the quality assurance systems enabled the school to identify its strengths and development needs and provided a sound basis for improvement planning. However, quality assurance arrangements did not always focus sharply enough on how shortfalls in departmental performance could be improved. A refinement of approaches was needed to help to identify areas for further improvement in aspects of each department’s performance.
The school and education authority should continue to take action to improve attainment in S3/S4 and should continue to provide good and improving education at other stages. In doing so, they should take account of the need to:
What happens next?
As a result of the strong record of improvement and the very effective leadership of this school, HM Inspectors will make no further reports in connection with this inspection. 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. Within two years of the publication of this report the education authority, working with the school, will provide a progress report to parents and carers.
Terry Carr
HM Inspector
29 March 2005
We judged the following to be very good
We judged the following to be good
We judged the following to be fair
We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
What pleased parents and carers most |
What parents and carers would like to see improved |
All parents and carers thought that:
Almost all parents and carers felt that:
|
|
What pleased pupils most |
What pupils would like to see improved |
Almost all pupils thought that:
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|
What pleased staff most |
What staff would like to see improved |
All teachers and ancillary staff thought that:
Almost all teachers felt that:
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A significant minority of ancillary staff felt that:
|
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 achieving by end of S4
2002 |
2003 |
20041 |
||
English and Mathematics |
Cathkin High School |
90 |
89 |
90 |
@ Level 3 |
Comparator Schools2 |
87 |
87 |
86 |
National |
91 |
91 |
91 |
|
5+ @ Level 3 or Better |
Cathkin High School |
89 |
86 |
85 |
Comparator Schools |
86 |
86 |
84 |
|
National |
91 |
91 |
91 |
|
5+ @ Level 4 or Better |
Cathkin High School |
67 |
66 |
58 |
Comparator Schools |
63 |
63 |
63 |
|
National |
77 |
76 |
76 |
|
5+ @ Level 5 or Better |
Cathkin High School |
17 |
16 |
16 |
Comparator Schools |
18 |
17 |
19 |
|
National |
34 |
34 |
34 |
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by end of S5
2002 |
2003 |
20041 |
||
5+ @ Level 4 or better |
Cathkin High School |
66 |
70 |
67 |
Comparator schools2 |
66 |
65 |
65 |
|
National |
78 |
78 |
78 |
|
5+ @ Level 5 or better |
Cathkin High School |
29 |
27 |
23 |
Comparator schools |
28 |
29 |
27 |
|
National |
45 |
45 |
45 |
|
1+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
28 |
23 |
21 |
Comparator schools |
24 |
25 |
23 |
|
National |
39 |
39 |
38 |
|
3+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
11 |
8 |
11 |
Comparator schools |
11 |
10 |
9 |
|
National |
23 |
23 |
22 |
|
5+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
2 |
4 |
6 |
Comparator schools |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
National |
9 |
10 |
9 |
Percentage of relevant S4 roll achieving by end of S6
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
||
5+ @ Level 5 or better |
Cathkin High School |
31 |
32 |
30 |
Comparator schools |
29 |
31 |
33 |
|
National |
46 |
47 |
47 |
|
1+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
32 |
31 |
27 |
Comparator schools |
28 |
28 |
31 |
|
National |
44 |
44 |
43 |
|
3+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
20 |
19 |
13 |
Comparator schools |
17 |
17 |
16 |
|
National |
31 |
31 |
30 |
|
5+ @ Level 6 or better |
Cathkin High School |
10 |
11 |
9 |
Comparator schools |
8 |
9 |
8 |
|
National |
20 |
20 |
19 |
|
1+ @ Level 7 or better |
Cathkin High School |
4 |
11 |
9 |
Comparator schools |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
National |
12 |
12 |
12 |
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).
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff, the Executive Director (Education Resources), 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, Argyll House, 3rd Floor, Marketgait, Dundee DD1 1QP or by telephoning 01382 349999. 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 600265 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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