Schools inspectors concerned about attainment and achievement at Kinlochbervie High School
A SUTHERLAND secondary school is facing a number of challenges, according to a report published today.
An inspection carried out by Education Scotland found significant problems at Kinlochbervie High School, particularly in the areas of attainment and achievement and wellbeing and equality, both of which were rated as “unsatisfactory”.
While the report acknowledges the positive reception of the recently appointed headteacher, and the steps taken by staff and the community around the school to make positive change, it also identified its leadership of change and learning, teaching and assessment as “weak”.
It highlights particular concerns about attainment, saying that young people generally “do not make sufficient progress in literacy or numeracy” at Broad General Education (BGE) stage. BGE is the first phase of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in Scotland and covers S1 to S3 in secondary schools.
The report states said: “Senior leaders are unable to demonstrate attainment over time in the BGE.
“Teachers are at a very early stage of tracking and monitoring young people’s attainment in literacy, numeracy and other curricular areas, from primary school through the BGE.
“Teachers’ professional judgements of achievement of a CfE level are not yet reliable or robust. Most teachers do not yet have a comprehensive understanding of National Benchmarks.
“In recent years, teachers have engaged in professional learning events, including those from national leads, in order to improve pedagogy and understand better national standards. The impact of this professional learning is yet to be seen.
The problem, according to the report, continues at senior levels, stating: “Not enough young people attain literacy or numeracy at SCQF level 5 or level 6 before leaving school. Too few young people are successful at SCQF level 5 applications of mathematics or SCQF level 5 and SCQF level 6 mathematics.”
“Overall, too many young people are not being presented for enough qualifications. More young people need to be presented for and achieve national level qualifications in line with other young people across Scotland. Teachers need to support young people more effectively to have higher aspirations, higher quality passes and increased expectations of their attainment.”
The inspection found that while there were positive steps towards the headteacher beginning to understand key areas for improvement, there was a lack of clear expectations and strategies for improvement across the school.
According to the report, the strategic leadership of pupil support lacks clarity, negatively impacting students.
In addition, areas for development in child protection and safeguarding have been agreed with the school and the education authority which need to be addressed urgently.
However, the report also highlights positive steps taken by staff, pupils and the community around the school, acknowledging the headteacher's efforts to engage with parents, who are largely appreicative of the support staff provide for their children.
Pupils were also praised for their leadership skills through the Pupil Parliament and their active role in community development, as well as the school’s effective work with community partners to extend learning opportunities.
The full report is available on Education Scotland’s website.
