Clyde Valley High HMI follow up report

December 2004

1. The inspection

HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) published a report on standards and quality in Clyde Valley High School in March 2002. In June 2002 North Lanarkshire Council, in collaboration with the school, prepared and published an action plan indicating how they would address the main points for action in the HMIE report within a two-year period.

North Lanarkshire officers assessed the extent to which the school was continuing to improve the quality of its work, and evaluated progress made in responding to the main points for action in the original report.2.

Continuous improvement

The staff had worked effectively as a team. They had made use of clear guidance from senior managers and department heads. The continued strong emphasis on celebrating pupils' achievements and the focus on alternative course provision to meet pupils' needs had resulted in improvements in pupil attendance, achievement and attitudes. School and community worked closely together to enhance the learning environment and staff were fully involved in taking forward the revised guidance in all departments. There was increased rigour and stronger leadership at all levels.

The school had increased the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for learning and teaching and as a management tool. The school had purchased additional hardware and software and had developed and used ICT systems to improve assessment, reporting and tracking of pupil attainment. More effective planning at all levels had led to better evaluation of the work of departments which included an annual review of course provision.

A strong programme of personal and social education (PSE) had been established from S1 to S6. A review of learning support procedures had resulted in improvements in performance of pupils with additional support needs and had led to the development of clear support mechanisms, These made effective use of support personnel and resources.

The school was now well placed to sustain and build on its achievements.

3.  Progress towards the main points for action

The initial inspection report published in March 2002 identified four points for action. This section evaluates the progress made with each of these action points and the resulting improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.

3.1 The school should continue to take steps to improve the quality of pupils' attainment.

The school had made good progress towards meeting this main point for action.

• Senior managers had developed rigorous and challenging approaches to their links with departments. They had implemented consistent approaches with departments to analyse important data about pupils' performance in Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) examinations. Initiatives within the school such as Supported Study and Easter Schools had helped to improve some aspects of performance. Teachers, parents and pupils had worked together to improve key aspects of learning and teaching, including a greater focus on homework. Pupils' attendance had been significantly improved through the sustained efforts of staff. Pupils were more actively involved with staff in assessing their own progress and the feedback from teachers helped them to evaluate their performance. There were some very good examples of formative assessment evident in feedback to writing activities. Some of the inspected departments had achieved their highest level of performance in recent years.
• Some departments had successfully piloted projects that focussed on raising attainment. Pupils in S1/S2 had additional rotation of subjects improving their achievement in these curricular areas. Pupils in S2 science were formed into teaching groups based on their prior attainment. Restructuring of the S3/S4 options had provided alternative curriculum choices including essential skills, "Skillforce" and vocational options. In S5/S6 awards in Higher French had increased. There were additional options provided by a number of departments at Intermediate 1. Pupils had the opportunity to study for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and short-term options had been provided in word processing and travel and tourism.

3.2  Staff should improve the overall consistency of learning and teaching as indicated in this report, making appropriately full use of information and communication technology. (ICT)

The school had made good progress towards meeting this point for action.

• Action taken to develop ICT across the curriculum had resulted in all staff having their own computing hardware. A computer suite had been created supported by guidelines for staff and this being well used by all departments. Staff and pupils had been surveyed on the use of ICT resulting in additional, appropriate software being purchased for all departments. Additional licences for software allowed more pupils access to programmes. Staff had undertaken additional training. They were using a computer programme to assist in the reporting to parents. Departmental staff handbooks gave good guidance to teachers ensuring continuity within departments and across the school in planning and reporting. The homework policy was impacting on learning and teaching and making pupils responsible for aspects of their learning. Classroom observation visits, sharing of good practice across the school and bench marking against the national indicators for learning and teaching had improved the consistency of learning and teaching.

3.3 Senior managers should lead and support departments in developing their procedures for self-evaluation and development planning.

The school had made very good progress towards meeting this point for action.

• A Quality Improvement Officer from North Lanarkshire Council had delivered training to school managers on the use of national quality indicators for self-evaluation. All departments had produced an annual report on the standard and quality of their work. Senior mangers and principal teachers had developed a consistent approach to the analysis of data and its impact on learning and teaching. Departmental meetings had been used to focus on self-evaluation procedures and the management of improvement. A varied range of strategies was impacting across departments to address identified needs. Staff had been encouraged to share good practice through mentoring and coaching. Rigorous processes had been established including a monitoring schedule to support professional reflection and assist pupil tracking, with particular emphasis on supporting pupils who were thought to be underachieving.
• The development planning process managed change effectively and focussed strongly on learning, teaching and achievement. A school policy on monitoring, evaluating and development planning was having a positive effect on school improvement. The annual cycle of activities to improve quality and the departmental monitoring schedule supported whole school improvement.

3.4  The school and education authority should improve the maintenance of Records of Needs.

The school had met this recommendation.

• Guidelines for staff had been produced to ensure accurate recording, formalise the management of records and identify respective roles and responsibilities. The pupil profile included review dates, minutes of formal reviews and the opening of the Record. The school prepared helpful summaries of pupils' additional support needs which included comments from all subject areas. Information was available to parents and other agencies and was circulated among staff as appropriate. Comprehensive information was retained on details of home visits and pupils' wider educational experiences.

4.  Conclusion

With effective support from North Lanarkshire Council, Clyde Valley High School had responded very well to the recommendations of HMIE and had improved planning and self-evaluation. All staff had been fully engaged with senior mangers in establishing the rigorous and systematic procedures that enabled them to undertake the recommendations in the action plan. The school was well placed to continue the improvements achieved to date. North Lanarkshire Council will not publish further reports in relation to the 2002 HMIE report.

Michael O'Neill, Director of Education

Cllr Charles Gray, Convener of Education

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