Standards, Quality and Improvement Plan for Liberton High School

In partnership with our community we at Liberton High School aim to ensure that every pupil has the belief, skills, knowledge and work ethic required to achieve their full potential that will ensure that they are fit for a full, active and satisfying life in the world beyond school. This will be

achieved for all of our learners through the highest quality of learning experiences and personal support.

Standards and Quality Report for session: 2014 -2015Improvement Plan for session: 2015 - 2016

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Table of contents

Section Section title Page

Standards and quality report

1 The school in context (short introductory paragraph)

2 School’s self evaluation

Improvement plan

3 Key areas for school improvement

4 Cluster improvement plan

5 Summary of evaluations against key indicators

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Standards and Quality Report

1. The school in contextLiberton High School is a comprehensive non-denominational secondary school which serves the South East of the city of Edinburgh. The school has a mixed housing catchment including a number of new private housing developments. The school draws most of its pupils from four associated primary schools – Craigour Park, Gilmerton, Liberton and Prestonfield. Pupils also come from St John Vianney RC Primary School and various other primary schools from around the Lothians. The roll at the census in September 2014 was 575. We currently have 51 teaching staff and 19 support staff.

At Liberton High School we aim to develop students and staff who are:

Confident Individuals - demonstrating self-respect and ambition, secure in their own values and beliefs, displaying good physical, mental and emotional health and able to make informed decisions and achieve success

Successful learners – enthusiastic and motivated, determined to achieve, able to link and apply learning in new situations and able to think independently

Responsible Citizens – demonstrating respect for others, understanding different beliefs and cultures, able to make informed choices and develop views

Effective contributors to society – able to communicate well, demonstrate leadership skills, solve problems and show initiative

At Liberton High School we believe that;

Everyone in our school community matters. Diversity should be celebrated and that everyone should be cared for, respected and valued. Learning is both challenging and fun! Everyone has the potential for learning and to achieve success beyond what they themselves ever thought possible. Success only happens when we work hard, when we never accept anything less than our best and when we stick in, especially when things get tough. To be successful we need to raise the expectations we have of ourselves, we need to be ambitious and to really believe that we can achieve our goals in learning

and in life. We are all in this learning journey together. Together we can create a supportive learning culture based on trust, where we can all take risks with our learning and our teaching and where everyone

recognises that mistakes help us move forward in our journey.

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2. School’s self-evaluation

1.1 Improvements in performance

Standards of attainment over time Within the Broad General Education, young people in S1 - S3 are making good progress in their Learning. They are benefitting from increased challenge and are now taking a lead in their own learning. Across the school teachers have been reviewing and improving their approaches to assessment and developing a shared understanding of standards.By the end of S3 there is good evidence of improvement in the number of young people achieving third level in numeracy and literacy. In numeracy there had been an increase from 50% to 68%. In literacy those achieving third level reading has improved from 45% to 57% and in writing an increase from 43% to 61%.

In the Senior Phase, S4 - S6 there continues to be improvement in a number of key measure of attainment. With a continued focus on literacy and numeracy almost all pupils in S4 achieved National 3 awards in both literacy and numeracy or better. Attainment in literacy at SCQF Level 3 and Level 4 sits above attainment of young people from similar backgrounds (virtual comparators). Attainment in numeracy at SCQF level 3 is above, and at SCQF level 4 is in line with young people from similar backgrounds. There are improving trends in both literacy and numeracy at level 5.

In S4 the number of young people attaining 5 or more National 4 awards increased significantly. The number of young people gaining between 1 and 4 passes in National 5 also showed noticeable improvement.

In S5 and S6 there is an improvement in measures at higher. Some learners have opted for HNC pathways with Queen Margaret University alongside the study of 4 highers in school.

Overall quality of learners’ achievement Our pupils have very good opportunities for wider achievement provided in school and through a wide range of partnerships which is at the heart of our curriculum. All S1 are working towards JASS Gold Award, 6 have achieved John Muir Award and 15 engaged with Edinburgh University’s widening participation programme. In S2, 12 pupils are working with Skillforce (ASDAN, 1st Aid, Heartstart, Bronze DoE), 38 have achieved the Adventure & Challenge or Adventure & Leadership Award. In S3, 21 pupils are working with Skillforce (ASDAN, 1st Aid, Heartstart, Bronze DoE, and National Navigation Award). Pupils not engaged in wider achievement opportunities are referred to CLD.

Our pupils excel in fund raising activities, our IDL on the Food Bank in S2 is an excellent example of this as is the work with the Jamie Skinner Foundation. We have made excellent progress in developing pupil leadership through; House System, pupil council, Space Unlimited pupil consultation project, Cool, Calm and Connected a peer education project, a young carers working group, a whole school focus on using pupil voice as well as getting pupils involved when making staff appointments.

In the senior school a partnership with Career Academies UK provide business mentoring for 20 S5/6 pupils and a four week internship during the summer. Nine S5/6 pupils are participating in the South East Scotland Academies

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Partnership programme, studying for HNCs alongside their school based qualifications.

Impact of the school improvement plan The school improvement plan last year (and this year) focussed on increased challenge, open ended tasks and pupil led learning. We also introduced a new tracking and reporting system to give pupils more ownership of the process. Self-evaluation, particularly around the quality of learners’ experiences was much more robust. We saw a significant increase the consistency and quality of learning and teaching as evidenced in the interim and follow through visits by CEC. There has also been significant improvement in attainment in most measures, although more improvement is required.

Another aspect of the improvement plan was the implementation of our Relationships for Learning policy. Our exclusions dropped from 60 to 29. Our attendance is up 0.4% but our parental engagement remains an issue, with the attendance at Parents’ Evenings down slightly.

What are we going to do next? Our next steps will be to analyse the impact of our curriculum changes relating to Higher Order Literacy Skills. This will consist of cross curricular evaluation of extended writing pieces involving description, explanation, analysis and evaluation. The key aim here is for all staff teaching literacy in their context to understand what level 3 writing looks like. We will engage in the RAFA pilot programme with the aim of getting better at getting better – we will use the HOTS/Literacy as the context for this.

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2.1 - Learners’ Experiences

Learners are motivated, eager participants in their learning.

Almost all young people in Liberton High School are well behaved, polite and helpful. They feel safe and well cared for and are confident of getting help when needed. The ethos of respect is evident in all aspects of the life of the school.In almost all lessons observed throughout the year learners were fully engaged. Young people have opportunities to review their learning and evaluate how they learned and there were improved opportunities for them to discuss their progress. Questioning is used effectively to encourage young people to think independently and to check understanding. Our young people are taking increasing responsibility for their own learning, engaging in open ended tasks and are increasingly motivated by seeing what they can achieve.The use of ICT to support learning is appropriate and relevant. Flipped learning is enabled through the use of Edmodo, and it is also used for completing written assignments in almost all subjects in the Senior Phase.

Learners make good progress in their learning.

Our new tracking and reporting system has given more ownership of the process to our pupils. They write their own reports three times per year which are moderated and edited by their teachers with statements based on the significant aspects of learning. This has brought increased levels of confidence as each report contains two strengths from each subject. Assessment throughout the BGE has become more robust and the improvements in the Literacy and Numeracy attainment suggests that learners are making better progress, although we are some way short of the 85% target.

Learners know their views are sought and acted upon. They feel valued.

All faculties now seek and collate learner feedback as part of their quality assurance calendar. Both the learner and the parent/ carer are asked for their views following a YPPM or YPPM review. Learners say that in most subjects their views are sought and acted upon. There is an active pupil council chaired by our Head Girl and Head Boy.All pupils are consulted on the content of their reports, they identify their own strengths and next steps and these inform dialogue, in most cases, with each teacher. Changes made as a result of pupil voice is celebrated through ‘you said we did’ displays.

Learners feel safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, included, respected.

All staff are expected to consult the support bulletin to ensure they are fully aware of all learning and pastoral information that may influence a learner’s experience in their class. The success of pupils, including attendance and effort is celebrated monthly at assembly. House meetings are focused on the wellbeing of all learners and identify specific support when required for a wide variety of learners e.g. LAAC and EAL. This is supplemented by weekly Strategy Meetings and support from The Bridge.Staff are well briefed on their responsibility to assess the welfare of their learners and report any issues as appropriate, according to GIR principles and procedures. This is further supported by the PSG, which is recognised as excellent practice.The number of instances of exclusions has fallen by 55% in the last 12 Months.Schools values are celebrated at regular assemblies.

What are we going to do next? Continued high quality L and T input through whole-school CAT and ISIS as well as Faculty and individual support.Continue to seek and act on feedback from both staff and pupils. Greater consistency in the quality of the FIPs across the school as well as the use of the 2.1 evaluation tool to assess impact – in particular the collection and analysis of quality, proportionate evidence. Continued emphasis on the individual’s responsibility to develop pedagogy through PRD/ PU process.Complete 3rd year of the SCE cycle and then review the impact. Establish a L&T network involving a range of staff to ensure a smooth transition and continuation of the very positive progress made. L&T priorities to be drawn from pupil focus groups,

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analysis of attainment data and feedback from Faculties e.g. through 5.1 and 2.1 reviews. Need to develop greater consistency in the quality of L and T at all levels. Evidence suggests more significant impact in the BGE than the Senior Phase.Establish a fresh programme of ‘in-house’ learning opportunities, staff-led and with the flexibility to suit individual journeys. This is as a direct consequence of feedback received from staff from sessions this year. Targeted support for individual staff to be continued. Feedback indicates a clear need to focus on critical literacy skills. This will form the focus of our L and T CLPL/ development work next session within the framework of Challenge for All. There is a need to develop greater consistency across all learners in terms of their ability to talk about their learning and in particular their skills development.

CLPL opportunities to share and expand on the use of ICT, particularly the use of iPads, to enhance learning will be continued and expanded. Access the ipad training available via DLT to boost staff skills/ knowledge in utilising them to enhance learning.

KAT will be used to have regular dialogue with learners about what they need to do to improve. This will culminate in a learning profile by the end of each academic session. An electronic portfolio will be developed and launched to all learners so that they take responsibility for mapping their own journey from S1-6. Expand the model of reporting now being used in BGE to Senior Phase

All Faculties need to build on the whole-school model of “you said, we did” by adopting a more focused approach to the use and analysis (not just gathering) of pupil voice. This has been highlighted to Faculties as a priority for 2015-16.

Adopt L&T approaches to develop Higher Order Thinking / Literacy skills together with support materials for parents.

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5.3 - Meeting Learning Needs

Tasks, activities and resources Feedback from staff indicates that the majority of staff have a clearer understanding of what Challenge for All means and how they can implement it in practice. Feedback from higher ability pupil focus groups indicates that learners feel they are being challenged and are aware of their strengths and next steps in each curricular area. Teachers use a variety of strategies to personalise/differentiate support for learners including specific support with literacy (word banks, support sheets for EAL students, printed/electronic sheets etc). HOTS has been a feature of whole school CLPL and classroom observations demonstrate evidence of teachers planning their questioning. S1-3 Pupils are significantly more aware of their learning targets since the introduction of our new style of Tracking report and are able to talk about their strengths and next steps across the curriculum. The evidence of increased expectations in the BGE is stronger than in the senior phase. Literacy and numeracy levels for learners are shared with staff and staff are encouraged to set targets for pupils with existing ASPs/IEPs. High attaining pupils are identified from standardised test scores and this information is shared with all staff – these pupils report increased levels of challenge in classes.

Identification of learning needs Primary transition meetings (as early as P6), S1/2 early alerts from class teachers and referrals to the Strategy meeting allow focussed assessment of learning needs by departments and Pupil Support Staff. Particular emphasis is placed on tracking LAC pupils, there attendance, attainment and care needs are monitored weekly at House meetings and monthly at both PSG and 16+ meetings.

A range of partners are involved in regularly supporting the work of staff in school. These include partners that are engaged particularly with the 16+ group and those that support young people’s wellbeing e.g. The Health Opportunities Team. We have strong representation from our partners at monthly 16+ and PSG meetings and at YPPMs as necessary.

Recent joint self-evaluation with partner agencies identified good practice in regular (weekly) meetings between DHTs/PSLs, EWO/PSLs and Strategy group; teaching staff are increasingly taking responsibility for completion of wellbeing concern forms rather than passing information to PSLs; teaching staff actively report concerns to PSLs/DHT/SfLL out with standard Tracking periods eg as part of S1/2 early alerts and in response to requests for information for YPPMs/Assessments of Need.

The roles of teachers and specialist staff Partner agencies are well integrated to the wider school. There are clear links between the work of the PSG and 16+ group, particularly in identifying ‘at risk’ young people and there is good practice in monthly PSG and 16+ meetings, weekly Strategy and House meetings and additional resources such as the Supported Pathways Booklet regarding systems to access support from specialist staff. There is further good practice in considering new referrals for IAMs and YPPMs at monthly PSG meeting when school staff are regularly joined by colleagues from CLD, Family Solutions, CAMHS, Police, EWO and EP services. Within school, PSAs consult regularly with the SfL Leader to share information about learning needs as observed in the classroom.

The Support for Learning Leader carries out the 5 roles of Sfl effectively; there is regular consultancy with teachers at DMs (including particular inputs for NQTs and teachers in training) and specialist literacy provision for pupils following a personalised S3 curriculum. We have strong links with our EWO, EP and the EAL service. Pupils feel strongly that the support of PSAs in classrooms has a significant positive impact on their learning.

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Meeting and implementing the requirements of legislation

Learning needs are identified at an early stage through primary transition meetings and S1/2 Early Alerts and bespoke transition programmes are developed where necessary through YPPMs involving primary and secondary staff. Assessments of Need are now carried out more routinely by PSLs and associated partners and Young Person’s Plans are evaluated routinely at each YPPM. Our approach to the recording of Young Person’s Plans has been identified as good practice by the CEC working group looking at GIR paperwork.Additional Support Plans have been phased out and the school is now providing Strategy sheets to teachers to address learning needs in the classroom. PSLs/SfL leader monitor and evaluate IEPs annually and teachers are invited to set learning targets for the session ahead.

YPPMs focus on the wider needs of the pupil, as opposed to specific learning targets. Annual Review meetings that previously focussed on ASP/IEP targets are no longer held and we need to develop a way of incorporating these discussions into YPPMLearners and their parents are routinely invited to all IAMs and YPPMs; there is good practice evident in asking learners to complete ‘My Views’ sheets prior to a meeting. Feedback from parents is consistently positive regarding their experience of YPPMs and pupils report that they feel listened to and well supported in classes. Many pupils do not yet believe that the Action Points developed on their Plan will make a difference to their future.

What are we going to do next? We will build on the challenge agenda to focus on differentiation of tasks, activities and resources to best meet the needs of learners based on extensive advice that is available to teachers in the support bulletin. We will continue to share and expand CLPL opportunities on the use of ICT, particularly the use of Ipads to enhance differentiated learning.

The use of L&T strategies as described in the Strategy sheets that are shared by SfL is not consistent across the school. We will address this through whole-school programmes eg ISIS opportunities and monitor Meeting Learners Needs through our ongoing programme of SCE, pupil focus groups and feedback from staff (including PSAs). Feedback from staff indicates that while all recognise the vast quantity and high quality of information that is available to them regarding the learning needs of all pupils, some teachers find it difficult to navigate the support bulletin and associated documents. We will review the accessibility of information and offer support to staff as appropriate to support their planning. Feedback from staff suggests that there is significant work to be done in enhancing the partnership between class teachers and PSAs to more effectively identify needs and plan appropriate support in the classroom; this will include enhanced feedback from the Strategy group and opportunities for forward planning with SfL staff.

Our move to Key Adult Time will provide an opportunity to ensure that learners are included in the development of their own Strategy sheets/IEPs. Key Adult Time will also provide ongoing opportunities for continued Success Assemblies and we will continue with the practice of sharing standardised scores to identify vulnerable and high attaining pupils in the BGE to target particular challenge and support as appropriate within the Challenge for All framework.

Recently enhanced engagement with our associated Social Work manager will be further improved to include the development of partnership working with YPUs, in line with recent CEC advice for improving outcomes for LAAC. We will continue to monitor LAAC attendance and attainment in order to identify pupils at risk of failing to achieve 5+@3 by the end of S4 and a positive destination as early as possible and to engage with our partners to address this. Particular consideration will

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be given to progression pathways through the senior phase, taking account of tariff points as a measure of improved outcomes. We will plan ISIS/CAT input to explore/explain the responsibilities of all staff as corporate parents of LAAC pupils.

Feedback from partners as part of our recent Joint Self Evaluation of Partnership Working indicates that some partners are not clear about protocols and procedures which take account of best practice in information sharing within the school; we need to seek further information from the partners that contributed to this evaluation in order that we can support colleagues to share information effectively.

DHT Pupil Support will continue to work with the CEC working group looking at GIR paperwork to move towards a single plan.Multi-agency YPPMs will be ongoing and will take account of learning targets for pupils who have an IEP/Strategy sheet.

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5.1 The Curriculum

The rationale and design of the curriculum

We have a clear rationale for our curriculum as a whole and for each of the each year of the BGE and the Senior Phase. In the rationale for the Senior Phase there is a clear focus on raising attainment, wider achievement and the percentage of our pupils who sustain a positive destination. Moreover, each CL has developed with their staff a clear rationale for the changes they have made S1-S6. A clear rationale has also been the starting point in reviewing and developing IDL experiences both in the BGE and in our Senior Phase, where we start with the needs of groups of learners and design experiences to meet those needs.Staff are continuing to review and develop courses in the BGE, particularly to provide more depth and challenge.We have successfully implemented a single cohort senior phase which has delivered more choice for pupils at all levels, provided flexible pathways (including N4, N5 and Higher over varied timescales) and included a range of certificated vocational opportunities to support our drive for sustained positive destinations. The mix of S4-S6 pupils in many classes has had a positive impact on motivation and engagement despite some initial misgivings, particularly among our S4.We have introduced big rotas (20 weeks) in S1 & S2 in many curricular areas as well as integrating social subjects in S1 to minimise teacher contacts in order to avoid fragmentation and to give time to develop relationships in order to provide more depth in our learning experiences. This has been positively evaluated by staff and pupils.We have well established partnerships delivering skills for Life, Learning and Work in S1-S6, we have continued to develop and extend these, particularly through the Business Class Project. Our wide range of partners supporting us in pupil support in 16+ have now been engaged in thorough evaluation and the evidence from this will provide a steer for our next steps in improvement planning. Our partnership working is very good and has contributed to improved positive destinations from 76% to 91.3% in a four year period.We have evaluated the impact of our IDL provision and while there is clear increased engagement there is a need to develop an explicit focus on skills and progression. Our S3 science IDL and our twin track Social Subject IDL are good examples of experiences planned with a skills progression focus.Building on existing good practise of tracking wider achievement S1-S6, we have introduced Youth Achievement Awards in S1, S3 and S6 (moving to all years next session). Pupils’ participation and success in activities across the totality of their curriculum is recognised within this framework, as pupils progress through school they build up their award portfolio.

The development of the curriculum Our curriculum has been developed with pupils, staff and parents. It is underpinned by a set of shared values which are displayed throughout and regularly celebrated. All faculties have been challenged to introduce more depth and challenge in their courses with a view to ensure all pupils are ready to attain well in our Senior Phase. All faculties have introduced more challenging experience, particularly in S3, focusing on the skill set that will move learners from N4 to N5.

There has been a very positively evaluated in house professional learning programme that has used ISIS days and business breakfast to deliver a range of workshops on the common theme of challenge. SCE has indicated clear progress in most lessons and some staff have been individually supported by bespoke programmes to support improvement around the theme of challenge. Feedback from pupils suggests that there has been an improvement in challenge in many areas, particularly in S3. However, we recognise that this is a long term project and that there is more improvement necessary in the development of HOTS particularly in evaluation, analysis and application from S1 onwards.Profiles in S3 are in place for all learners and increasingly learners are able to talk about their strengths and next steps from across the totality of their experience. This improvement has in part been achieved through the implementation of a new

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tracking report in the BGE. Staff have set this up to give learners more ownership of the reporting process. They evaluate themselves against Significant Aspects of Learning and identify their own strengths and next steps using latest and best evidence.Almost all teachers are using evidence from pupils to evaluate the quality of their courses, particularly around the theme of challenge.All pupils now study a Modern Language until the end of S3, with a choice between French and Spanish being made at the end of S2.

Programmes and courses Most faculties have made progress in the provision of choice within lessons, examples of good practice include homework menus in Mathematics, Modern Languages, elective courses in English, project choices in Science and choice of instruments in Music. There is good practice in PE with a choice of flexible pathways throughout the BGE.All faculties have moderated assessments in the BGE and are confident making assessment judgements. All faculties have implemented a new tracking systems in which pupils use latest and best work to make their own judgements about strengths and next steps. There are very good examples of this in PE, Art and Music. Music have developed very good practice using ‘Idocio’ on IPads where pupils capture their performance and review it using Significant Aspects of Learning.

In the Senior Phase National 5 courses over variable time frames have been implemented to maximise pupils’ attainment.

Transitions Transition from primary to secondary is well managed using a range of partners from cluster primaries and the TAC. Curriculum transition is coordinated by a CL in a distributed leadership project. This years’ strengths include an extensive volunteering programme, whereby senior pupils visit cluster primaries and support various curricular areas. We have also been delivering 10 week blocks of teaching for three out of four cluster primary schools, the subjects taking part in this project have been Music, Art, Science, CDT and PE. Each primary identified where they needed to supplement their curriculum and design a bespoke package for each of them. Pupils from P5, P6 and P7 have been involved in this.

Our initial positive destination percentage is 91.3%, this is above the City of Edinburgh average and represents a significant improvement from last year’s figure of 84.5% and a 10.3% increase in three years. There has been a massive increase in curricular experiences designed to improve positive destination delivered in partnership with a range of organisations including: colleges and universities, employers, CLD and other partner organisations. Examples:

Career Academies delivered in partnership with business partners JET and JET+ delivered in partnership with JET Team 3 year partnership plan (commenced June 2014) with OCA as part of the Business Class (Scottish Business in the

Community) programme – first ‘project’ set up as Employability Workshops for Christmas Leavers 2014 STEM residential trip for S3 pupils as part of an IDL between Science and CDT departments SBIC ‘Make a Difference Day’ providing workshops for S6 - mock interviews, CVs and application process led by

volunteers from Lloyds SDS involved in delivering a range of inputs to targeted groups and individuals SDS Learning Through Work week Nov. 2014 – presentation to S3 re. Modern Apprenticeships led by scientist from

Ingenza (Roslin Biotech. Research Park) S4-6 pupils attended Business Dynamics event in August 2014 S3 SYHA IDL opportunity in Oct 2014 – skills development

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S2 and S3 pupils participating in Skillforce, completing First Aid, ASDAN, Heartstart – includes aspects of volunteering Volunteering opportunities built in to the senior phase curriculum – pupils supporting younger classes; acting as

‘buddies’; working in local Erskine care home 7 x S5 and S6 pupils participating in SESAP – work experience, college and QMU built in to senior phase timetable Active involvement of LEAPS to support UCAS applicants – mock interviews, personal statements South Neighbourhood Positive Destinations collaborative events between the 5 secondary schools; University, College,

Employment, ‘Gap year’/Volunteering, and Training events planned for all S5/6 pupils from South. Some subjects actively promoting career/study opportunities to pupils and parents in the senior phase (Modern

Languages and Psychology/Sociology – part of parental newsletter) Duke of Edinburgh Award offered to pupils from S3 Links with Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University from S1/2 through Widening Participation and Go4Set programmes Links with Edinburgh University as part of Higher Geography course

What are we going to do next? Continue to develop flexible pathways through the BGE and Senior Phase. In the BGE this will be achieved through IDLs in the form of master classes and consolidation experiences.We will introduce STEM IDLs in S1 and S2 through our Business Class Partnership from industry to develop challenging experiences using real world problems that will enhance Higher Order Skills, particularly evaluating, analysing and applying. In doing so we will build in progression S1-S2 and coherence in skills development across this and other IDL experiences and in our Courses and Programs.

The key focus of next year’s improvement plan will continue to be ‘challenge for all’. From the analysis of attainment in most subjects as well as self-evaluation across faculties the clear focus on challenge has to be through Literacy. Our pupils need more challenge and support in engaging with complex texts, developing skills of evaluating, analysing and then applying these in extended writing. There will be a group set up, led by our CL in Social Subjects to support challenge through Literacy in all Subjects S1-S3.

We will continue to develop pedagogy through in house CLPL, with a focus on challenge. In doing so we will implement a more needs matched experience for staff.

The improvement focus for all faculties will again be ‘challenge for all’. All faculties will introduce HOTS through literacy S1-S3, focussing on evaluation, analysis and application. In addition to this faculties will develop explicit skills progression pathways within their courses and programmes and then report on these in the tracking process.

All faculties will support the introduction of profiles S1-S6, where pupils, working with their key adult, will develop a profile each year that reflects their strengths and next steps as well as build up a collection of wider achievement certification.We will introduce IDL courses in the Senior Phase course choice options, certificating these through SQA and other organisations. These will be vocational courses designed to develop employability skills.

We will be extending the teaching of P5s – P7s to all cluster primaries. Developing and implementing a cluster wide art exhibition that both showcases pupil work from Nursery to S6 and will also act as a moderation CPD for staff.

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Continue to develop the work of TAC to support vulnerable pupils in their transition to secondary.

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5.9 Improvement through self-evaluation

Commitment to self-evaluation Teachers at all levels are reflecting upon their own practice. They regularly share and discuss good practice at their departmental meetings. 100% of Curriculum leaders, SMT and class teachers undertake classroom observations of practice as part of the re-designed whole school approach to quality assurance on two occasions throughout each session. Staff have shared good practice during in-service days and as part of the school’s learning rounds. Teaching staff have positively evaluated these experiences and are becoming more confident in using cooperative learning and AiFL strategies.

Data from direct observation informs the school improvement planning process, and the corresponding targets identified within departmental improvement plans. Parents have been consulted on their views through for example “Survey Monkey”, at YPPMs and through feedback gathered and discussed through the more collaborative approach to the Parent Council.

Young people have embraced the opportunity to evaluate their learning experiences in departments across the school through regularly planned focus groups. There are displays in every department which highlight what was asked, what was said and how the departments have attempted to respond to the views of young people.

We have demonstrated our commitment to gathering and responding to the views of partners in involving staff such as Community Learning and Development worker, Educational Welfare Officer and the Educational Psychologist in providing feedback on aspects of the school’s provision and through for example the Young Person’s Planning Meeting forum. There has been very good progress in engaging a wide range of partners in self-evaluation.

Management of self-evaluation We revitalised our approach to self-evaluation last session, around a clear focus on core quality indicators and a quality assurance calendar which expects staff to draw upon a wide range of appropriate evidence to support their work in this area within their own departments. We have familiarised staff with the new professional standards and procedure for the professional update highlighting the responsibility to measure the impact of any professional learning. All faculties complete returns on 1.1, 2.1, 5.1 and 5.3 at key points of the year. The HT and link DHT meets CLS twice per year to discuss these evaluations and progress with improvement plans.Attainment review meetings now take place with all departmental staff to ensure all staff have an accurate picture of attainment issues and agreed action points. We have recognised that more of our self-evaluation data needs to focus on learning and teaching. Shadowing individual learners on a monthly basis now takes place and staff are regularly supported and challenged to ensure our lessons have sufficient depth and that pupils take responsibility for their own learning. Departmental priorities are based on their work in self-evaluation over the previous session. Teaching staff are becoming increasingly confident in their assessment judgements. Pupils are being encouraged to identify their own strengths and next steps which they can evidence from their latest and best folder of work this informs their reports which they write in partnership with their subject teachers three times per year. The school has made use of its tracking data from S4 to S6 to identify underperformance and then take appropriate action. These interventions have included parental interviews and in some cases additional classes and staff to whole class groups. An increasing number of staff are using 360 degree feedback and critical friends as sources of evidence to support the PRD

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process. Staff have made use of national improvement guides (good to great) to reflect upon and discuss current practice and identify actions required to bring about improvement. The quality of the information and analysis and the corresponding supporting evidence is becoming more consistent.

School improvement The school improvement plan last year (and this year) focussed on increased challenge, open ended tasks and pupil led learning. We also introduced a new tracking and reporting system to give pupils more ownership of the process. Self-evaluation, particularly around the quality of learners’ experiences was much more robust. We saw a significant increase the consistency and quality of learning and teaching as evidenced in the interim and follow through visits by CEC. There has also been significant improves in attainment in most measures, although more improvement is required.

Another aspect of the improvement plan was the implementation of our Relationships for Learning policy. Our exclusions dropped from 60 to 29. Our attendance is up 0.4% but our parental engagement remains an issue, with the attendance at Parents’ evening down slightly.

What are we going to do next? We will rigorously review pupil progress in the BGE using tracking data and implement a comprehensive tracking data base.

We will introduce on line learning portfolios in S1-6 that allow young people to track and reflect on their skills. We will further implement the authority’s BGE tracking policy through Key Adult Time. This includes tracking wider achievement and implementing Youth Achievement Awards for every pupil.

We will be rigorous in our presentation policy to ensure young people are presented at appropriate levels.

We will share good practice more in relation to self-evaluation across faculties to bring about a more consistent approach to faculty improvement planning to deliver a stronger correlation between priorities identified, actions taken and evidence gathered of the impact and improvements for young people.

Our main focus for self-evaluation will be on effective learning and teaching particularly around developing Higher Order Literacy Skills, all in an effort to bring about higher attainment. We need to ensure that the main thing remains the main thing, in respect of the impact of classroom practice upon young people’s progress, attainment and achievement.

There will be continued challenge from SMT to CLs and from CLs to teaching staff in relation to the quality of learning and teaching and greater levels of accountability for increasing attainment within classes for teaching staff and within subject areas for CLs. More focussed follow up on action points – and gathered intelligence overview - from class observations to bring about change in classroom practice at both a departmental and whole school level.

We will build on the steps we have taken to involve partners more in evaluating the work of the school.

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Improvement Plan

3. Key areas for school improvement

Priority 1 – Improve Attainment and Wider Achievement Overall Responsibility S Kelly

QIs 1.1

Impact: All of our learners will benefit from improved attainment and achievement

Tasks By Whom

Resources Timescale Progress/evaluation of task

Reduce bureaucracy by embedding a streamlined QA document and calendar with returns from faculties in sync with CEC returns.

SK June 2015

Continue to monitor S3/S4 pupils, gaining 5+ at level 3,4 & 5 and identify and support those at risk of missing out.

SK October 2015

All staff trained on Insight TU October 2015

Use of Key Adult re H/W, review tracking and intervene. Review progression – recommendations from S3. Chart the tariff points of selected groups of learners. Set targets for each faculty at attainment meetings.

SK, SMT, SfP Leaders

September 2015

Reduce bureaucracy by embedding streamlined T,M & Reporting system in the BGE and by introducing a similar system in the Senior Phase.

SMcC, SR August 2015

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Implement rigorous target setting and tracking in the Senior Phase through KAT

LR Ongoing Review in Nov 2015

Ensure valid/robust assessment evidence in all curriculum areas S1-S3.

SK, CL January 2016

Implement tracking data base S1-S3 SK CEC resources September 2015SfP Leaders to develop interventions through KAT

SfP Leaders OngoingReview Nov 2015

Extend SRA programme ST 1 FTE in SfL ( BA & NJ) August 2015Implement YAA and WA tracking in KAT.

JS 1 hour per week for JS August 2015

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Priority 2 – Improve the quality of learners’ experiences Overall Responsibility DR/RR

QIs

Outcome: Impact on learners: All of our learners will develop the skills to lead their own learning, be sufficiently challenged and can identify their strengths and next steps.

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Progress/evaluation of task

L & T Strategy Group established led by Bill Harris.

DR September 2015

Tasked with creating CLPL in-house programme, with increased personalisation and choice.

DR, BH Time in ISIS and CAT programme.Catering costs

September 2015

Mixture of business breakfast and twilight. Sessions recorded. Lessons recorded for critical reflection.

Ongoing

Set up 365 for professional dialogue. DR, SMcC September 2015Whole approach to develop higher order literacy skills to be developed.S1-S6 – common language and increased challenge.

CT Big money! Ongoing Reviewed monthly

Strategy group to set up as L & T coaches list to operate similar to Becos.

DR October 2015

Individualised support packages developed in partnership with staff.

SMT September 2015

Ensure all staff use the support bulletin to design tasks, activities and resources to meet the needs of all learners.

RR, All faculty CLs, ST

SFL leader to act as Consultant to provide CLPL in differentiating tasks, activities and resources to meet the needs of all learners.

RR, ST

All staff involved in setting, short term, targets and developing strategies for young person’s plan. All staff provide feedback on progress for the annual YPPM review.

RR, All faculty CLs, ST

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Priority 3 – Fully implement CfE Outcome: Our learners will experience breadth and depth in their learning that will improve their attainment, achievement and opportunity to secure a positive destination. Our learners will develop skills necessary for learning, life and work. We will implement plans to Develop our Young Workforce to ensure continued improvement in our Positive Destination figures.

Overall ResponsibilitySK

QIs

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Progress/evaluation of task

Each curriculum area will develop tasks, activities and resources that will challenge learners to develop the ability to describe, explain, analyse and evaluate.(Higher Order Literacy Skills)

SK, DR, CT ISIS, CAT time Ongoing Reviewed monthly

Develop shared language through CPD, poster campaign and regular assemblies.

CT October 2015

Direct reference made to these skills LT/SC homework tasks using common codes.

CT February 2016

Moderation exercise with extended writing across curriculum areas.

SK, CT February 2016

Guidance to be produced based on appropriate significant aspects to incorporate skills progression into reporting.

SK, CT February 2016

Promote STEM careers SK, JH OngoingSTEM IDLs in S1/S2 and Learning Through Work for S3/S4 to be developed in partnership with Sharkey’s and other partners. Continue Go4Set, SYHA STEAM Camp, Ingenious projects.

SK, JH May 2016

Implement the DYW recommendations SK, RR OngoingPublicise local career opportunities SK, RR,

16+ TeamMonthly

Survey pupil careers aspirations and design vocational experiences to suit need

SK, RR,16+ Team

December 2015

Engage with partners to develop and deliver industry recognised qualifications in line with DYW plans.

SK, RR,16+ Team

Ongoing

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4. Cluster Improvement Plan

Priority 1 – Overall Responsibility QIs

Outcome

Impact on learners

Tasks By Whom Resources Timescale Progress/evaluation of task

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5. Summary of evaluations against key indicators

Evaluation key: Level 6 Excellent Outstanding or sector leadingLevel 5 Very Good Major strengthsLevel 4 Good Important strengths with areas for improvementLevel 3 Satisfactory Strengths just outweigh weaknessesLevel 2 Weak Important weaknessesLevel 1 Unsatisfactory Major weaknesses

QI Evaluation

1.1

2.1

5.3

5.1

5.9

Improvements in performance

Learners’ experiences

Meeting learners’ needs

The curriculum

Improvement through self-evaluation

3

4

4

4

4

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