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NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003
EDUCATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL

This report summarises some of the key points set out in the following documents produced by Aberdeen City Council's Education Department. These are its Improvement Plan 2001-03, School Improvement Framework 2002/2003, Local Improvement Objectives 2003/2004, Standards and Quality Report 2001-2002 and Target Setting 2004/2005.

For a full understanding of the position in this education authority and its plans for improvement you should refer directly to these documents. The documents can be accessed on the Aberdeen City Council website www.aberdeencity.gov.uk, at local libraries or by contacting Alex Hunter (01224 346 021).

The summary is presented here under individual National Priority in Education outcomes for simplicity but the actions and programmes referred to may often relate to more than one National Priority.

NATIONAL PRIORITY 1 - ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTAINMENT

To raise standards of educational attainment for all in schools, especially in the core skills of literacy and numeracy, and to achieve better levels in national measures of achievement including examination results

Outcome 1 - Increased levels of numeracy and literacy

The authority's staff work closely with schools to agree targets and then support schools in monitoring their progress in relation to these targets. School profiles are produced; the attainments of schools are benchmarked. A programme of school visits facilitates this monitoring within the overall context of the authority's quality assurance framework. School and authority staff work closely with one another in addressing the recommendations of HMIE school inspections. Schools produce annual Standards and Quality Reports.

Standardised tests, PIPS and MidYIS, are used to support setting targets with individual pupils and to provide bases for assessing the extent of their progress. Information about pupils' achievements and attainments is passed from school to school and at key points of transfer.

The authority's Early Intervention Programme has produced data which indicates that gaps between the attainments of children from disadvantaged backgrounds and other children are being closed while attainments overall are increasing.

The charts below provide information on the attainments in reading, writing and mathematics achieved by pupils in Aberdeen City Council's primary schools and in the first two years of secondary school. They also provide information on the targets which the education authority has set in respect of these aspects of pupils' learning.

Chart 1. Percentage of pupils in P3, 4, 6 and 7 meeting or exceeding age appropriate 5-14 levels in reading, writing and mathematics in Aberdeen City Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

Aberdeen City Council has set targets with its primary schools to raise levels of attainment between now and the end of school session 2004/2005.

Chart 2. Levels of attainment at end June 2002 compared with anticipated percentage of pupils in P3, 4, 6 and 7 who will meet or exceed age appropriate 5-14 levels in reading, writing and mathematics in Aberdeen City Council and nationally by the end of school session 2004/2005.

Chart 3. Percentage of pupils in S2 meeting or exceeding their age appropriate 5-14 level, level E, in reading, writing and mathematics in Aberdeen City Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

Aberdeen City Council has set targets with secondary schools to raise these levels of attainment between now and the end of school session 2004/2005.

Chart 4. Levels of attainment at end June 2002 compared with anticipated percentage of pupils in S2 who will meet or exceed their age appropriate 5-14 level, level E, in reading, writing and mathematics in Aberdeen City Council and nationally by the end of school session 2004/2005.

The percentage (averaged over 3 years from 1999/2000 to 2001/2002) of the original S4 cohort who by the end of S6 had attained SCQF level 3 or better in English and mathematics was 93.5%. Nationally 92.6% did this and 94.6.% of pupils did this in comparator authorities. Aberdeen City Council has set a target that 95% of its pupils should achieve these levels of attainment by 2005. The equivalent national target is 94%.

Outcome 2 - Improved examination results

The charts below provide information on the attainments in National Qualifications achieved by pupils in Aberdeen City Council's secondary schools. They also provide information on the targets which the authority has set in respect of these aspects of pupils' learning.

Chart 5. Levels of attainment (a three-year average for 1999/2000 to 2001/2002) of pupils in Aberdeen City Council's secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with attainment in comparator authorities and nationally.

Aberdeen City Council has set targets with its secondary schools to raise levels of attainment in National Qualifications by the end of school session 2004/2005.

Chart 6. Levels of attainment (a three-year average for 1999/2000 to 2001/2002) of pupils in Aberdeen City Council's secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with anticipated levels of attainment (a three-year average for 2002/2003 to 2004/2005) locally and nationally by the end of school session 2004/2005.

NATIONAL PRIORITY 2 - FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING

To support and develop the skills of teachers, the self-discipline of pupils and to enhance school environments so that they are conducive to teaching and learning

Outcome 1 - Continuing professional development of teachers' skills

Arrangements are in place for the Professional Review and Development of all teaching staff, including headteachers. These arrangements have been introduced on a phased basis.

The authority provides a wide range of focused professional development opportunities for its teaching and non-teaching staff. These opportunities have been drawn up to reflect the needs of schools and with a focus on providing staff with opportunities to develop their learning skills.

Outcome 2 - Increased self-discipline of pupils

Senior pupils, P7 in the case of primary schools and S5 and S6 in the case of secondary schools, are involved in a wide range of buddying and mentoring activities with younger children in just under 70% of the authority's schools.

Programmes of positive behaviour management have been introduced into schools with the support of parents, pupils and staff.

The levels of attendance and exclusions in Aberdeen City Council's schools are shown in the tables below.

Levels of attendance

The authority has set itself the targets of securing an average attendance of 364 half-days (95.7%) for its primary school pupils at the end of session 2004/2005 and 347 half-days (91.3%) for its secondary schools within the same timescale. The national target for attendance by the end of session 2004/2005 is 95% for primary and 90% for secondary. These figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Exclusions from schools

The figures in the above table are drawn from the Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication Exclusions from Schools, 2000/2001. The authority has set itself the targets of reducing from 38 to 20 the days lost per 1000 pupils to exclusions in primary schools by the end of session 2004/2005 and reducing from 281 to 230 the days lost per 1000 pupils in secondary schools within the same timescale.

Outcome 3 - Enhanced school environments which are more conducive to teaching and learning

The authority is implementing an Information and Communications Technology Strategy. Schools have enhanced access to the Internet and to email. Schools have a ratio of modern computers to pupils which is consistent with current national targets.

5% of the authority's schools hold an accredited quality award. A further 13% are applying a quality model in addition to HGIOS 2002.

The pupil:adult ratio in the education authority's primary schools is 13:1 currently. Aberdeen City has set itself the target of 13.1:1 by the end of school session 2004/2005. The ratio nationally is 14.2:1.

NATIONAL PRIORITY 3 - INCLUSION AND EQUALITY

To promote equality and help every pupil benefit from education with particular regard paid to pupils with disabilities and special educational needs, and to Gaelic and lesser used languages

Outcome 1 - Every pupil benefits from education

The educational experience of looked after children has been enhanced by increasing their access to ICT in residential and other settings. Boxes of educational resources have been made available to the children. The children have been given enhanced access to sports, arts and cultural events and activities. Children with disabilities have been supported through the provision of specialised equipment and services.

In 2001/2002 the percentage of looked after children achieving Standard Grade English and mathematics in Aberdeen City was 50% based on the Audit Scotland Accounts Commission Performance Indicators. Nationally the figure was 37.5%. Aberdeen City Council has set itself the target of maintaining this level for looked after children who attain Standard Grade English and mathematics in school session 2004/2005.

The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils in the authority's secondary schools is 59. The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils nationally is 58 and in Aberdeen's comparator authorities it is 68. The authority has set itself the target of raising the average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of its pupils to 63 by the end of the school session 2004/2005.

The authority set up a (Free) School Meals Review Group. Its remit is to secure an increase in the take up of free school meals. Its first action was to introduce a smart card called the 'Accord Card' in all secondary schools. 15.3% of primary pupils are entitled to free school meals; 85.2% of these pupils actually take a school meal. 8.5% of secondary pupils are entitled to a free school meal with 73.5% of these pupils actually taking up their entitlement. Nationally, the uptake percentages for primary and secondary are 79.2% and 59.1% respectively.

The authority has rolled out its approach to New Community Schools to three areas beyond those covered by its two pilot projects.

Outcome 2 - Every pupil benefits from education, with particular regard paid to pupils with disabilities and special educational needs

Aberdeen City Council, along with all other education authorities, has prepared and published an action plan setting out how it will improve access to school buildings and the formal and informal curriculum for people with disabilities over the next few years.

Access issues were addressed during the refurbishment of St Machar's Academy. Twelve student support bases were opened in secondary schools and three such bases in primary schools.

Pupils in Aberdeen City who have recorded special educational needs, as defined currently, have an Individualised Educational Programme (IEP). In these programmes targets are set with and for individual pupils; these targets help to structure and focus the pupils' learning. Pupils' progress in achieving their targets is monitored and the targets are the subject of regular review.

The authority has increased its complement of educational psychologists and it has recruited further staff to address the needs of children with hearing impairments and with autism.

The authority runs training programmes in special educational needs provision for its staff.

Of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in Aberdeen City, 59.6% receive all of their education in a mainstream class. 5.7% of primary mainstream pupils with special educational needs in Aberdeen City receive all of their education in a special unit attached to a mainstream school. For secondary, the figures are 84.1% and 0.2% respectively. Nationally the percentages for the primary sector are 83% and 3%; for secondary they are 73% and 4%. For comparator authorities the percentages for the primary sector are 81.3% and 4.1%; for secondary they are 76.4% and 0.3%. Aberdeen City has 11 special schools which accommodated 356 pupils in 2001/2002.

It should be recognised that the collection of this SEN data in 2000/2001 may not have been universally robust.

Outcome 3 - Every pupil benefits from education, with particular regard paid to Gaelic and lesser used languages

The authority produces a Gaelic newsletter. It works in partnership with local Gaelic organisations to support, for example, cultural events. The authority has a Gaelic Development Plan. All requests for Gaelic medium education have been met.

All staff receive race equality awareness training in relation to the authority's Race Equality Policy.

NATIONAL PRIORITY 4 - VALUES AND CITIZENSHIP

To work with parents to teach pupils respect for self and one another and their interdependence with other members of their neighbourhood and society and teach them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society

Outcome 1 - Increased respect for self and others

The pupils in the education authority's schools are involved in a wide range of activities which encourage them to work with others and which are designed to promote their personal and social development ( see section on Quality Indicators).

Health and Drug Education Programmes were developed further. Staff development was provided in drug education.

Following on from the publication of Education for Citizenship schools are developing the range of activities which they use to secure pupil participation in appropriate activities and events.

Outcome 2 - Increased awareness of interdependence with other members of their neighbourhood and society and teach them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society

4% of the authority's schools were registered with the Eco Schools Award Scheme. A further 9% were involved in the Keep Grampian Beautiful campaign. Aberdeen Environmental Education Centre has been very active in supporting environmental education in schools. More than 10,000 pupils visited the centre in 2001/2002. The centre produced a resource pack called 'Traffic First?' This pack encourages pupils to investigate traffic issues such as congestion, pollution, safety and speed.

The authority supports a number of family learning initiatives. These initiatives include story telling clubs, literacy walks, print walks, family learning days and story sacks.

NATIONAL PRIORITY 5 - LEARNING FOR LIFE

To equip pupils with the foundation skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to prosper in a changing society and to encourage creativity and ambition

Outcome 1 - Pupils are equipped with the necessary foundation skills, attitudes and expectations to prosper in a changing society

Pupils in the city's schools have access to choirs, orchestras, school shows, book clubs, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, residential trips, breakfast and homework clubs and a wide range of sporting activities ranging from football and rugby to kickboxing, fishing and skiing. About 60% of pupils are involved in these activities. In some schools all of the pupils are involved.

The authority has an Arts Education Unit which is responsible for organising many of the above events. It runs an annual Storytelling and Theatre Festival. It arranged for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and other artists to work with P6 pupils to develop a production based on the Aberdeen Bestiary.

The city's Youth Symphony Orchestra visited France. The orchestra also performed at the National Association of Youth Orchestras Festival, an important part of the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival.

Core physical education programmes are delivered in primary schools by a team of visiting specialist teachers. The schools are participating in the TOP Sport programme. The Class Moves programme is used in primary and special schools.

The authority's Outdoor Education Service provides a range of experiences for young people.

A wide range of education for work and enterprise activities took place in the authority's schools. These include work experience, Young Enterprise, charity and other fund-raising, careers events and community events. About 25% of pupils throughout the city's schools were involved in these activities.

Chart 7. School leaver destinations; percentage of pupils leaving Aberdeen City Council's secondary schools in 2002 and going on to Higher Education and other destinations compared with comparator authorities and the national position.

Aberdeen City Council has set itself the target of raising the percentage of school leavers who go on to Higher Education after leaving school in June 2005 to 35%.

Outcome 2 - Increased levels of creativity and ambition in young people

The initiatives referred to throughout this report contribute generally to achievement in relation to this outcome.

In addition, the Curriculum Resources and Information Service organises creative learning experiences for young people. These activities included author visits to schools, the Creative Writing Sixth Year Conference called Northern Writes.

QUALITY INDICATORS

Aberdeen's schools have used HGIOS in their regular, moderated self-evaluations to reach informed judgements on where they stand currently in relation to these processes. These judgements are summarised below:

• most judged that the 'overall quality of attainment' in their schools was good or very good and almost all judged that they were good or very good at promoting 'expectations and achievement'
• most judged that they had good or very good arrangements for 'staff review and development', almost all judged that the 'climate and relationships' in their schools were good or very good and a majority judged that they had good or very good 'accommodation and facilities'
• all schools judged that their schools' arrangements for the promotion of 'equality and fairness' were good or very good
• most thought that their arrangements for 'learning support' and the 'placement of pupils with SEN and disabilities' were good or very good and almost all thought that they were good or very good at the 'implementation of SEN and disability legislation'
• almost all judged that their arrangements for supporting the 'personal and social development' of young people were good or very good and that they also had good or very good 'partnership with parents, the School Board and the community'
• almost all judged that the overall quality of their 'pupils' learning experiences' was good or very good.

Authorities and schools will be continuing to build up their expertise in self-evaluation and moderation of progress with the National Priorities over the period to the end of school session 2004/2005. Some self-evaluation in this report is therefore provisional at this stage. HMIE are undertaking independent and robust external evaluation of how well Scottish schools and education authorities are delivering the National Priorities in Education and their report will be published after the end of school session 2004/2005

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