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NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003
EDUCATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL

This report summarises some of the key points set out in Dundee City Council Education Department's Development Plan 2002-2005, its Improvement Objectives January 2003 and its Progress Report 2002.

For a full understanding of the position in this education authority and its plans for improvement, you should refer directly to these documents or contact Glen Taylor (01382 433 416;glen.taylor@dundeecity.gov.uk).

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

All schools have systems in place to celebrate success and develop an ethos of achievement. A Pupil Achievement Strategy has been in place since 1998.

Phoenix Assessment Manager and MarkIT is being introduced into all schools to record and report on pupil progress and to track that progress in relation to attainment targets set at various levels.

Pupil attainments in National Qualifications are analysed by an external consultant. Other data is analysed locally. Attainment is benchmarked against peer comparators. Benchmark information is provided to all schools.

Dundee has set itself targets in relation to the attainments of its pupils that they should achieve on average as well as or better than their peers in its comparator authorities. More specific representations of these targets appear in this report.

Pupil choice in secondary schools has been increased by the introduction of Intermediate 1 and Access 3 units, clusters and courses as substitutes for Standard Grade Foundation Level courses. Access 2 units have been introduced along with a broader range of National Qualifications generally. The use of Scottish Group Awards has been piloted in 3 secondary schools.

Senior school managers are supported in the above processes through attendance at conferences, seminars and other professional development events and activities.

The authority has produced a manual on Improving Pupil Achievement. The manual is issued to all schools. It contains over 100 examples of good practice from Dundee schools along with suggestions for related staff development activities.

Outcome 1 - Increased levels of numeracy and literacy

The charts below provide information on the attainments in reading, writing and mathematics achieved by pupils in Dundee 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 Dundee City Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

The authority 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 Dundee 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 Dundee City Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

Targets have been set 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 Dundee 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 83.7%. Nationally 92.6% did this and 92.5% of pupils did this in comparator authorities. Dundee City has set a target that its schools match or exceed group average of comparable schools in SQA attainment. 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 Dundee City Council's secondary schools. They also provide information on the targets which the education 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 Dundee City Council's secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with attainment in comparator authorities and nationally.

Dundee 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 Dundee 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

The authority's arrangements for Professional Review and Development have been implemented in all schools. A similar set of procedures is being introduced for support staff in schools. A guide dealing with this and related matters has been issued to all schools.

All schools have a CPD co-ordinator who can arrange for needs emerging from the above process to be met locally or at the level of the authority where appropriate. Over 400 staff development activities are offered in a twice yearly CPD Directory.

500 education department staff have studied for the European Computer Driving Licence.

Outcome 2 - Increased self-discipline of pupils

Almost all schools can demonstrate good practice in respect of buddying and mentoring. These examples would include paired reading and playground buddy schemes. The authority's Health Promoting Schools Initiative has the involvement of pupils as buddies and mentors as one of its key themes. The City has set itself the target that there will be a continued increase in pupils' participation in buddying and mentoring.

Revised exclusion procedures have been drawn up. They have been issued to all schools. They emphasise the need for early interventions in support of pupils when they offer a risk of being excluded and the importance of looking for alternative educational provisions as part of such interventions. Pupil support bases have been set up in schools under the Better Behaviour, Better Learning initiative.

The authority operates an Out of School Pass Scheme for secondary school pupils. It operates this scheme in collaboration with Tayside Police. It also operates a Home School Support Service which encourages young people to attend school and helps them find ways of doing this.

The levels of attendance and exclusion in Dundee City's schools are shown below.

Levels of attendance

The objective is that all schools meet the attendance targets, which they have agreed with the authority. The authority has set itself the targets of having an average percentage attendance in primary schools of 95.0% and 90.0% in secondary schools by the end of session 2004/2005.

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 objective is to reduce the average duration of exclusions in the primary and secondary sectors and to agree realistic and appropriate targets in this area with each school.

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

Nursery nurses support the READ Early Intervention Project in half of the city's primary schools. There are classroom assistants in all of the authority's primary schools.

The pupil:adult ratio in the education authority's primary schools is 15.1:1 currently. Dundee City has set itself the target of maintaining this ratio up to the end of school session 2004/2005. The ratio nationally it is 14.2:1.

A Health Promoting School strategy has been written and distributed to all schools. Its introduction has been supported by programmes of staff development. Its content includes reference to the following; health education, healthy school meals, tuck shops, the provision of drinking water, the creation of an ethos of achievement. The implementation of the strategy has been supported practically by the installation of water dispensers in all primary schools, the establishment of the Café Discovery school meals initiative and the introduction of a number of initiatives promoting physical activity in schools. These initiatives include the Active Primary School Initiative and TOP Play and TOP Sport.

The authority uses the EFQM Framework to evaluate its effectiveness. Two of the authority's schools have IIP recognition and some have received School Curriculum Awards and awards from the School Ethos Network.

The school estate is being developed under the auspices of a Public Private Partnership. A working group has been set up to establish and prosecute a School Estate Strategy. The upgrading of science laboratories has begun; enhanced playground facilities are being provided in all primary schools.

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 authority has launched an Equality Action Plan. This has been issued to all schools. It addresses issues of gender, racism, bullying and safety generally.

Looked after children were provided with enhanced access to ICT, educational software and other resources. These included equipment for sport and the expressive and performing arts and access to classes and coaching. Looked after children with disabilities were provided with play and other equipment. Schools have been provided with guidance and training on recognising and addressing the needs of looked after children. The authority's Pupil Achievement Strategy places a focus on the need to improve the achievements and attainments of looked after children and those who are the lowest attaining.

The percentage of children looked after by the Council aged 16 or 17 who left care with qualifications in English and mathematics at SCQF level 3 or above in school session 2001/2002 was 18% based on the information submitted through the Children Looked After Survey (CLAS). Nationally, the percentage of pupils was 29%. The authority has set itself the target that there will be a consistent annual increase of 5% per school session in the percentage of looked after children attaining these qualifications.

The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils in the authority's secondary schools is 31. The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils nationally is 58 and in Dundee's comparator authorities it is 54. Dundee has set itself the target of raising the average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of its pupils to 36 by the end of the school session 2004/2005.

21.5% of primary pupils are entitled to free school meals; 85.1% of these pupils actually take a school meal. 15.2% of secondary pupils are entitled to a free school meal with 66.5% of these pupils actually taking up their entitlement. Nationally, the uptake percentages for primary and secondary are 79.2% and 59.1% respectively.

Smart cards and cashless catering systems have been introduced into secondary schools to encourage an increase in the uptake of school meals generally and free school meals in particular. The Café Discovery initiative is part of this process.

Half the authority's secondary schools are involved in the New Community Schools Programme. As part of that programme the schools' integrated support teams have been augmented by youth workers.

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

Dundee 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.

Outreach services in respect of children who have English as a second language, who have auditory and visual disabilities and who have autistic spectrum disorders have been extended to facilitate pupils' access to mainstream settings.

Support for learning services and services for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties have been reviewed. The roles played by these services have been integrated.

Of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in Dundee City, 52.8% receive all of their education in a mainstream class. 4.0% of primary mainstream pupils with special educational needs in Dundee City receive all of their education in a special unit attached to a mainstream school. For secondary, the figures are 24.3% and 19.4% 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 80.2% and 7.7%; for secondary, they are 81.9% and 7.4%. Dundee City has 1 special school which accommodated 150 pupils in 2001/2002.

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

All pupils in Dundee 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.

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

There were no requests for Gaelic. The authority has set itself the target that all appropriate requests will be met effectively.

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). Schools' work in this area is recognised regularly through local and national award schemes.

Almost all schools have a pupil council. A city-wide pupil council operates for secondary pupils.

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

The authority mounts an annual exhibition called Making Friends with the Environment. This showcases the environmental work undertaken by schools. A few schools are registered with the Eco Schools Award Scheme. The authority and its schools are involved in the Council's Local Agenda 21 Initiatives.

The authority has produced a Consultation and Communication Strategy. It has a Parent Consultation Group which advises on policy development. The authority samples parent opinion regularly to inform its policy and other initiatives as well as to gauge their perceptions of the service.

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

All schools have ICT networks; all staff and pupils have access to the Internet and to email. The authority has a replacement strategy in place. The authority is piloting pupil access to the European Computer Driving Licence.

The STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) Initiative provides pupils in all schools with a wide range of additional experiences designed to promote and develop an interest in science and engineering.

The authority's schools are engaged in a wide range of sporting and cultural activities and there is a wide range of out of hours learning activities available. These activities include involvement in the TOP Play and TOP Sport schemes. A daily physical activity programme operates in primary schools. A video outlining this programme has been distributed nationally. All secondary schools have School Sports Co-ordinators and the authority is fully engaged in the Active Primary School Programme. There is a city-wide sports development programme. There are artist in residence schemes, a Schools Music Theatre, an Art & Design Summer School, music instruction and orchestras and bands, study support schemes and after-school clubs for primary pupils. There is a city-wide arts strategy.

Enterprise activities are provided by all primary and secondary schools. These activities include Go for Enterprise, mini-enterprise projects and challenges, work experience programmes, Young Enterprise and Business Dynamics. An Enterprise Staff Tutor supports work in this area.

The authority has a Skills for Life Strategy which supports pupils in moving from school to employment, training, Further and Higher Education. This strategy includes an apprenticeship training initiative involving enhancement of the traditional curriculum followed by entry to an apprenticeship. The areas covered by the scheme are building crafts, care, hospitality and vehicle maintenance.

Summer schools attended by over 100 students are run to ease the transfer from school to Further and Higher Education; link programmes have been developed with colleges and universities; the authority has a compact agreement with Abertay University.

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

The authority expects that the percentage of young people becoming unemployed immediately after leaving school will fall by 2% by 2005 and that the percentage going on to training and employment will increase by 3%.

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

Initiatives referred to in National Priority 5, Outcome 1 and, indeed, throughout this report have a bearing on this outcome.

QUALITY INDICATORS

Dundee City Council'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. The evaluations of HMIE Inspections are monitored by the Education Department and used to moderate school self-evaluations. These judgements are summarised below:

• almost all judged that the 'overall quality of attainment' in their schools was good or very good and that they were good or very good at promoting 'expectations and achievement'
• all are working towards very good 'staff review and development', and almost all felt that the 'climate and relationships' in their schools were good or very good while evaluations against 'accommodation and facilities' showed improvement
• almost all schools judged that their schools' arrangements for the promotion of 'equality and fairness' were good or very good
• almost all thought that their arrangements for 'learning support' were good or very good, while all schools are making appropriate progress in their arrangements for the 'placement of pupils with SEN and disabilities' and 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.

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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