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NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003: EDUCATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL

This report summarises some of the key points set out in The Highland Council Education, Culture and Sport Service Plan (2002-2005), which includes its Statement of Education Improvement Objectives for 2003/2004 and in its most recent Standards and Quality 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 Alan Cowie (01349 863 441;www.highland.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

Outcome 1 - Increased levels of numeracy and literacy

The Highland Council has a range of Early Intervention strategies which are having a significant effect on pupil attainments in reading, writing and mathematics in P1 to P3. One of their effects has been to increase the pace of pupils' learning; almost all pupils in P1 to P3 now reach the level of attainment appropriate for their age. The authority has also produced reading packs for its primaries to use and it has introduced strategies to further develop reading in the upper stages of primary. It is also extending the use of its early intervention strategies into the middle years of primary.

The charts below provide information on the attainments in reading, writing and mathematics achieved by pupils in The Highland Council's primary schools and in the first two years of secondary school. They also provide information on the targets which The Highland Council 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 The Highland Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

The Highland Council has set targets with its primary schools to raise levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics 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 The Highland 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 The Highland Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

The Highland Council has set targets with its secondary schools to raise levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics in S1 and S2 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 The Highland 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 96.2%. Nationally 92.6% did this and 94.4% of pupils did this in comparator authorities. Highland Council has set a target that 98.5% of its pupils should achieve these levels of attainment by 2005. The equivalent national target is 94%.

Outcome 2 - Improved examination results

The authority has established a Performance Unit to support schools in analysing and benchmarking the performance of their pupils, disseminating information about that performance and undertaking development planning which addresses issues arising from these analyses. Its schools set targets which have a focus on the individual pupil; pupil progress in relation to these targets is tracked and schools are given feedback on their progress to help them achieve their goals. New National Qualifications have been introduced at all levels and schools have access to the SCHOLAR Programme which is being used to extend the choice of Highers and Advanced Highers available to pupils. A very strong emphasis has been placed on creating in schools an ethos of expectation and achievement.

The charts below provide information on the attainments in National Qualifications achieved by pupils in The Highland 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 The Highland Council's secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with attainment in comparator authorities and nationally.

The Highland 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 Highland'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

School development planning and the provision of support for probationer teachers have been key priorities of the education authority's work with headteachers and teachers over the last year. The provision of training for them and other staff in the use of computers to enhance pupils' learning has also been a priority. The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) programme for the training of teachers and librarians in the use of computers has been an important part of this. It has continued to support staff in studying for the Scottish Qualification for Headship. It has been involved heavily in preparing for the implementation of those parts of A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century, which relates to the provision of professional development programmes for teaching staff.

Outcome 2 - Increased self-discipline of pupils

The Highland Council has explicit anti-bullying policies and procedures. 71.4% of its older primary school pupils are involved in buddying, mentoring or other similar schemes, e.g. paired reading, where they help and support younger pupils. In secondary schools 89.3% of senior pupils are involved with younger pupils in this way.

The levels of attendance and exclusions in The Highland Council's schools are shown in the following tables.

Levels of attendance

The education authority has set itself the targets of raising percentage attendance in its primary schools to 96% by the end of session 2004/2005 and in secondary schools to 92% 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 to 19 the number of days lost per 1000 pupils to exclusions in primary schools by the end of session 2004/2005 and reducing to 250 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 pupil:adult ratio in The Highland Council's primary schools is 12.2:1 currently. Nationally the ratio is 14.2:1. The authority's target is to maintain the national ratio over time.

14.0% of its schools have been classified as Health Promoting Schools on the basis of existing criteria. It intends that all of its schools will have this status by the end of 2004/05. The authority has a wide range of other health promotion initiatives which its schools operate. These include clear policies and procedures on health and safety and child protection, smoking cessation programmes which use peer support, a drug and alcohol strategy, a sexual health strategy, breakfast clubs and road safety initiatives. These and other initiatives have been developed in partnership with local health and other authorities and, often, in the context of New Community School initiatives.

The Highland Council has a major programme of school building and refurbishment under way. It is called the 21st Century Improvement Programme and is supported, in part, by a PPP scheme. A further PPP scheme is in preparation.

14 schools have achieved Investors in People to date and all schools apply How good is our school?, supported by a Quality Development Team, as part of the authority's quality assurance procedures. These procedures include the use of HMIE's Quality Management in Education (QMIE) criteria in annual audits, Best Value reviews, an asset management scheme and a recently improved scheme of financial delegation to schools. The Highland Council is one of a small number of authorities which has a Local Outcome Agreement to which it works in improving the quality of its education services.

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 is supporting its looked after children by, for example, providing them with book tokens, employing a teacher to provide outreach support for looked after children who have special educational needs, acquiring SuccessMaker to support the development of their core skills, providing foster carers with resources, including home computers, and providing schools and residential schools with resources which they can use to enhance the education of these children. The authority monitors the progress of looked after children.

The authority is giving particular emphasis to improving the attainment of the lowest performing pupils in its secondary schools through encouraging the adoption of curricula more closely matched to their needs, setting clear and well-grounded targets with and for these pupils and the thorough tracking of their progress.

The percentage of looked after children 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 75%. Nationally, the percentage of pupils doing this was 29%. The Highland Council has set itself the target of raising the percentage of looked after children who attain English and mathematics at SCQF level 3 or above in school session 2004/2005 to 84%.

The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20.0% of pupils in the authority's secondary schools is 76. The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20.0% of pupils nationally is 58 and in its comparator authorities it is 65. It has set itself the target of raising the average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of its pupils to 92 by the end of the school session 2004/2005.

The authority has 14 schools involved currently in its New Community Schools initiative and it has set itself the clear target that all of its schools will be New Community Schools by the end of the school session 2004/2005.

The School Meal Service has won a Healthy Choice Award and its menus are influenced strongly by advice from dieticians. 16.6% of primary pupils are entitled to free school meals; 69.8% of these pupils actually take a school meal. 11.5% of secondary pupils are entitled to a free school meal with 47.4% of these pupils actually taking up their entitlement. Nationally, the uptake percentages for primary and secondary are 79.2% and 59.1% respectively.

The education authority has set itself the target of increasing the percentage of primary and secondary pupils, entitled to a free school meal, who take a meal, to 72.0% and 51.0% respectively by the end of session 2004/2005.

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

The education authority has produced a Support for Learners Policy Framework which provides its schools with advice on how to secure the effective education of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream settings. Along with all other education authorities, it 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.

Of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in The Highland Council area, 92.5% receive all of their education in a mainstream class. 3.9% of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in The Highland Council area receive all of their education in a special unit attached to a mainstream school. For secondary, the figures are 61.3% and 2.7% respectively. The Highland Council has four special schools catering for 172 pupils. Nationally the percentages for the primary sector are 83% and 3%; for secondary, they are 73% and 4%. For its comparator authorities the percentages for the primary sector are 84.2% and 1.5%; for secondary, they are 51.3% and 2.5%.

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

Pupils in The Highland Council's schools who have 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. In 2002, a majority of pupils with IEPs achieved their targets.

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

The provision of Gaelic medium education is a central priority for The Highland Council. It has had this as a priority for many years and its provision is already very extensive. For example, it has 28 Gaelic medium nursery classes and 18 Gaelic medium primary classes. In order to further promote the learning of Gaelic it has introduced the teaching of Gaelic as an additional language in 30 of its primary schools.

It meets all written requests from parents for their children to have Gaelic medium education. It received about 100 such requests in 2002.

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 use questionnaires to gather pupils' views about their experience of school, almost all primary and secondary schools have pupil councils, the Council runs a number of youth forums, it provides health education programmes and its community education service runs a wide range of sport, art and cultural activities, including programmes of leadership training, for young people.

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

In 2002, eight of 28 secondary schools were registered with the Eco Schools Award Scheme along with 13 of its 189 primary schools. One of these primary schools holds the Green Flag, the scheme's highest level of award.

The Highland Council uses its Area Forums as a means of consulting with parents on educational issues. It uses questionnaires to survey regularly the views of parents. It passes information to parents through regular newsletters and its Council website, it produces information leaflets for parents and it makes available to them advice on how they can help their children's learning; it organises workshops for parents and it runs parenting classes. The education authority keeps in close touch with its many School Boards and parents' groups.

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

There are school sports co-ordinators in all of the education authority's secondary schools. The TOP Sport and TOP Play programmes are being introduced into all of its primary schools. This programme is funded by sportscotland; it is designed to encourage children to become involved in a range of team games and other types of physical activity. sportscotland's Active Primary School programme is being piloted in a number of schools. The Council has a Sports Strategy.

Schools and the Council make a wide range of arts and cultural activities available to pupils; the Council has an Arts Strategy. It has appointed staff dedicated to implementing the strategy. Outreach programmes are run in collaboration with the Eden Court Theatre.

Education for enterprise and other education for work programmes are run in all secondary schools and in almost all primary schools.

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

The education authority 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 32.6%.

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

The Highland Council's schools use 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:

• almost all judged that the 'overall quality of attainment' was good or very good
• 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 also good or very good
• almost all judged that they had good or very good 'accommodation and facilities'
• almost all judged that the provision which they made overall to promote 'pupils' learning experiences' was good or very good. They reached the same conclusion in respect of the six other indicators ('equality and fairness', 'learning support', 'implementation of SEN and disability legislation', 'placement of pupils with SEN and disabilities', 'personal and social development' and 'partnership with parents, the School Board and the community') which have been adopted over into the National Priorities framework.

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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