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NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003
EDUCATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL

This report summarises some of the key points set out in Orkney Islands Council Education Service's Service Improvement Plan (2002-2005) and its report on Baselines and Targets (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 Leslie Manson (01856 873 535;maureen.gunn@orkney.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

An Early Intervention (Literacy) Policy has been produced. The authority's pilot interventions in support of numeracy were concluded and evaluated. The elements of an Early Intervention (Numeracy) Policy were disseminated to schools.

Pupil assessment, tracking and reporting systems were audited and the results of the audit were analysed and reported. An action plan was developed to address the issues arising from the audit.

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 Orkney Islands 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 Orkney Islands, 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 Orkney Islands 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 Orkney Islands, 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 Orkney Islands 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 99.5%. Nationally 92.6% did this and 95.9% of pupils did this in comparator authorities. Orkney Islands has set a target that 100% 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 Orkney Islands 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 Orkney Islands' secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with attainment in comparator authorities and nationally.

Orkney Islands 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 Orkney Islands' 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

Almost all of the authority's headteachers have participated in the Hay Leadership Programme. About a third of the authority's Support for Learning staff have the DipSEN. About a quarter of the authority's staff have participated in the authority's Staff Review and Development programme.

The authority has set a number of very clear local targets in respect of this outcome. Amongst these, the authority intends that all of its teaching staff will have been reviewed by June 2005, that 25% of qualifying teachers will be on a Chartered Teaching programme by June 2005 and that 75% of its special educational needs or support for learning teachers will have a DipSEN by June 2005.

Outcome 2 - Increased self-discipline of pupils

A Teacher of Support for Learning (Positive Behaviour) was added to the Children's Services Team of Specialist Support Teachers. Arrangements were put in place to make it easier for schools to access support for pupils with behavioural difficulties. An audit of school policies and procedures on behaviour support was conducted. The outcomes of the audit have been used to inform the preparation of the authority's response to Better Behaviour, Better Learning.

About 40% of the authority's pupils participate in buddying, mentoring or similar schemes.

The authority has set a number of very clear local targets in respect of this outcome which includes one that a policy on positive behaviour will have been developed and implemented in schools by June 2004.

The levels of attendance and exclusions in Orkney's schools are shown below.

Levels of attendance

The authority has set itself the targets of having an average percentage attendance in primary schools of 96.6% and just over 94.7% 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 authority has set itself a target that there should be no days lost through exclusions in primary schools by the end of session 2004/2005 and only 5 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 education authority's primary schools is 12.1:1 currently. Orkney Islands Council has set itself the target of 11.0:1 by the end of school session 2004/2005. The ratio nationally is 14.2:1.

An Orkney Schools intranet has been set up. All the authority's schools have low pupil:computer ratios.

The authority has plans to set up arrangements to monitor incidents of bullying in its schools.

The authority has set a number of very clear local targets in respect of this outcome. A number of these relate to the development of the school estate and include the intentions that all schools will have an asset management plan by March 2004, all schools will be fully risk assessed by June 2005 and all schools will have health and safety policies also by June 2005.

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 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 100%. Nationally, the percentage of pupils was 29%. Orkney Islands has set itself the target of maintaining the percentage of looked after children who attain English and mathematics at SCQF level 3 or above in school session 2004/2005 at 100%.

The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils in the authority's secondary schools is 92. The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils nationally is 58 and in its comparator authorities it is 74. It has set itself the target of raising the average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of its pupils to 100 by the end of the school session 2004/2005.

18.0% of primary pupils are entitled to free school meals; 92.1% of these pupils actually take a school meal. 11.7% of secondary pupils are entitled to a free school meal with 70.1% 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's New Community Schools programme is being rolled out. As part of that roll-out, a social worker has been appointed to the staff of each senior secondary school.

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

Orkney Islands 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. An accessibility audit was carried out to inform this process.

The basis for allocating Support for Learning Assistants to schools was revised; revised guidance was issued to schools. A Support for Learning handbook was issued to all schools.

Of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in Orkney, 66.7% receive all of their education in a mainstream class. 0% of primary mainstream pupils with special educational needs in Orkney receive all of their education in a special unit attached to a mainstream school. For secondary, the figures are 18.8% and 0% respectively. 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 86.4% and 2.3%; for secondary they are 52.5% and 3.1%. Orkney has one special school which accommodated 19 pupils in 2001/2002.

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

A local target has been set for the percentage of pupils with special educational needs who will be enrolled in mainstream schools. This target has been set at the 90% level.

Pupils in Orkney Islands 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

The authority did not receive any requests for Gaelic medium education.

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 authority's arrangements for managing incidents of substance abuse were reviewed.

Clear local targets have been set in respect of this outcome. These include the intentions that the 5-14 Health Education Guidelines should be fully implemented in all schools, that an authority policy on Health Promoting schools will be developed and that all schools will have revised substance education programmes in place by June 2004.

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

About a third of schools participate in a locally-accredited environmental award.

Clear local targets have been set in respect of this outcome including one that guidelines on citizenship and values will be produced for schools by June 2004.

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

The authority has set a number of clear locally-defined targets in respect of this outcome which include the intentions that all S2 pupils in school session 2004/2005 will have a residential outdoor experience as part of their curriculum, 50% of primary pupils in school session 2004/2005 will have two enterprise education experiences as part of their curriculum and that 50% of pupils will be participating in the Top Sport programme by June 2004.

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

Orkney 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 40%. In addition, the authority has set the target that the percentage of school leavers who go on to Further Education after leaving school in June 2005 should rise to 20%.

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

Orkney'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:

• 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'
• most judged that they had good or very good arrangements for 'staff review and development', all judged that the 'climate and relationships' in their schools were good or very good and almost all thought that they had good or very good 'accommodation and facilities'
• almost 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' were good or very good; almost all thought that the arrangements which they made for the 'placement of pupils with SEN and disabilities' were good or very good and all thought that they were good or very good at the 'implementation of SEN and disability legislation'
• 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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