The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION PERFORMANCE REPORT 2003
EDUCATION AUTHORITY INFORMATION

SOUTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL

This report summarises some of the key points set out in South Ayrshire Council's Education Service's Service Plan for 2002-2005 and its Report on the Achievement of South Ayrshire Council's Educational Improvement Objectives for 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 Bill Clark (01292 612 203;bill.clark@south-ayrshire.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

Actions have been taken to harmonise the 3-8 curriculum. All pupils entering Primary 1 do so with a transition record which is used to plan provision and interventions. 5-14 assessment, planning, recording and reporting procedures were further developed.

South Ayrshire has published guidelines on curriculum flexibility. A draft authority policy on learning and teaching has been produced.

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

South Ayrshire 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 South Ayrshire 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 South Ayrshire Council, its comparator authorities and nationally at end June 2002.

South Ayrshire 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 South Ayrshire 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 95.3%. Nationally 92.6% did this and 93.8% of pupils did this in comparator authorities. South Ayrshire has set a target that 97% 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 South Ayrshire 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 South Ayrshire Council's secondary schools in National Qualifications (post-appeal) compared with attainment in comparator authorities and nationally.

South Ayrshire 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 South Ayrshire 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

Revised arrangements for the Professional Review and Development of staff, including headteachers and senior promoted staff, have been established. These latter arrangements have been grounded in the arrangements operating in the Scottish Qualification for Headship and Effective Leadership in Scottish Schools.

A draft CPD Framework has been set up.

In-service training programmes have been established which take due account of individual, school and authority needs. For example, a modern languages training programme for primary teachers has been developed with Paisley University. 40% of teachers and school librarians have undertaken NOF ICT training.

Induction arrangements have been set up for probationer teachers.

The authority provides a wide range of professional development opportunities for its teaching and non-teaching staff.

Outcome 2 - Increased self-discipline of pupils

The authority has established a plan for implementing the recommendations in Better Behaviour, Better Learning. In this connection, the authority has increased support staffing levels in schools and it has committed resources to improving home-school links. There are targeted interventions which focus on the needs of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. These interventions are often supported by community education service staff.

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

Levels of attendance

The authority has set itself the targets of raising percentage attendance in its primary schools to 95.3% by the end of session 2004/2005 and in secondary schools to 90% 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 the number of days lost per 1000 pupils through exclusions in primary schools from 26 to 18 by the end of session 2004/2005 and reducing the number of days lost per 1000 pupils through exclusions in secondary schools from 262 to 180 within the same timescale.

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

All schools have broadband connection to the Internet.

A PPP bid was prepared. It contained proposals for the establishment of a virtual college. The development of the school estate overall will be considered further when the fate of the bid is known.

As part of the authority's quality assurance arrangements regular reports about the attainment of young people in the education authority's schools are presented to the Council's education committee. All of the authority's schools produce annual Standards and Quality Reports.

The pupil:adult ratio in the education authority's primary schools is 15.1:1 currently. South Ayrshire has set itself the target of 14.1:1 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 authority has a published strategy for addressing the needs of vulnerable children and children looked after by South Ayrshire Council whose attainments are monitored and tracked. Curricula are planned to take account of the individual needs of these children. All children looked after by the Council have personal education plans. The implementation of these plans is supported by, for example, the provision of inter-agency training programmes.

Looked after children in residential schools have had their study and other facilities enhanced. They have enhanced access to ICT including access to SuccessMaker and they have increased access to leisure and similar activities. Two teachers dedicated to the support of looked after children have been appointed. Training and awareness sessions have been provided for parents and carers.

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 10%. Nationally, the percentage of pupils was 29%. The authority's target is that no less than 50% of looked after children should achieve such qualifications.

The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils in the authority's secondary schools is 66. The average tariff score of the lowest attaining 20% of pupils nationally is 58 and in its comparator authorities it is 59. Currently 17% of South Ayrshire's S4 pupils fall into the lowest performing 20% of pupils nationally. The authority's plan is to reduce this to 10%.

16.3% of primary pupils are entitled to free school meals; 85.9% of these pupils actually take a school meal. 12.4% of secondary pupils are entitled to a free school meal with 69.0% of these pupils actually taking up their entitlement. Nationally, the uptake percentages for primary and secondary are 79.2% and 59.1% respectively.

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

South Ayrshire 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.

The authority has been devising a strategic framework to inform the provision of support for learning across the authority. Systems for managing pupils' support and inclusion have been reviewed. Revised support structures have been designed. The roles and remits of staff have been changed accordingly.

The reconfiguration of provision for pupils with complex educational needs was begun. Integrated provision was established at the Belmont Avenue Campus.

All pupils in South Ayrshire 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. There is a multi-disciplinary input to IEPs.

Of mainstream primary pupils with special educational needs in South Ayrshire, 85.9% receive all of their education in a mainstream class. 1.2% of primary mainstream pupils with special educational needs in South Ayrshire receive all of their education in a special unit attached to a mainstream school. For secondary, the figures are 77.7% and 11.4% 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 78.7% and 4.9%; for secondary they are 76.9% and 3.9%. South Ayrshire has four special schools which accommodated 86 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 Gaelic and lesser used languages

No requests for Gaelic medium education were received by the authority.

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).

The authority has been developing proposals for embedding education for citizenship into the curriculum and also the wider experience of young people. These proposals have been grounded in a Values in Education initiative which is the subject of continuing development. This development involves major engagements with school staff and pupils in defining these values.

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).

All secondary schools have pupil councils. Most primary schools have them.

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

Community capacity has been developed across the authority through, for example, the establishment of lifelong learning centres in Maybole and Dailly, community learning partnerships and the provision of community capacity building courses at Ayr College.

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

Revised S1/S2 programmes of study have been produced in science, social subjects, technology, drama, music and PE. The development of the art and design programme was begun. An improvement plan for modern languages was produced along with a programme of study for P6-S2.

Policy on the use of ICT to support learning has been included in the authority's draft policy statement on learning and teaching.

Physical education and sports development initiatives are being undertaken in all schools. Funding was sought to appoint a School Sports Co-ordinator in every secondary school. The Active Primary School Programme has been expanded to include more schools. Young people have free access to swimming.

A wide range of initiatives support pupil engagement with the arts. For example, there is an annual showcase of young people's talents, a dance programme in primary schools, enhanced levels of specialist music teaching in targeted schools, a service level agreement with the Keynote Trust to provide specialist vocal provision and a service level agreement with Borderline Theatre to promote drama with children and young people.

Pupils in the authority's primary schools participate in enterprise projects. All secondary schools have work and enterprise activities including a work experience programme and Young Enterprise as well as charity and community work. Teachers participate in placements in industry and commerce.

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

South Ayrshire Council has set itself the target of maintaining the percentage of school leavers who go on to Higher Education after leaving school in June 2005 at 43.0%.

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

The initiatives referred to immediately above and, indeed, throughout this report contribute not just to Outcome 5.1 but also 5.2.

QUALITY INDICATORS

South Ayrshire 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. 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' and almost all that the 'climate and relationships' in their schools were good or very good and a majority thought that they had good or very good 'accommodation and facilities'
• all thought that they were good or very good at promoting 'equality and fairness', had good or very good arrangements for 'learning support', thought that they were good or very good at the 'implementation of SEN and disability legislation' and almost all thought that the arrangements they made for the 'placement of pupils with SEN and disabilities' were good or very good
• almost all judged that the arrangements they made to promote the 'personal and social development' of their pupils were good or very good and that they had good or very good 'partnership with parents, the School Board and the community'
• almost all judged that the provision which they made overall to promote '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.

« Previous | Contents | Next »