Inspectors have praised the progress an Aberdeen school is making to improve…
Harlaw Academy was previously rated weak, with Education Scotland finding several issues including bullying, safety and exclusion rates.
Inspectors ranked the well-being, equality and inclusion of pupils, and their leadership of change, as weak.
The 2019 report found “too many” parents and pupils expressed concerns about bullying and some young people did not “feel included” at the school.
Following the scathing report, headteacher David Innes announced his retirement allowing his successor the opportunity to work on “areas of improvement”.
Last year, a follow-up indicated the new head had “reviewed and refreshed the remit” of the senior leadership team since starting in March 2020 and re-structed pupil support, allowing for “greater clarity”.
Inspectors said there were “emerging signs of an improving culture and a climate for purposeful learning in place.”
And now another inspection, carried out in December, has confirmed that progress is continuing.
Education Scotland found staff had implemented more robust monitoring systems to track pupil attainment.
As a result, pupils are achieving better results and choosing to remain at Harlaw into their fifth and sixth years.
Harlaw Academy has made ‘some progress’.
Using the achievement data has led to a “greater understanding of staff’s individual roles in providing learning environments and experiences that engage young people”.
The report urges teachers to remain focused on helping raise attainment and cater to individual pupil needs.
In a questionnaire issued to the 549 pupils of Harlaw, the majority said staff helped them understand how they are progressing and they knew who to ask when they found work difficult.
When asked if staff encourage them to do the best they can, nearly 41% of pupils said they were encouraged “all of the time”, while more than 81% answered positively when asked if they were happy with the quality of teaching.
However, inspectors also identified areas in which there was still room for improvement.
This included providing consistent feedback on pupils’ work to “ensure that feedback is of higher quality and young people clearly understand their next steps”.
Classes deemed ‘too easy’
The report also states that classes are sometimes “too easy” for pupils and learning can move at a “slow pace”.
Inspectors also found a “significant group” of staff and parents were not thoroughly involved in the decisions on where the school can improve.
The report concluded Harlaw Academy had made “some progress” since its last inspection and expected the school to update Education Scotland on progress within 12 months.
Dyce Academy must improve attainment
Meanwhile, a January inspection found Dyce Academy were “weak” in raising pupil attainment and achievement.
It found weaknesses in monitoring pupil progress and said teachers should implement “more challenging and relevant learning experiences”.
However, praise was given to the attitudes of pupils and staff that created a warm, welcoming and enthusiastic learning environment.
Education Scotland says it will liaison with Aberdeen City Council to help the school improve within the next 18 months.
Conversation