Inspectors praise management improvements at Lochaber High School

HM Inspectorate of Education has published an interim follow-through report praising the acting head teacher, Jim Sutherland, and school managers for recent improvements in Lochaber High School.

The report highlights the strong commitment of the acting head teacher, with helpful support from senior managers and the education authority, to improving the school. He had won the support of most staff, parents and pupils. His leadership was having a positive impact on the work of the school.

Inspectors published a report on the inspection of Lochaber High School in January 2006, making a number of recommendations. They revisited the school in November last year to review progress and in their interim follow-through report published today (Tuesday 6th February) noted “promising” starts and “effective” steps in most areas, while identifying that more still remained to be done.

In the original report a main point for action was to “improve the effectiveness of leadership” and inspectors noted that the school had made a “promising start” stating: “The acting head teacher had quickly developed positive relationships with parents, pupils and staff and had promoted a supportive and purposeful working atmosphere in the school.” They also noted “…significant improvements in communicating and consulting with staff, pupils and parents. The moral of staff and pupils had improved. Staff and pupils were working together more effectively to improve the work of the school. The acting head teacher and his senior management team, with the continuing support of the education authority, had the capacity to further improve the school.”

Inspectors noted improvements in attainment at S3 and S4 but this needed to be sustained across the school.  Staff had also made some progress in accrediting the courses undertaken by pupils with additional support needs.  Planned improvements in learning and teaching, setting targets, tracking and monitoring pupils’ progress and in celebrating success were now being implemented.  Inspectors will be returning to the school early this year to look at progress in learning and teaching in French.

However, it was noted that almost no progress had been made in ensuring that the major refurbishment programme had taken place as planned.

Mr Sutherland said: “I am pleased that inspectors have recognised the hard work that has been done to achieve improvements in Lochaber High. We have, in a relatively short time, brought about a significant change in culture and we are aware of what has to be done to make further improvements. The mood in the school is good and I look forward to working with pupils, parents and staff in the months ahead to make a good school even better.”

School Board Chairman, Danny Hail, said that the School Board was very pleased with recent improvements in the school and the way the Action Plan had been implemented.  He said: “Everybody can see that the dress code, along with other changes, has made a real difference to the atmosphere in the school.  However we are disappointed to note little progress with the Lochaber 21 refurbishment programme but hope that this will be underway in the near future.”

Bruce Robertson, Director of Education, Culture and Sport said: “I am very pleased with the impact that the new Senior Management Team has made and, in particular, the improved relationships in the school.  The Council has identified £11.7 million in its Capital Plan for a refurbishment of the school which will begin in 2008.  While there is still much to do in addressing the points for action in the original report, there is now the capacity in the school to take matters forward.”

HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school and the education authority and will provide another report on progress for parents and carers within one year.