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Contents Introduction to Standard and Quality Report 2011-12 3 What is the report based on? 3 Tobermory High School 3-18 Learning Community - Core Purpose, Vision and Aims 5 What was the focus for school improvement in 2011-12? 8 What are the school strengths? 11 Secondary Learning and Teaching 12 Primary School Learning and Teaching 14 Pre-5 Unit Learning and Teaching 20 Priorities for the 3-18 Learning Community 2012-14 23 2 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY Standards and Quality Report 2011-12 The Standards and Quality report for Tobermory High contains an overview of the work of the school in 2011-12. We are a 3-18 school and are continuing to develop a learning focused community that has a sense of being joined up rather than three separate schools within a school. The purpose of the report is to tell you about the progress we have made in a number of areas over the session and will indicate our priorities for improvement for 2012-13 as part of the three year school improvement plan that is the sister publication of this report. The report is only a summary of some of the schools’ work. You can find out more about Tobermory High School 3-18 learning community by obtaining a copy of the school handbooks for each learning section, pre-school, Primary or Secondary and the whole school improvement plans or by visiting our website www.tobermory.argyll-bute.sch.uk What is the report based on? Self Evaluation ● Staff worked in Faculty areas to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and the wider opportunities for learning beyond the classroom including inter-disciplinary events. ● Staff continued to develop learning experiences for the new Curriculum for Excellence and assessed these against outcomes. They continued to collaborate and share understanding of the standards of achievement required at each level by looking at examples of students work. This work included a focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing outcomes that are considered across all subjects in the curriculum. ● As part of the monitoring and evaluating, learning visits or observations were made by peers or senior staff to discuss teaching and learning within classrooms and faculties and monitor standards. ● The school asked for regular feedback from staff, pupils and parents/ carers on aspects of the school work ● All aspects of the schools operation were monitored and where appropriate evaluated to see how we could improve. 3 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY Public reports Evaluation of published reports of exam results from SQA and the SCISWIS inspection of our Pre- 5 unit. The examination data was also evaluated at school and authority level to look at how well we were doing as a school locally and nationally. This evaluation helps inform priorities relating to learning and teaching that need to be incorporated into our school improvement and faculty improvement plans. Local and National Priorities 3. Argyll and Bute Council Education Service and national priorities and initiative such as 16 +, more chances, more choices, Curriculum for Excellence management group priorities and the broad general education phase and Skills for Work programmes. 4 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY Tobermory High School 3-18 Learning Community Core Purpose – this is displayed under our school crest and is: Valuing Achievement, Valuing Community Valuing Achievement, Valuing Community Our vision … is to create a 3-18 school that is a learning community, respected and active in the wider community and which prepares all students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes for learning, life and work in the modern world. Our Key Values: RESPECT RESILIENCE CREATIVITY COLLABORATION CONFIDENCE 5 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY Tobermory High School 3-18 Learning Community Tobermory High School is a 3-18 learning community comprising a Pre 5 unit, Primary School and Secondary School. In 2011-12 there were 27 children on the Pre 5 unit register, 69 in the Primary and a Secondary roll of 114. The pre -Five unit and Primary students are drawn from Tobermory and its surrounding areas as we have associate Primaries at Salen, Dervaig, Lochdonhead and Ulva Ferry. The emphasis is constantly on building a community that values achievement at all levels across the school and that values community, school, local, national and global. The Secondary school serves north Mull and each year around half of our S1 students transfer from Tobermory’s Primary school while the remainder make the transition from our associate Primaries. In 2010-11 we also had 9 pupils attending on placing requests from Lochaline and Kilchoan. There are currently 27 teaching staff, supported by four members of the learning support team who work in a number of schools and help us meet the needs of all our learners.(ANST) In addition there are twenty four support, catering and janitorial staff , some of whom are part time. In 2010-11 the long serving Head Teacher, Ms. Jenny Des Fountain and Depute Head, Mr. Bill Baird both retired after excellent leadership of the school and the 2011-12 year has seen two joint acting heads, Mrs. Janice Mitchell (Secondary) and Mr. Richard Gawthrope (Primary) and an Acting Depute, Mr. John Coyle. The management of the school has also been supported by the Principal Teachers and other staff who have stepped up to take on various roles across varying remits. A new Head Teacher, Mr. Craig Biddick took up post in May of 2012. We have a very supportive and active Parent Council. It supports the school in its aims to ensure that all parents are included in aspects of their children’s education. In 2011 the Parent Council worked with the Head Teacher to update school policies on partnerships with parents and there will be future opportunities to look at other relevant policies as a review cycle is initiated. The Parent Council holds an annual Summer Fair that this year raised over £900 toward the work of the school and to provide additional funds for school trips. 6 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY Members of the local business community contribute to school life by providing work experience placements and mock interviews for senior students. Two local firms provide training placements for our S3 and S4 Skills for Work courses. Throughout the year, many members of the community visit Pre 5 unit and the Primary school to contribute to the wider curriculum and help learners build connections with their community. In the Secondary area the Health days and the Equal Futures Conference also help build community and share knowledge beyond the classroom. 7 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY What was the focus for School Improvement in 2011-12 The school improvement plan was written to cover the three year period from 2009-12. The last year of the plan was therefore 2011 and this report is a final summary of the work and what was accomplished. Over the three year period the Curriculum for Excellence was implemented and schemes of work based on the experiences and outcomes were written for S1 and S2. The broad general education phase for the new curriculum is from S1 to S3 and the final development of new schemes written for S3 will be completed in the summer of 2012. Work in the improvement plan focused on active learning in Primary and Pre 5 and interdisciplinary programmes were developed from P7 to S3 but also into lower Primary. Courses were structured to maximise opportunities for choice and progression, assessment and recording. Literacy and numeracy content was audited in relation to current provision and new material developed to close any gaps. All curriculum areas were expected to develop and assess literacy and numeracy outcomes as part of their subject teaching in Secondary and this has been an on- going development over the three years. An additional focus was work to consider the needs of pupils with English as an additional or second language and to embed development work in health and wellbeing outcomes which covers physical and emotional wellbeing across a number of integrated dimensions for personal and social development. The school developed an annual 3-18 Health Day and a mini Health day which included the North Mull cluster schools. A major 3-18 Equal Futures Conference was also developed over the plans lifetime with contributors from the local Mull community as well as national organisations. 8 VALUING ACHIEVEMENT, VALUING COMMUNITY As part of this interdisciplinary focus, opportunities were also developed for interdisciplinary learning as well as aspects of the four capacities and the day is now an annual event. Primary and Secondary teachers worked together to develop clear strategies for the assessment and moderation of writing from 3-18 and pupil choice, feedback and input into learning. These important aspects of the Assessment is for Learning Project across Scottish schools (AiFL), were trialled and incorporated into the design and delivery of work across faculties and stages. Assessment is an on-going development priority and the publication of Building the Curriculum 5 by what is now Education Scotland gave schools some guidance on new principles in relation to assessing work against the outcomes in the new curriculum documents. The Languages and Humanities faculty led work via a TLC (Tapestry Learning Community group) to help refresh the ideas behind the principles and practices behind the ‘assessment is for learning’ initiative. This work was to assist in moderation but staff also had opportunities to look at record keeping, mentoring and reporting to parents and transition documentation. Joint staff days were held for staff on assessment in June and August 2010 and this work was reinforced in 2011as work from new curriculum schemes was assessed by Faculties.

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