No school inspections for foreseeable future
Some schools in Rutherglen and Cambuslang are facing an even longer wait before their next formal inspection.
Education Scotland currently have “no plans” to restart inspecting schools this academic year after standing down that part of their operation following the coronavirus lockdown in March.
Earlier this year the Reformer reported that several local schools have gone over a decade without being inspected.
Carole McKenzie, head of education for school improvement, updated councillors during a meeting of the council’s education committee earlier this month.
She said the council will now be forced to rely on selfevaluation to highlight potential areas for concern or improvement.
During the last school year and prior to lockdown, 12 primary schools – including six with nursery classes – and two high schools in South Lanarkshire were assessed by Education Scotland.
No grades of unsatisfactory or weak were given to any of the schools or nurseries inspected, while 71 per cent of the areas inspected – also known as quality indicators – in schools and 81 per cent in nurseries were rated as either good or very good.
When compared to other local authorities of similar size, South Lanarkshire was top of the table and achieved a higher number of good or better grades than Aberdeenshire, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland and North Lanarkshire.
However, Councillor Fiona Dryburgh (East Kilbride South) pointed out that “there are a lot of schools that have not had an inspection for five to 10 years”.
She said: “We are aware of who these schools are and will target some support for schools that haven’t been inspected for a while.
“There are no plans to restart inspections this academic year. We will be relying on head teachers and schools ensuring that their own quality assurance procedures are robust.
“The timings between inspections are completely outwith our control. We will make sure there is an internal evaluation process. This is not an inspection.”
A Freedom of Information request by the Reformer found that Cathkin, St Cadoc’s, West Coats and Loch primaries, along with Stonelaw High, have not been inspected in the past 10 years.
It has been between five and 10 years since Hallside, Calderwood, St Anthony’s, St Columbkille’s, James Aiton, Newton Farm and St Bride’s primaries have been inspected, as well as the area’s other two secondary schools, Cathkin and Trinity.
The figures led to criticism from local politicians, who feared the lack of inspections would be harming education standards.