Plan to boost education for north pupils

Highland Council’s education committee has set out a plan to raise attainment in the region. It follows growing concerns about Highland’s lacklustre performance in school exams.

Last November, Highland Council data revealed it lagged behind the national average, particularly in the senior phase of school.

In Highland, 18% of fifth-year pupils got five or more Highers. The national figure is 25%. By S6 the gap widens, with 34% of pupils securing five awards against 40% nationally.

Councillor Muriel Cockburn branded the results “embarrassing” and asked: “What are others doing that we are not?”

The report sets out measures to improve attainment in years ahead. Meetings have taken place with secondary schools, and education bosses are now turning to primaries.

Executive chief officer Nicky Grant outlined a process of “collaborative engagement, support and challenge” across Highland primaries. The first step is meetings this month and in March, which will focus on performance data.

The theme of “challenge” runs constant, encouraging leaders to agree immediate steps toward improvement.

The council has already said it will work to improve transitions from early years, and adopt new strategies for literacy and numeracy. All teachers will be offered training to give consistent approach to benchmarking and data analysis.

In secondary schools, Highland Council will review the curriculum, with a special focus on the 20% of pupils with lowest attainment. It will also look at integrating skills into the 3-18 curriculum and explore non-graded SCQF courses for “alternative curricular pathways”.

Councillor Graham Mackenzie was sceptical. He said: “We’ve been here before many times. I suppose my question is, what makes this plan different?”

Ms Grant reassured members there would be “a relentless focus on attainment, especially among our most vulnerable”.

She highlighted some “good news stories” on Highland attainment. Positive destinations have risen by 2%, employment among the most vulnerable are up 7%, and the outcomes for looked after children are up 12%.

However, the education boss accepted that council would benefit from looking at what other areas are doing.

Mr Mackenzie accepted this had been “lacking” and said councillors have “nobody to blame but ourselves”.

Fiona Grant, head of secondary education, said every head teacher in Highland is focused now on where Highland sits nationally, and understands what needs to happen next.

She said: “That is a huge step forward for us.

“We are all focused on improving attainment for Highland.”

BID FOR CHANGE: Highland Councillor Muriel Cockburn. Picture by Sandy McCook.