Minister praises 'excellent' school

Dec 19 2012

A school has become the first in Scotland to be ranked as "excellent" under tougher new criteria brought in alongside education reforms.

Minister for learning Alasdair Allan praised Calderglen High in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, for its "outstanding achievement".

The school is the first to be evaluated as "excellent" since the criteria were strengthened in line with the Curriculum for Excellence.

Mr Allan visited the school to congratulate staff and pupils after an inspection last month found the learning and achievement at the secondary were of "particularly high quality". The inspection letter said that the "school community exemplifies high expectations, support and mutual respect".

It stated: "The school has developed highly-effective ways of ensuring all young people have the support they need to achieve well. The innovative ways in which the curriculum provides opportunities for young people to develop skills and knowledge are sector-leading.

"Lessons are well-planned, move at a good pace and are appropriately challenging. Staff are skilful in adapting teaching approaches to suit individual learning needs."

The letter said that "almost all young people" go on to further study, employment or training after leaving the school. It also highlighted the high number of students who "perform and achieve extremely well in an outstandingly wide range of sporting and cultural activities".

Mr Allan said: "The school is showing exactly what can be achieved under the new curriculum and I am delighted to offer my congratulations to all those involved in the school.

"Calderglen is a fantastic example of how the new curriculum will benefit pupils across Scotland as they learn in new and exciting ways, across subjects to develop the knowledge and skills they need for the jobs of the future."

Education Scotland, the national body set up to support quality and improvement in Scottish education, writes to parents after inspections at their child's school, setting out the findings in a letter to them.