Schools of Ambition

1. Schools of Ambition Progress on the Implementation Plan May 2007

2. Elements of the Plan • There are 5 visions or elements in the Plan:- • Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils. • Change behaviour and attitudes to education. • Broaden ambitions of pupils. • Enhance level of pupil engagement with education. • Produce respectful, responsible, global citizens who become effective contributors to society.

3. Key Element of Transformation 1a) Whole school, parents and wider community involvement. Strategy PUPILS Assemblies Banners & posters Confidence Measurement S2 clubs, competitions, ambassadors, ICT questionnaire. Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

4. Key Element of Transformation 1a) Whole school, parents and wider community involvement. Strategy PARENTS Leaflet, Newsletter Website Parents’ evenings Steering Group School Board & PTA Ambassadors Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

5. Key Element of Transformation 1a) Whole school, parents and wider community involvement. Strategy STAFF Shared vision DM’s Core Group Steering Group SMT in-service on formative assessment and IT Studiocode SoA funding bids Transparency PT’s justify bids and evaluate success Ambassadors Conferences at Sea staff evaluations staff focus groups. Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

6. Key Element of Transformation 1a) Whole school, parents and wider community involvement. Strategy WIDER COMMUNITY Engagement with the press at local and national level. Case studies to SoA/LTS website. Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

7. 1b) Themed Days 1c) SoA Focus Modern Languages S1 Arts S2 Sciences SciFun S2, Maths Puzzle S2 (more planned) Anti-Sectarianism S2 ( Joint event with other local high school.) Intervention Days S1-S6 with several subjects joining English. Acting DHT appointed. Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

8. 1d) IT Training Use of SoA budget to free up staff to deliver extensive in-house in-service. Studiocode, self-evaluation and dissemination of good practice. Video Conferencing and web-cam link in place with St. Flannan’s from May 2007. Major item on Action Research Agenda. Make the school more lively, diverse and colourful for pupils.

9. 2a) Communication with all stakeholders Communication through newsletter, website, leaflets, updates, Core Group & staff meetings, Pupil Councils Local press. Change Behaviour & Attitudes to Education

10. 2b) Parental Involvement 2c) Parental Involvement Newsletter, leaflets & website, Steering Group School Board & PTA Parents evenings. Steering Group. Change Behaviour & Attitudes to Education

11. 2d) Formative Assessment Development of whole-school Formative Assessment methodologies through SoA and ACfE/AifL. In-service of staff from a range of subjects e.g. Science, Maths, English. In-house in-service on IT and related FA. English Intervention Programme and related cascade. Departments completing LTS/AifL toolkit. Shared methodologies through Primary/Secondary liaison. Cluster planning to ensure continuous development. Change Behaviour & Attitudes to Education

12. 3a) Pupil Involvement School shows. Year assemblies. Pupils aware of progress towards achieving targets. Discussion at Pupil Councils, Ambassadors programme. St. Ninian’s in-house Ambassadors Programme. All pupils receive Learning Games. Theme Days. Collaborative Project e.g. “Business Brains for a Material World”, Food Challenge. Broaden ambitions of pupils.

13. 3b) Confident Individuals S2 PSE lessons on confidence. Joint anti-sectarianism project. Out of class engagements, clubs, competitions, school shows, personal statements, debating. Leadership development. In-house Ambassadors programme. Learning Games. Constant emphasis on ambition, achievement, learning, attainment, positive behaviour, attendance. ACfE, living walls, 4 capacities, formative assessment programmes. Broaden ambitions of pupils.

14. 3b) Confident Individuals S2 PSE lessons on confidence. Joint anti-sectarianism project. Out of class engagements, clubs, competitions, school shows, personal statements, debating. Leadership development. In-house Ambassadors programme. Learning Games. Constant emphasis on ambition, achievement, learning, attainment, positive behaviour, attendance. ACfE, living walls, 4 capacities, formative assessment programmes. Broaden ambitions of pupils.

15. 4a) Improve Modern Languages provision Enhanced staffing and increased use of Assistants. Appointment of Principal Teacher SoA with clear responsibilities and working closely with PT Modern Languages. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

16. 4b) Strengthen links with partner primaries Timetabled programme of visits to partners, enhanced liaison, IT link ups, blogging, webcams, e-mails, video-conferencing. On-going evaluation at cluster meetings and major item in Action Research agenda. Developing links with local primaries through International Education. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

17. 4c) Additional use of MFL assistants Productive use of assistants e.g. French assistant accompanied S6 pupils to Strasbourg and helped to produce the DVD for entry to the EU Parliament competition. Italian assistant recorded the examination. Spanish assistant now working with Carme on researching material for AH and making recordings. Making maximum use of 2 native Spanish speakers. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

18. 4d) Increased uptake of MFL 4e) Consistency of pupil engagement Whole department in-service on SQA Languages in Work option. Extensive purchase of IT hardware and software. Projectors, smartboards, laptops, Activote, camcorders, webcams, microphones, digital camera. Immersion week in France. Website communication to home. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

19. 4f) Spread of good IT practice SoA funded enhanced staffing allows the co-ordinated delivery of in-house in-service on use of IT. Almost all departments have taken advantage. IT enhances the delivery of quality teaching. Action Research.. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

20. 4d) Increased uptake of MFL 4e) Consistency of pupil engagement Whole department in-service on SQA Languages in Work option. Extensive purchase of IT hardware and software. Projectors, smartboards, laptops, Activote, camcorders, webcams, microphones, digital camera. Immersion week in France. Website communication to home. Enhance level of pupil engagement with education

21. Use of IT to communicate with other countries Lengthy delay in installation of video-conferencing facilities. Now actively pursuing links with schools in France and Japan. Registered on Global School Partnership network. SoA web cams in partner primaries and development of blogging and video-conferencing. Produce respectful, responsible, global citizens who become effective contributors to society.

22. 6a) Develop links with pupils in other countries Pursuing link with a school in France with e-mail and hopefully video-linking. Working on exchange visit with Japanese pupils and students. Senior pupil exchange visit arrangement with school in Fougeres in France. Students undertake work experience in France and Italy.AH students take part in EuroScola debate in EU Parliament. Twice commended for teaching and chairing debate Current S6 have completed a TV programme debating in French, the future of Europe. Entered for EU Parliament competitions. Each year a number of senior Spanish students attend 2 week summer school at Barcelona university (mentor from Strathclyde University) Some SoA funding is devoted to the RE department Project Partnership with 6 other Scottish schools. the group plans and organises reciprocal visits from pupils and staff from the Bangalore region of India. Video link after March 2007. Two S4 pupils will attend a weekend youth leadership course.

23. Develop links with the business community Close links with Morgan Stanley Finance. Visiting speaker from MS Management. Financial contribution from MS to St. Ninian’s. Mentoring. Centre visits.In-service on use of IT from “The Sports People” following agreement to pilot Studiocode hardware. One member of staff from World Challenge will spend one day a week in school to help develop leadership skills in pupils. Close relationship with printing firm TCMS.