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These statistics are based on passes in the SQA examinations in 2001/12.
The figures in the table shows that 27% of Grove pupils attained a grade C or above in at least five Highers, the best performance of a state school in Dundee, Angus and Fife.
Across all Dundee Secondary Schools, 9% of pupils achieved 5 or more passes in Highers at grades A-C. This was below the national average of 13% and the 11% achieved in Fife.
Exam results are useful indicators but they only tell part of the story. They tell us where our pupils have reached at their end of their schooling but not how far they have progressed since their starting level of attainment in S1 when they entered the school. So these tables don't reveal the added value of the teaching and learning at each secondary school over the years.
I have argued for many years that the Council should collate all the statistics they hold and calculate and publish 'added value' results alongside the 'traditional' league tables. I am convinced that these results would paint a different story.
The so called good and bad exam results correlate with income levels. School's with pupils with a low proportion of parents living in poverty, as indicated by the proportion of pupils receiving free school meals, have more pupils passing SQA exams. Conversely, school's that have a high proportion of their pupils entitled to free school meals record fewer passes at Higher level.
I think it is time the Council examined their For Fairness in Dundee strategy and came forward with measures that will help break the link between the level of income and the level of school performance.
Link to Dundee City School's Higher Examination Results
Link to the Scottish Schools Online website to read the full results for each local authority school in Scotland.
