Grove Academy Nineteenth in Sunday Times League Table of Top Fifty State Secondary Schools in Scotland

Yesterday, as part of their Parent Power supplement, the Sunday Times published their list of the Top Fifty State Secondary Schools in Scotland. 

Grove came in joint nineteenth place (17th in 2014).

Congratulations to the pupils and staff at Grove for maintaining the school in the top twenty at a time of profound changes to the curriculum and SQA examinations. Of course the results at Grove also reflect positively on the support of parents and carers and the excellent groundwork provided by the pupils' Nursery and Primary Schools.

The Sunday Times table was calculated with reference to the 2014 National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher examination results with Highers and Advanced Highers double weighted.

A much wider range of measures about the Grove 'results' is available on the Education Scotland website - follow this link. The latest 'Insight' tool provides comparisons between the performance of Grove school leavers with a sample of pupils with similar backgrounds.

SQA Admit That 2015 Higher Maths Exam Was Too Hard

The fairness of the Higher Maths examination, which pupils sat in May 2015, is an issue that won't go away. The Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) gave evidence to the Education and Culture Committee meeting at the Scottish Parliament this week.

Dr Janet Brown, Director of the SQA informed the Committee that the Higher Maths paper had been written along the same guidelines as exemplar and specimen papers, and the "structure and nature of questions within it was part of the course and was explained to teachers". But, she added, it became "very obvious" that the exam had been "a standard which was over and above what we had anticipated". She also confirmed that the pass mark had been reduced to 33.8% to compensate.

Scottish Labour’s Opportunity Spokesperson Iain Gray said the statement showed the SQA “still don’t get it” and that parents and students affected will take “no comfort” in the fact the results were adjusted. He called for the Government to review what had gone wrong.

“They now need to face up their responsibility and ensure that people can have confidence in the SQA and its exam system,” he said.

Commenting on SQA Exam Results in Dundee August 2015

I warmly congratulate pupils and students in Dundee on all their successes in their various SQA examinations and assessments. These successes, notified earlier today to every candidate, will not be a flash in the pan but will be based on learning over a sustained period of time. I also want to acknowledge the dedication and the inspiration of our teachers and the encouragement and support from parents and carers who have all have been part of the story behind these successes.

Currently only Scotland wide statistics are publicly available. There are many questions outstanding today which require some answers from the Director of Education such as:

• how do the results of our school pupils add up across the city?
• how do these city wide results compare with previous years?
• how did our pupils who sat the controversial Higher Maths paper get on and 
• what do these examination results indicate about the 'attainment gap' in Dundee schools?

But for today, the focus should be on celebrating the positive results of our pupils who deserve their day enjoying their successes. Well done!

School Leavers' Performance Information for all Secondary Schools in Dundee now Available Online

Parents and carers, in fact any member of the public, now has access to a set of 'results' based on the performance of school leavers from S4-S6 in 2014.
 
For the first time, alongside details of each school's SQA examination results there are figures for pupil destinations and a measure by measure comparison with a 'virtual comparator school'.

"Considering these measures alongside data on a sample of school leavers from other parts of Scotland allows schools to compare their performance. The sample group is made up of school leavers who are similar to the school's own school leavers, in terms of factors that are known to influence educational outcomes (such as social context and additional support needs). This sample group is called the virtual comparator." Education Scotland.

This information has been published on Parentzone Scotland. It aims to give parents and carers more information about schools alongside other resources such as school websites and handbooks.

The new information, which covers all secondary schools in Scotland, can be found by visiting Parentzone Scotland and searching by school name. Scroll down to the foot of a secondary school's page and select View Performance Data.

Link to Grove Academy Performance Data

Congratulations to Dundee Pupils on their Exam Results

I warmly congratulate Dundee pupils and students on all their successes in their various SQA examinations and assessments. 

Like our medal winning athletes in the Commonwealth Games, this will not be a flash in the pan but based on hard work over a sustained period of time. And of course I should not forget to credit the support of the equivalent of the coaches and supporters. In this case, the inspiration and encouragement of the teachers and parents and carers as well as the wider network of friends and family will also have been part of the story behind these successes.

For those that are disappointed with their results, I would encourage taking to heart the proverb that my late Father used to repeat on those occasions when I hadn't excelled: 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' 

Later this week or next, analyses should be available from the Director of Education about how the results of our school pupils add up across the city and how these city wide results compare with previous years and with other areas in Scotland. I shall particularly want to find out how the new National 4 and 5 examination results compare with the previous Standard Grade results. 

But for today, the focus should be on celebrating the positive results of our pupils who deserve their day enjoying their successes; their equivalent of a podium finish at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Commenting on SQA Exam Results Tues 6 August 2013

This morning there will have been mixed emotions among the many hundreds of pupils and students in our city who will have been receiving their SQA exam results. Whether reading their results in a text, email or in the contents of their SQA envelope received through the post, this will truly be a moment to remember.

For many candidates there will be tears of joy and sighs of relief that hard work has been rewarded with passes and grades that will open doors to continuing studies at School or new opportunities and challenges at College, University and in the world of work. For some there will inevitably be disappointment with the results achieved and the necessity for a rethink.

I warmly congratulate pupils and students on all their successes in their various SQA examinations and assessments. Like Andy Murray's  success at Wimbledon this summer, this will not be a flash in the pan but based on hard work over a sustained period of time. And of course I should not forget to credit  the support of the equivalent of the coaches and supporters. In this case, the inspiration and encouragement of the teachers and parents and carers as well as the wider network of friends and family will also have been part of the story behind these successes.

For those that are disappointed with their results, I would encourage taking to heart the proverb that my late Father used to repeat on those occasions when I hadn't excelled: 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' 

For those who have missed their grades to meet a provisional offer for a place at University, this will be anxious time to see whether their grades are still acceptable or whether an alternative place or course might be available through clearing. UCAS Clearing 2013 opens today http://www.ucas.com

for applicants in Scotland.

Later this week or next, analyses will be available from the Director of Education about how the results of our school pupils add up across the city and how these city wide results compare with previous years and with other areas in Scotland. I shall particularly want to find out about the Higher Maths results as there were worrying claims earlier this year that the standard had been reduced. But for today, the focus should be on celebrating the positive results of our pupils who deserve their day enjoying their successes; their equivalent of a victory in a Wimbledon final. 

Well done!

Dundee Examination Results - Some Observations

Click on table to enlarge

Once again Grove Academy is the top-performing school in the area, according to Education Scotland figures published on Tuesday. 

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.

Commenting on SQA Exam Results in Dundee 7 August 2012

This morning there will have been mixed emotions among the many hundreds of pupils and students in our city who will have been opening their SQA exam results. Whether reading their results in a text, email or in the contents of their SQA envelope received through the post, this will be a 'red letter day'. 

For many candidates there will be tears of joy and sighs of relief that hard work has been rewarded with passes and grades that will open doors to continuing studies at School or new opportunities and challenges at College, University and in the world of work. For some there will inevitably be disappointment with the results achieved and the necessity for a rethink.

I warmly congratulate pupils and students on all their successes in their various SQA examinations and assessments. Like many of our medal winning athletes in the Olympics, these successes will not be a flash in the pan but will be based on hard work over a sustained period of time. And of course I should not forget to credit  the support of the equivalent of the coaches and supporters. In this case, the inspiration and encouragement of the teachers and parents and carers as well as the wider network of friends and family will also have been part of the story behind these successes.

For those that are disappointed with their results, I would encourage taking to heart the proverb that my late Father used to repeat on those occasions when I hadn't excelled: 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' 

For those who have missed their grades to meet a provisional offer for a place at University, this will be anxious time to see whether their grades are still acceptable or whether an alternative place or course might be available through clearing. Clearing 2012 opens today http://www.ucas.ac.uk/ 

for applicants in Scotland.

Later this week or next, analyses be available from the Director of Education about how the results of our school pupils add up across the city and how these city wide results compare with previous years and with other areas in Scotland. But for today, the focus should be on celebrating the positive results of our pupils who deserve their day enjoying their successes; their medal winning performances. Well done!

SQA Exam Results Leak Out 6 Days Early

This morning it has been revealed that some of the 2012 SQA exam results have been leaked out six days early. It has been admitted that a considerable number of pupils with firm offers from the University of St Andrews have been able to log into the University's website yesterday and read their results.

It is patently unfair that indirectly that some students have access to their results in advance of most students and pupils still waiting for their results until Tuesday. While it appears that it is only one of our Universities which have slipped up this time; they are supplied with the results in advance of their going out to students and in confidence, not to be published on a website five days before the results are notified to all the other exam candidates. 

I think there are questions to be asked of SQA about the basis of and management of their supplying their confidential results to Universities in advance of the date they are made available to the candidates. The University of St Andrews must also answer for their sloppy management of embargoed data.

This is unfortunately not the first time the exam results have been notified in advance. When optional text message notification of results was introduced, those exam candidates that had registered for a text notification received these the day before the results were due to be delivered by post.

Commenting on Grove Academy's Top 20 Finish

I congratulate staff and pupils of Grove Academy for once again achieving a top twenty place from more than 300 State Secondary Schools in Scotland. 

The recent publication by the government of the league tables for schools in Scotland shows that Grove is not only the top performing school in Dundee but also within Tayside.

Without taking away from Grove's success, I do think that we should also be looking at the added value which can be attributed to the efforts of schools rather than just comparing their end of school exam results.

Commenting on the Online Availability of the 2011 SQA Examination Results

The availability of the summer 2011 Examination results online earlier today provides an important snapshot of the performance of young people at the end of their school days in each of our nine secondary schools in Dundee.

While it is interesting to note which schools had the highest number of passes, these figures are on there own deceptive. They do not measure 'added value' or 'distance travelled'; that is the progress made by each pupil between their test scores awarded on entering their secondary school and their SQA examinations results 4-6 years later. Calculations like that would tell a different story.

Overall the figures published indicate to me that there is still an important job to be done in improving the overall performance of all our pupils in our schools so that each one achieves her or his potential.  I know that is what are teachers are striving for. 

We can't however be content with any results that put the city overall below the national average. I refuse to believe or accept that young people in our city are less talented than young people elsewhere in Scotland.


Find about more about the performance of your local Primary and Secondary school at Scottish Schools Online.

Grove Academy Top State School in Tayside - 20th in Sunday Times Ranking

Congratulations to staff and pupils of Grove Academy for achieving their top twenty place in the Sunday Times list of Top 50 Scottish State Secondary School published today. 


Their ranking of 20th place in Scotland was up 4 places from 2010. 


The top 50 table also shows that Grove is not only the top performing school in Dundee but also within Tayside.

Commenting on SQA Examination Results in Dundee

I congratulate our pupils on their attainment, as measured by SQA passes, in the examinations they undertook in May/June this year.  Parents and carers and of course teachers also deserve credit for their contribution to these successes.

In the Director of Education's report to the Education Committee on Monday 22 August, we have the first snapshot of the SQA examination results for this year. This compares passes as a whole in Dundee in 2011 with results in the city in earlier years.  I am sure it is not just Councillors, but parents and carers too, who will want to see the figures for each secondary school and for each subject. We have also yet to see the results in Dundee in a wider context, so we need to know how they compare with those in other Council areas and how they measure up with the national average.

On the basis of the provisional and partial figures available to me, I welcome the cautious tone in this report, especially its warning against complacency. I also endorse the ongoing emphasis on raising attainment in our schools and the reiteration of the route map to further improvement.

At this stage however, I do want to pick out the further rise in the percentage of our pupils who passed a minimum of Mathematics and English at Foundation level in Standard Grade – up from 88% to 90%. This is an important milestone.

Grove Academy Top Performing Secondary School in Tayside

Congratulations to pupils and staff at Grove Academy for achieving the best Higher examination results in Tayside this summer. They outperformed every secondary school in Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross, coming in 16th place out of 379 secondary schools in Scotland.


School Grove Academy Broughty Ferry

Rank 16th place out of 379 secondary Schools in Scotland

School Abs 1.2 % - % unauthorised absences for S1 - 5

Meals 5.7% - % pupils registered for free meals

High1 60% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving one or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

High3 42% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving three or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

High5 25% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving five or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

Grove Move Up League Table of Top 50 Scottish State Secondary Schools

Congratulations to staff and pupils at Grove Academy for their eminent position in The Sunday Times Definitive Guide to Britain's Top Schools published yesterday. Grove was placed in 24th place in the table of Top 50 Scottish State Secondary Schools, up four places from 2009. The 2010 league tables have been calculated by comparing results of pupils who sat their SQA highers and standard grades 2007-9. The tables are further proof of the consistent improvement of pupils at Grove Academy in SQA examinations in S4-6.

Big Changes Ahead for Dundee Teachers and Schools - How Will These Help To Deliver Enhanced Pupil Attainment?

Education Conveners from local councils up and down Scotland have recently been meeting Mike Russell, the Cabinet Secretary for Education at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in Edinburgh. They reportedly agreed to abandon many aspects of the terms and conditions of work of our teachers that were established following recommendations made in the McCrone Report.

Changes apparently supported by Convener of Education Liz Fordyce include:

• increasing contact time with pupils by reducing paid preparation and marking time;

• increasing the number of rungs on the salary scale so that teachers take many more years to reach the same top point of their salary scale;

• reducing the rate of pay for supply teaching and

• abandoning the Chartered Teacher programme.

At a local level, Councillor Fordyce and her SNP colleagues are also planning to close smaller primary schools and reorganise the management of the Education Department with other services. Since the number of pupils in a single class are protected by legal limits, they plan to focus on reducing teaching posts outside the classroom but which currently enrich the curriculum and support teaching and learning.

What impact does Councillor Fordyce think these changes will have on education service she is responsible for?

How will she maintain the steady rise in SQA examination results achieved in recent years following the introduction of the 'Learning Together in Dundee' initiative and a new management structure in the Education Department to facilitate this?

How will she ensure that the impact of these changes will not fall disproportionately on pupils from disadvantaged households already under-performing according to the analysis in the recently published 'Better Odds at School' report from Save the Children Scotland?

SQA Exam Results August 2010

Commenting on Dundee City Council's statement about their preliminary analysis of the 2010 SQA results, following the issue of certificates to pupils last week.

"Without seeing any of the figures, it is difficult to make detailed comments about the 2010 SQA results in the City. I do however welcome the reported improvements in the S5 higher results; no doubt the result of sustained commitment to learning by our pupils and inspired teaching in our schools.

The results by the cluster of pupils involved in the new Science Baccalaureate qualification for S6 students is impressive and promising for the future, when I hope more pupils will enter for these examinations.

I am interested to know more about the number of pupils in S4 not gaining a minimum pass in Standard grade Maths and English. At a time of rising unemployment in our city, it is worrying if this figure has not shown significant improvement."