Statements were chosen to reflect what we felt contributed to a feeling of well-being in school.

They were based on the 12 Performance Indicators designed by HMI (see Appendix 1).

The analysis below suggests to what extent staff, pupils and parents agree or deviate from similar statements.

Perhaps a good starting point is to reveal that the vast majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire believe that Harris provides a good educational experience for their child. 95% of parents feel that their child is happy at Harris and 93% say that they are glad that their child is at Harris. One parent of an S5 pupil who wanted to compliment the school was unable to be more precise than to say:

"My ‘child’ doesn’t come home complaining about any aspect of school – so you must be doing something right!"

Also staff have indicated even more strongly that they like working in Harris. Less uplifting is the response from pupils that only 64% of them like being at school. Of course this will have more value when broken down into gender and year group responses. Only 50% of S3 boys liked school and even fewer S3 girls were happy at school.

64% of parents feel that their child is reaching his/her potential and 89% of those who replied say that they would value any after-school provision to assist their child in reaching full potential. A parent of an S4 pupil had this to say:

"my greatest sadness about my children’s schooling is that they have not been stretched or challenged by the curriculum. I recognise that this is not the fault of the school in particular and some staff have been excellent in developing my children’s interests. However in general they’ve been less motivated and enthusiastic than I would expect in a successful school".

Also a member of staff states:

"there is no mention in the survey of the pace at which pupils work. I feel that - up to S5 – pupils work far too slowly, thereby appearing lazy".

A pupil has stated:

"certain teachers don’t push pupils enough".

Although only 67% of pupils claim to find school work interesting, considerably more of them report that they feel that they are making progress in their subjects and that they understand the work in class. A majority of pupils say that staff encourage them to work hard and if they do not understand their work the majority of them feel able to ask the teacher for help.

Several parents expressed the wish for:

"a little more education in independent learning and preparation for further education".

Staff raised a number of issues - they indicated very positively that although they are kept up to date with new course guidelines and are given the opportunity to participate in appropriate staff development fewer of them feel able to deal with the new developments and challenges. Non-teaching staff are less satisfied with their access to training. More than half feel that their needs are not being met. Also a very considerable number of staff express the view that pupils in their classes are working at levels appropriate to their ability. Broad banding is recognised by 68% of staff as a possible contribution to effective learning and teaching. A large majority of staff express dissatisfaction that they do not have time to adequately prepare for lessons and that there is considerable disruption to learning and teaching by activities requiring pupils to be absent from class. Also almost half of staff report that materials are lacking for ‘please take’ classes. Half of the non-teaching staff do not feel that there is enough time to do their job but they do feel able to tackle new developments and challenges.

One member of staff reports grave concern about:

"the amount of marking generated, particularly Higher Still essays, so unpaid overtime is done at home to function properly in class".

Although the vast majority of staff, teaching and non-teaching, feel that they have access to relevant required materials over half of them report that pupils do not respect resources.

Most pupils say that they are happy to use computers to help their work, which leads to focusing on the 24% of staff who still feel that they do not have their required access to IT resources for teaching.

In the area of staff morale/job satisfaction there is a clear message that in the vast majority of departments there is quality interaction and support and guidance, in particular from PTs. One member of staff stressed that:

There is a strong feeling that most staff – 90% - feel that they are supported by senior management. However only 64% of staff feel that they are consulted when decisions are made about learning and teaching. Thus it is not surprising that only 56% can say that they feel involved in the decision-making process of the school.

A member of staff raised the issue of stress:

"this issue needs to be treated seriously by all, including SMT, to protect the morale of the staff and ultimately the quality of staff and pupil performances".

Responses to statements relating to homework are worthy of note. The vast majority of staff believe that homework contributes to effective learning and teaching but half of them report that homework is not carried out conscientiously by pupils. Although a large number of pupils claim that homework is not too difficult they do worry that teachers set clashing deadlines. Also the pupils do not expect to have homework every night! Although parents respond that they feel their child has an appropriate amount of homework 79 of them listed homework as an item requiring urgent attention and 41 made it their top priority. Also 27 members of staff listed homework as an item requiring urgent attention. Only 3 members of staff felt strongly enough to state that homework was progressing satisfactorily.

A very significant number of parents are satisfied with the quality of communication with staff. The majority of them feel that school reports are helpful, and that individual teachers are helpful and constructive. Also parents are confident enough to approach the school to complain or to discuss sensitive matters. A few parents have said that they feel that there is not nearly enough information passed to them.

"Was no news good news?" "I do not think that once a year reports reflect quickly enough the radical changes that can take place in a child’s development."

A positive area as far as communication between staff and parents is concerned is the Contact Evening. Parents and staff both strongly value this contact although staff seem to have greater reservations about the purpose of the Contact evening. The majority of staff feel that the agenda on the evening should be shared with the parent but they are divided on having the pupil present at the interview. As a significant proportion of staff feel unhappy about this it does require further consideration. In addition 40% of staff raised concerns about insufficient time to talk to parents. 39 members of staff prioritise Contact Evenings as satisfactory.

There is a positive move towards the use of the Internet for communication both by staff and parents.

Although 41% of parents claim to be kept informed of the policies of DCC only 9% of staff and only 5 out of 19 non-teaching staff have responded positively that DCC provides effective lines of communication. Perhaps this explains the very high negative level of staff response, teaching and non-teaching, about feeling supported by DCC.

In general the majority of pupils have responded that staff communicate reasonably well with them about their work.

One pupil says:

However about a third of them say that they are not told how they are getting on with their work. Also there is a significant minority of pupils who do not feel that they are encouraged to work hard or to ask for help.

On the whole, also, non-teaching staff are reasonably satisfied with the quality of communication with SMT and they feel that their complaints about pupils are taken seriously.

In general the vast majority of staff agreed that the staffroom provides a pleasant environment in which to relax. However only a small minority of staff felt that they could be so positive about the school grounds. Only 8 teachers found them attractive and welcoming. Parking their cars seems to be stressful for some 50% of staff although there is need for further clarification here.

The same percentage of staff and pupils (56%-57%) feel that classrooms and corridors/stairwells are not kept clean enough and staff feel that there are not adequate facilities for the disposal of litter. Over 50% of parents, on the other hand, feel that the school buildings are kept clean and in good order, although a significant minority felt unable to comment.

Areas in the school for the consumption of food is a major issue for parents and pupils. Over half the pupils feel that there are not enough places to go at lunchtime and, although many parents didn’t know, a significant proportion of those who felt able to respond say that there is inadequate provision of areas for consuming food. On the other hand 2/3 of parents are happy with school meal provision for their children and this is reinforced by the 69% of pupils who indicate that they like the food provided in the dining hall. Pupils are not so happy about the dining hall queuing system however. Fewer than half think that it is fair.

Several members of staff feel that:

"the provision of places for pupils to congregate and play is a central issue".

Parents, staff and pupils are almost unanimous in their condemnation of the school’s toilets (although a significant number of parents felt unable to comment). Teaching and non-teaching staff responses to the statements on toilets indicate unusually strong feelings. In fact the highest negative score in the whole survey has been produced in response to the statement "toilet facilities for pupils are good". Staff toilets are also condemned. Almost 90% of staff feel that there is an insufficient number of staff toilets and only 1/3 of teachers believe that they are kept clean and well maintained. One parent commented:

"the toilets don’t seem to be any better than when I last used them 35 years ago".

Pupils are also unhappy about the toilets in the school. 2/3 of girls say that they are not happy to use them, and 4 out of 5 boys. ¾ of all those asked think that they should be allowed to use any toilet block and 2/3 indicate that they do not like pupils smoking in the toilets.

Clearly there are a number of issues here which urgently need to be addressed, given the strength of feeling among parents, staff and pupils.

There has been a mixed response to questions about medical care. On the positive side some 80% of parents feel confident about medical care and provision available for pupils who become ill. Staff and pupils are less positive. Many teachers feel that that they don’t know enough to comment. Of those who did, only 2/3 agree that the school’s medical facilities are good, while only just over half of pupils feel that the arrangements for looking after them when ill are good.

Further clarification is needed here to establish which aspects of the arrangements are seen to be poor. (Lack of privacy? Beds? Reporting requirements? )

One member of staff felt that:

"the medical people sometimes seem very stretched".

A pupil reports:

"sometimes when you are ill you have to trail all the way to the Office before getting to the Medical Room".

Almost half of all the staff who responded thought that First Aid kits should be available in all rooms and all but one member of the non-teaching staff agreed.

A majority of parents express satisfaction about the security arrangements for their children. There may be however different perceptions as to whether security means personal or property security. There is no similar statement in the staff questionnaire but some have commented on the problem of intimidation of pupils in toilets.

Although there is no specific statement about security in the pupils’ questionnaire either, on the question of lockers a large majority are in favour, especially among the girls, suggesting that there is a high level of concern for personal property. This may also be related to the heavy books and PE equipment that some have to carry around. Several parents commented on this:

"pupils are expected to carry heavy books and different sets of PE kit on the same day".

Although there is no specific statement about this a number of non-teaching staff expressed concern about vandalism of cars.

In general where the statement was made it generated a high response rate but further clarification is needed about concerns for pupils’ safety and the security of their property and staff property.

It is reassuring that staff who did respond to the statement relating to emergency evacuation were expressing satisfaction with the procedures.

In the area of resources almost 2/3 of parents believe resources, including equipment, to be adequate and maintained in good order. However there is also a large percentage of ‘don’t knows’. A similar proportion of staff feel that their department is well resourced and equipment and materials are maintained in good order. However almost 50% of teaching staff feel that their teaching accommodation is inadequate and over 50% believe that they have inadequate facilities for storing their resources.

There is a positive response from staff concerning library and photocopying facilities. Over 70% feel that photocopying facilities are good, that the library is well stocked and that they can access it at any time. Just under 70% feel that they can take pupils to the library during teaching periods. 2 members of staff feel that photocopying facilities would be further improved with the provision of a copier in the south block.

As has been mentioned already the supporting and guiding role of the PT is overwhelmingly appreciated.

Also 2/3 of the non-teaching staff value the support of their Line Manager. Although staff also appreciate the openness of SMT they are less certain that their work is recognised and valued by them.

Both pupils and staff have expressed positive views about Registration but pupils’ perception needs to be further investigated.

There is a very positive response to the support offered by Admin staff and technicians.

Parents, staff and pupils are agreeing very strongly that experiences like Comrie are very desirable. Also staff and parents approve strongly of extracurricular provision for pupils. Pupils are less impressed and a significant number of them, 29% are not interested in knowing what is available and the same percentage believes that there wouldn’t be anything to suit them anyway!

Although 40% of staff feel that the School Board makes a valuable contribution to school life a similar percentage have not felt able to make a response. More parents (55%) feel able to state that they believe that the Board is working effectively on behalf of the school. In general it seems that there is a lack of interest caused possibly by a stated lack of information about the School Board.

In the case of the PTPA parents and staff are clearer about its function and they wish strongly to support its activities.

Staff have responded very favourably to the work done by the Staff Social Committee.

Parents, pupils and staff have responded very favourably to the use of praise. Almost every member of staff feels comfortable using praise in the classroom. A parent of an S1 pupil responds:

"good behaviour is recognised but special talent or ability in some subjects is not particularly recognised or encouraged".

A pupil comments:

"I like when teachers give verbal praise for good work as it gives you confidence".

However on the subject of respect there are significant concerns. Less than half the non-teaching staff feel respected by pupils. There is no specific statement on respect in the staff questionnaire but pupils are equally divided in their view that staff and pupils do not respect each other - 45% of pupils feel staff are respected and 44% disagree. 46% feel that staff respect them and 45% disagree.

67% of parents state that they believe that their child is treated fairly by staff, 12% do not agree. Only just over 55% of pupils state that they feel that staff are fair to them.

A number of pupils echo this comment:

"I tend to try and work harder for teachers who respect us rather than the ones that are always moaning".

Parents have raised concern about the perceived lack of respect for pupils. Mention has been made that adults are not always respectful to pupils. A parent of an S1 pupil has written:

"I feel in general that if pupils are expected to be respectful to adults then adults should be respectful to them which I don’t think always happens and I also feel that the children’s opinions and feelings should be heard and valued more. I would appreciate the school expressing more about what the children contribute to the school in their varied ways as well as what the staff obviously contribute. Sometimes it comes across that education is a one way process ie, teacher > pupil. I believe that pupils also have a great deal to offer teachers. This could be recognised more".

On the other hand there is a report from a parent of an S2 pupil:

"I now have a confident and happy teenager" and she attributes this to teacher/pupil relationships: "he feels he can talk to his teachers and that in most cases they listen and make him feel that what he says counts".

An S5 pupil has said:

Also a parent of an S6 pupil writes:

A gratifying 84% of pupils say that on the whole they get on well with staff. 59% of parents feel that their child is really known as an individual by staff and 75% feel involved in their child’s education.

79% of staff believe that Discipline for Learning has improved the quality of pupil learning but 16% disagree and 32 out of 79 members of staff list discipline as needing urgent attention. A distinction may need to be sought between the application of DfL and the general perception of the level of indiscipline in school.

One member of staff feels that:

"DfL has improved pupil behaviour but not necessarily pupil learning".

Also several parents and staff express the concern about the impact of disruptive behaviour of the few on the learning opportunities of the many:

"there are tensions between social inclusion and improving achievement".

A significant number of pupils, 66% feel that staff do not operate DfL in the same way. S3 girls and S4 girls are the most critical. Very many of pupil extended responses relate to this issue.

84% of parents claim to understand the school’s discipline system and 98% wish to know about punishment exercises. However there are a number of comments about over zealous application of the system.

There is a significant sense of unease in the application of school’s anti-bullying procedures. 23 out of 79 members of staff list bullying as a cause for concern.

Although 66% of parents feel confident that positive steps will be taken by staff to deal with incidents of bullying, injustice or discrimination, 24% did not feel able to offer a view. Also 37% of staff are unclear about identifying bullying and 42% are not sure about their role in dealing with bullying incidents. Only a half of the non-teaching staff feel that they can identify bullying and even fewer of them are confident about their role in dealing with it. 66% of pupils report that being hassled by other pupils is a problem. Only 60% of staff feel that pupils’ behaviour in the playground is satisfactory. 64% of pupils are reluctant to agree that their horseplay is undesirable.

Staff are reporting a reasonably high level of understanding of the roles of the internal support services, especially Guidance – 87%, and, in the case of pupils, 75% of them would willingly contact a Guidance teacher for help. A small but significant minority of staff express uncertainty about the roles of the Support for Learning and Behaviour Support staff. Just over half of the staff are clear about the role of Bi-lingual Support.

72% of staff support the notion of S6 involvement with S1.

On the subject of school uniform there is a clear split - Parents and staff agree very strongly that pupils should wear uniform whereas pupils have a different view. Only 46% report positively about uniform – 51% of girls and 40% of boys. The most negative year group is S3, then from S4 upwards the responses become increasingly positive.

One parent of an S5 pupil has said:

"I support the policy of a school uniform but this needs to be backed with other activities, development and leadership to encourage pupils to seek out this badge of identity. I feel the school has some way to go in this regard to revitalise and recapture the hearts and minds of the majority of pupils in this area".

Another parent has supported uniform but comments:

"I think the Harris uniform is divisive. I don’t like paying £100 for a blazer – but I feel I have to. How many parents don’t? How many pupils feel left out (despite all they might say) about not having a blazer? We must make it possible for everyone to feel part of the school community. Other schools seem to be having success in encouraging pupils to wear uniform".

Recommendations
*	share with DfL committee the views of pupils and staff for action
*	explore with staff the whole school role in anti bullying policy
*	revise for staff the roles of Support Staff
*	review uniform policy

 

The committee would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to complete the questionnaire and in particular those who spent even more time writing extended comments. These comments have only been touched on in the report but many of them will inform the work of a number of committees and short life working groups.

The committee has been pleased to note that staff and parents have responded to the survey in good faith and we expect to address their worries/concerns as carefully as possible. We have also appreciated that on the whole, grievances have been politely presented. Individuals have been generous in their praise/support of different aspects of the school.

The pupils have responded in a fairly mature way, thanks perhaps to the guidance staff who prepared them for the exercise. The school now has a pretty comprehensive view of pupil attitudes and expectations. The main concerns written about by pupils are related to toilets, Discipline for Learning, staff/pupil relationships, school trips, bullying, uniform and dining hall arrangements.

Pupils will have an opportunity in Social Education to explore the findings and it is intended that much of the data will inform the work of Pupil Councils next session as well staff groups.