Arbroath High School

Overview

Education Scotland inspectors visited Arbroath High School in January 2024 and identified specific strengths alongside significant areas requiring improvement. The report notes that the school requires “additional support and more time to make necessary improvements,” with a further inspection planned within one year. Evaluations for leadership and learning were rated as weak, while wellbeing and attainment were satisfactory.

Strengths

• The recently appointed headteacher is supporting an “improved structure to monitoring and evaluating the work of the school” and developing a valued “culture of teamwork.”
• Young people are described as “respectful and caring,” benefiting from “positive relationships with each other and staff.”
• Students benefit from “well-considered, targeted approaches that support their attendance and wellbeing.”
• The library’s work is “very effective in valuing and celebrating equality and diversity across the school.”

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders must provide “clearer strategic direction and streamline school priorities to ensure school improvement.”
• Middle leaders should ensure all staff monitor and evaluate their work so that “the attainment of young people improves as a result.”
• Teachers should plan “more engaging, varied and interesting tasks and activities set at the right level of difficulty for all young people.”
• Senior leaders should improve staff understanding of their roles in supporting wellbeing, and teachers should review the S1-S3 curriculum to ensure pupils “build on their prior learning more effectively.”

Safeguarding

The report states that young people benefit from targeted approaches supporting their wellbeing and that senior leaders should improve staff understanding of their responsibilities in supporting the wellbeing of all young people.