Dalbeattie High School

Overview

The inspection team found that Dalbeattie High School benefits from "strong and highly motivating leadership" and a "very strong ethos and climate for learning." Staff and young people model school values well, fostering "highly respectful relationships" and a "strong sense of belonging." The report concludes that the school has the capacity to continue to improve, with no further visits required.

Strengths

• The headteacher provides "strong and highly motivating leadership," with senior and middle leaders working effectively to improve learning experiences.
• There is a "very strong ethos and climate for learning," characterised by "highly respectful relationships" and young people displaying a "strong sense of belonging."
• Staff collaborate effectively with partners to enhance young people’s "wellbeing, achievements and post-school destinations."
• The school is increasing the range of "aspirational and appropriate pathways," allowing young people to benefit from more opportunities to attain.

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders and staff should use a "robust range of evidence" to evaluate the impact of improvement actions and inform strategic leadership.
• Staff should provide young people with "more active and challenging learning experiences" to further improve the quality of learning, teaching and assessment.
• Staff should continue to raise attainment by using systems to "monitor closely all young people’s attainment and achievement over time."

Safeguarding

The report states that staff work effectively with partners to improve young people’s wellbeing and that the evaluation for "Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion" is "good."