Strathearn School

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teaching staff did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure the quality of education” and could not fully evaluate provision, leadership, or outcomes. Despite these limitations, the report highlights strong pupil confidence, high academic attainment, and positive feedback from parents and staff.

Strengths

• Pupils are described as “confident, articulate and highly motivated,” with many achieving top grades at GCSE and A level.
• The school offers a “broad and balanced curriculum” enhanced by a “very wide range of extra-curricular sporting, musical and other opportunities.”
• Careers guidance is “highly effective,” with pupils valuing work experience and bespoke advice.
• Parents and staff reported a “welcoming and positive ethos” and high expectations for learning.
• Governance is robust, with governors providing “appropriate levels of support and challenge.”

Areas to improve

• The school must “co-ordinate literacy and numeracy more strategically across the curriculum.”
• Evaluations of improvement actions are “not sufficiently informed by quantitative and qualitative data” to measure impact accurately.
• The school needs to “update the positive behaviour management and staff code of conduct policies.”

Safeguarding

The report notes that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education” and pupils feel safe, though the ETI was unable to fully evaluate their effectiveness due to the industrial action.