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An East Kilbride high school has received glowing feedback from Education Scotland following a recent inspection. The team visited Sanderson High school, which is an additional support needs (ASN) school in April as part of a national review, and findings were presented to the East Kilbride Area Committee last Tuesday (November 4). Inspectors looked at leadership, learning and teaching, inclusion and wellbeing, and how the school raises attainment and achievement. As well as this, they spoke with pupils, parents, staff and community members and observed classroom learning in action. The final report, which was published last month, highlighted a number of strengths including leadership from the head and deputy head teachers and a committed staff team working together to deliver engaging lessons that help pupils succeed. Head teacher of the school, Katie Robinson, said: “As head teacher of Sanderson, I am very pleased with our report which is very positive in the areas that matter most to us as a school community. Our pupils are confident and we promote a positive ethos of inclusion and always ensure all pupils are safe and feel safe. Staff work very hard to ensure all pupils are provided with engaging and meaningful learning experiences and this was recognised by inspectors. “Our attainment and achievement were mentioned in the report as being higher than average for ASN settings, the hard work of our staff but also our clear expectation that pupils with additional support needs can and should attain at the highest possible level. “Following our inspection, we have been able to clarify our strategy around areas which have caused us challenges. Primarily the provision of education to pupils with increasingly complex learning needs. We have focused on improving our old provision and have advised our staffing levels in this part of the school. “We have begun to consider a more adapted curricular model and have provided staff time to develop this. Staff have received additional training relating to supporting pupils during periods of dysregulation and senior leaders have visited other provisions in other parts of Scotland and this has helped to clarify our plans going forward.” Education Scotland praised the high levels of pastoral and learning support provided by staff who work closely to build positive relationships with pupils stating that this helps young people feel safe, included and understood. Pupils were described as confident and proud of their school, taking on leadership roles and showing respect for others. Staff were also commended for working with local partners to give senior pupils meaningful experiences that build confidence and prepare them for life beyond school. Inspectors rated all four key quality indicators as ‘good’. A few areas for improvement were identified, including ensuring consistency in teaching and learning, and strengthening support for pupils with the most complex needs, such as those in school’s Anxiety Lowering Learning (ALL) provision. The school community has welcomed the findings, which they say reflect their own priorities for improvement. Education Scotland also confirmed that they are confident in the school’s ability to continue progressing, and no further visits will be required. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .
