School near Glasgow given high praise by inspectors

Glasgow Times

10-05-2025

The Education Scotland team said young people at Williamwood High, which serves the areas around Clarkston, Busby and Netherlee, are 'highly motivated and articulate' and 'determined to achieve well.'
The inspectors added: 'Very positive relationships across the school support a constructive and purposeful culture of learning which promotes very effective engagement in learning by young people.'
(Image: East Renfrewshire Council)
The report said headteacher Nicola MacGlashan, senior leaders and staff 'have worked very successfully with young people to develop a high quality and well-structured framework of key principles in learning, teaching and assessment. '
The inspectors added: 'Young people benefit from a very extensive range of activities and programmes which support and develop their wider achievement.
'Young people's achievements are encouraged, recorded and celebrated by school staff highly effectively as a central part of the school's culture.'
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The report noted that pupils at Williamwood High 'attain exceptionally well throughout their time at school' and added: 'Staff use high quality approaches to monitor learners' progress and attainment and create skilled interventions to support them as required.
'This supports well a culture where all young people are encouraged to succeed and flourish.'
Williamwood High's use of data to improve learning experiences, attainment, participation in achievement and attendance, was identified as a practice worth sharing nationally to inspire other schools.
The inspection also looked at the work of the school's Communication Support Service (CSS), a dedicated service for children with additional support needs.
It was noted that over the past two years all pupils from the CSS have gone on to positive destinations at the end of school, with the majority moving into college education.
As an area for improvement, the inspectors said the school should 'continue to build on highly effective planning in learning, teaching and assessment.'
Headteacher Nicola MacGlashan said: 'I am delighted that inspectors have recognised the fantastic work which goes on every day at Williamwood High.
'All of the staff, partners and wider school community regularly go above and beyond to ensure our pupils are provided with excellent experiences to support them to achieve their very best.
'It is particularly pleasing that the fantastic culture created within the school was recognised during the inspection process – as it's by creating the right environment that our young people are able to thrive and excel.'
Councillor Andrew Anderson, East Renfrewshire Council's convener for education, equalities, culture and leisure, added: 'We continue to see excellent practice across all our schools, and I'm delighted that some of the sector-leading work identified at Williamwood High will now be shared nationally.
'This is another demonstration that our approach to providing all our pupils with a wide range of excellent experiences throughout their educational journey plays a massive part in developing and improving our already high-achieving schools.'