It’s April 2005 and Pope John Paul II has just died, Berti Vogts’ tenure as coach of the Scotland men’s football team has unravelled spectacularly, while a new video-sharing website called YouTube has uploaded its first clip, “Me at the Zoo”.
Meanwhile, first minister Jack McConnell is seeking support to ban smoking in pubs, George W Bush is into his second term as US president and Facebook’s founders are working out if their social network could perhaps offer more than a ratings system for “hot” classmates.
At the same time, one Scottish school’s inspection report is quietly published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education - and, to this day, that 2005 report remains the last full inspection for that school.
To underline how long ago that was, many babies born in 2005 are about to start their second year of university.
Gaps in school inspection
Data published by the Scottish government under freedom of information legislation shows the last time every school in Scotland was inspected, as of 10 April 2024.
It reveals that six independent schools had not had a full inspection since 2005, although - as part of arrangements agreed with the sector - they have each had one lighter-touch “professional engagement visit” from inspectors since then, leading to reports dating from between 2012 and 2018.
In the state sector, three primary schools have not had full inspection reports since 2006, while the state secondary with the longest wait for a full inspection is Brae High School, in Shetland (2008). Many of the schools waiting a long time for inspection are in more rural and island communities.
Recently published government data shows there were 91 schools in the independent sector, although two recently announced their closure. There are about 2,500 state schools in Scotland across the special, primary and secondary sectors.
The Scottish government has periodically come under fire for an approach to inspection that means a school can go long periods without being inspected.
In an exclusive Tes Scotland interview in April, interim chief inspector Janie McManus was asked whether the frequency of inspections would be considered as part of a wide-ranging review of the inspection process. She replied that nothing was off the table.
Ms McManus said the main driver for the review would be ensuring that the inspectorate is “relevant”, “adaptable” and “meets the needs of the education system and children and young people”.
Below is the full list of schools that, as of 10 April 2024, had not had a full inspection report since before 2009, meaning they had been waiting more than 15 years.
In brackets below we have also listed the date of the last “quality improvement through engagement visit” for independent schools, where there has been one; schools in this sector are indicated by an asterisk.
The Education Scotland website says these visits are “distinct from inspections and do not involve evaluating outcomes in relation to quality indicators”, adding: “The focus is on the school’s capacity to improve itself...The visits start with the school’s own priorities for development and improvement. Inspectors will have discussions with staff and young people, and will cover other activities such as short visits to classrooms.”
Last full inspection report in: 2005
- *Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar (“quality improvement through engagement visit” in 2012)
- *Cedars School, Greenock (which has announced it will close in September) (2018)
- *The High School of Glasgow (2014)
- *Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow (2015)
- *Mary Erskine School, Edinburgh (2017)
- *St Margaret’s School for Girls, Aberdeen (2014)
2006
- *Albyn School, Aberdeen (no subsequent “quality improvement through engagement visit” recorded)
- *Ardvreck School, Crieff (2012)
- *Edinburgh Academy (2012)
- Flotta Community School, Orkney
- *Hutchesons’ Grammar, Glasgow (2015)
- Kilmory Primary, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire
- *Lomond School, Helensburgh (2015)
- *Loretto School, Musselburgh (2014)
- *Mary Erskine/Stewart’s Melville Junior School, Edinburgh (2015)
- Pirnmill Primary, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire
- *Stewart’s Melville College, Edinburgh (2017)
2007
- Campie Primary, East Lothian
- *Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh (2016)
- *The Compass School, Haddington (2016)
- *High School of Dundee (2015)
- *Providence Christian School, Stornoway (formerly Lewis Independent Christian School) (2017)
2008
- Baird Memorial Primary, North Lanarkshire
- Barnhill Primary, South Ayrshire
- Benarty Primary, Fife
- Bishopmill Primary, Moray
- Bonnybridge Primary, Falkirk
- Brae High, Shetland
- Carolside Primary, East Renfrewshire
- Eastertoun Primary, West Lothian
- *Edinburgh Steiner School (2019)
- Farr Primary, Highland
- *The Glasgow Academy (2017)
- Greenwards Primary, Moray
- *Hamilton College (2016)
- Kelloholm School, Dumfries and Galloway
- Plockton Primary, Highland
- Robert Owen Memorial Primary, South Lanarkshire
- Rosehearty School, Aberdeenshire
- Rothes Primary, Moray
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