The report highlights the confident and friendly pupils who relate positively to staff, the increasing range of opportunities for young people to learn and achieve out of class, the development of leadership skills for young people and staff at all levels and the staff’s commitment to school improvement.

The school’s partnerships with various organisations including local businesses, sports organisations and health development groups have also been commended.

Port Glasgow High is the first secondary school in Inverclyde to be inspected under the new format of a comparatively short but intensely focussed inspection period.

Areas identified for improvement for improvement include reducing the number of young people in Fifth and Sixth Year who fail to gain awards in subjects they study; improving curricular links with primary schools; and working with partners to provide a wider range of learning activities which increase young people’s achievements and further develop their work-related skills.

The school follows a “whole school” approach to learning having adopted a programme called “Learn to Learn” which specifically teaches learning skills to First and Second Year pupils.

-- Read the full report. Click http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/inspection/PortGlasgowHighSchool2.html

Head teacher Alan Dick said: “This report shows we are maintaining a good standard of education. It reaffirms our improvement and shows we are well placed to continue that improvement. I am particularly pleased that the way we teach and develop young people’s learning skills has been recognised as an example of good practice nationally.”

Convener of the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee councillor Iain McKenzie said: “Port Glasgow High School can be proud of a very good report which makes good reading. It also mirrors the council’s vision statement when it states a particular strength of the school is its ‘confident, friendly young people’. Congratulations to the staff and the pupils.”

The inspection was carried out in November 2008 at which time the roll was 536.

For full photo, click http://www.inverclydenow.com/popup.htm?upload-files//GalleryPictures/pghs-hmi-g.jpg