Four Glasgow schools have been praised by councillors for landing 100 per cent achievements according to a Scottish Government education rating.
Lochend High, Saint Roch’s Secondary, Hyndland Secondary and Glasgow Gaelic School recorded 100 per cent of pupils going on to ‘positive destinations.’
The metric is defined as “higher and further education, employment, training, personal skills development and voluntary work.”
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A council meeting heard last week that about 97 per cent of pupils in the city went to ‘positive destinations” after leaving school. But some councillors questioned what was included in the term positive destination, including zero hour contracts.
SNP Councillor Christina Cannon put forward a motion congratulating all schools and highlighting the top four, which was seconded by fellow party politician Eva Bolander.
Saying the result left Glasgow ranking fourth among Scottish councils, Councillor Cannon said: “Every single one of our schools should be proud of the amazing progress they are making to the lives of young people. I just want to mention the four schools in the city who achieved a remarkable 100 per cent positive destinations, which were the Glasgow Gaelic School, Hyndland Secondary School, St Roch’s Secondary School and Lochend High School”
She added: “This really is a fantastic achievement.”
Councillor Bolander praised the “fantastic work of our dedicated education staff and the work they are doing in schools from nurseries up to secondary schools.”
However issues were raised about what defines ‘positive definitions’ with Labour councillor Jill Brown moving a motion seconded by Eva Murray.
Councillor Brown, said: “The statistics in themselves are interesting but we need to remember what sits beneath those statistics.”
She said “broad categories of positive destinations hide the fact that zero hour contract and other exploitative practices are being treated as a positive destination.”
She added: “The term employment can hide a multitude of sins.”
She also pointed out the statistics refer “to a snapshot in time only three months" after leaving school and don’t reflect if it "is the right destination" and doesn’t include "drop out rates.”
Councillor Blair Anderson, Scottish Greens, said: “We are not educating young people for the sake of turning them into productive bits of the labour market. We are educating young people for the sake of educating young people - for turning them into well rounded members of society.”
He said “high stake exams” depending on a one day performance “is not a perfect system.”
He welcomed moving towards more continuing assessment.
Councillor Anderson put forward an amendment seconded by Scottish Greens Councillor Elaine Gallagher calling for more detailed positive destination data and raising issues about school work pressure.
The Scottish Greens and Labour agreed on an amendment to the SNP motion, which was accepted.
It included recognising criticism about positive destination definitions including that zero hour contracts are included.
It also mentioned research showing 86 per cent of pupils feel pressured about schoolwork and welcomed the government’s commitment to review the education system. It also asked for school and ward level positive destination data to be made available.
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