Inverclyde Academy

Infobox UK school
name = Inverclyde Academy


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established = 2007
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type = Comprehensive
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city = Greenock
county = Scotland
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LEA = Inverclyde
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enrollment = 1,200
gender = Mixed
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
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Inverclyde Academy is a large secondary school in Greenock, Scotland that provides education to the majority of the Inverclyde area. It was created by the amalgamation of Greenock High School and Wellington Academy and cost £29 million to open. [ [http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.1720899.0.new_29m_school_is_a_moving_time_for_pupils.php "New £29m school is a moving time for pupils"] , Evening Times, 28 September 2007] The catchment area for Inverclyde Academy stretches from the Inverclyde border at Wemyss Bay to Greenock's eastern and central areas.

The school was built on the site of three red blaes (gravel) football pitches. [ [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/372395 "Site of Inverclyde Academy"] , Geograph British Isles] Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, cut the first sod at the site on 26 February 2007. [ [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/02/26134714 "Work starts on new school"] , The Scottish Government, 26 February 2007] The school will be officially opened in about October 2008 and the main school building is due to be opened in October 2008 as well.

Merger

The school is one of the most democratically created in Inverclyde and the students of all feeder schools and pupils of both Greenock High School and Wellington Academy have been involved throughout the creation of the new school.

In September 2007 the pupils went on strike in protest about the teaching time lost commuting between the two sites. [ [http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=1&id=15770 "Travel-sick pupils go out on strike"] , Eric Baxter, Greenock Telegraph, 2 October 2007] As a result, Inverclyde Council has been decided that, from January 2008, all pupils will be housed at a temporary site at Inverkip Road until the new campus can be occupied. [ [http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/NewsR.aspx?id=168 "New Academy pupils to be under one roof"] , Inverclyde Council, 26 September 2007] [ [http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/article.php?sec=sport&id=15731 "Strike pupils win battle with council"] , Eric Baxter, Greenock Telegraph, 28 September 2007]

Constituent schools

Greenock High School

When it closed, was a good school in many areas, such as music, enterprise, English and mathematics. The high achievements set by pupils remained steady throughout its last years, pushing up exam results at the same time. The school also got involved in areas such as competitions, volunteering, fund-raising and charity work.

Indicators of quality

We judged the following to be very good
• Pastoral Care • Curricular and vocational guidance • Partnership with parents, the School Board and the community

We judged the following to be good
• Overall quality of attainment: S1/S2 • Structure of the curriculum • The teaching process • Pupils’ learning experiences • Personal and social development • Learning support • Climate and relationships • Expectations and promoting achievement • Equality and fairness • Effectiveness and deployment of staff with additional responsibilities

We judged the following to be fair
• Overall quality of attainment: S3/S4 • Overall quality of attainment: S5/S6 • Meeting pupils’ needs • Accommodation and facilities • Self-evaluation • Leadership

We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
• No aspects were found to be in this category

Wellington Academy

The school had an excellent reputation within not only Greenock but in Inverclyde and beyond. It gained reasonable reports from HMIE Inspectors and also competed in many national events and contests such as Young Enterprise Scotland and the Stock Market Challenge. The small size of the school made it extremely popular with pupils with around 500 pupils at closure. Uniform uptake was high and participation in events in the wider community representing Wellington was also at a very high level.

Indicators of quality from the HMIE

We judged the following to be very good
Climate and relationshipsEquality and fairnessPartnership with parents, the School Board and the communityCurricular and vocational guidanceSchool management of financesPastoral careImplementation of legislation relating to SEN and disabilities

We judged the following to be good
Reporting pupils’ progressStaffingProvision of resourcesOrganisation and use of resources and spaceStructure of the curriculumLearning supportEffectiveness and deployment of staff with additional responsibilitiesPlanning for improvement

We judged the following to be fair
Expectations and promoting achievementAccommodation and facilitiesLeadershipSelf-evaluationStaff review and developmentMonitoring progress and achievement

We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
No aspects were found to be in this category

Curriculum

Standard Grade

Students receive four periods a week of English, four periods a week of Maths and three of French. Students will also receive three periods per week of each of their remaining five Standard Grade subjects, which are of their choice, plus two periods a week of Core Physical Education (five, if the child chooses the subject at standard grade), one period a week of Social Education and one period at their Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies course at Intermediate 1.

Students are encouraged to attend Supported Study, which runs three days per week after school, between 15:30 and 17:00. Supported Study classes are available in most Standard Grade subjects and are run by class teachers. It is seen as an indispensable aid to pupils, particularly in the run up to exam and preliminary exam times and has proven very popular amongst pupils.

Higher Grade

Many pupils choose to continue their education to Higher and Advanced Higher levels.

Feeder primary schools

* Earnhill Primary School (Greenock)
* Highlanders Academy (Greenock)
* Inverkip Primary School (Inverkip)
* Kings Oak Primary (Greenock)
* Lady Alice Primary School (Greenock)
* Overton Primary School (Greenock)
* Ravenscraig Primary School (Greenock)
* Wemyss Bay Primary School (Wemyss Bay)

References

http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/inspection/GreenockHSrep.pdf

http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/inspection/Wellington%20Academy%20FINAL.html

External links

* [http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scottishschoolsonline/schools/inverclydeacademyinverclyde.asp Inverclyde Academy's page on Scottish Schools Online]