Education Scotland carried out a whole school Inspection of George Heriot’s School and the results, released June 2024, confirm the School’s sector leading standard across both Junior and Senior Schools.
The School was awarded a rating of 6 (excellent) for ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion for children and young people:
‘The wellbeing of children, young people, their families and staff is at the heart of all actions across the school. Children are empowered to be agents of change as they are proud to be part of a highly inclusive environment. Innovative approaches to promoting inclusion and equality is an outstanding aspect of the School’s work. All children and young people demonstrate exemplary behaviour; they are polite, confident and highly engaged in all aspects of their learning’. Education Scotland.
The School received a 6 (excellent) for raising attainment and achievement:
‘In the Junior School, children’s attainment in literacy and numeracy is outstanding. Children across the Junior school demonstrate a love of reading. Young people’s overall attainment in their National Qualifications is outstanding. Children and young people are thriving and developing an extensive range of communication, teamwork and leadership skills through their participation and contribution to a highly commendable co-curricular programme’. Education Scotland.
Inspectors summary: Practice worth sharing more widely
‘The school has sector leading approaches to ensuring inclusion and equality for children and young people. Pastoral staff and senior leaders use a significant range of data to both provide highly individualised and effective support to learners and to identify priorities for whole school improvements. They then ensure significant input from the school community to agree approaches. Children and young people are empowered to be agents of change as they are proud to be part of a highly inclusive environment. Recent examples of this work include the highly impactful work of the Neurodiverse groups. These learners provided training to staff and as a result, the needs of these learners are much better met in classes. Senior leaders are rigorous in their use of data to measure the effectiveness of change. Staff lead improvement and change while maintaining a high-quality provision of support for existing groups facing barriers or challenges. Those learners requiring additional help are supported through well established and highly effective approaches. This includes the school’s thoughtful and sensitive support to families who have experienced bereavement or loss‘.
