Challenges ahead says Rector
MEARNS Academy rector Ian Parkin welcomed the government's promised funding of £11.2 million for a new school when he addressed the annual prizegiving last week.
Mr Parkin said that once again at the end of the school year he was able to report on many very positive aspects of life at Mearns Academy.
As ever though they faced a range of challenges as they strove to improve the quality of what they do.
"The management of change will always exercise us. As a school we do show a commitment to improve the quality of our service and we do maintain focus on certain key areas. This approach is reflected in the schools vision, values, and aims and provides a context for change to be assumed into the life of the school in a principled and understandable way.
"This has been especially true with regard to the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence programme. Here, largely in contradiction of concerns in the press and elsewhere, staff have applied the schools key principles to the adoption of this hugely significant change. The result – based on strong support from our Primary colleagues, is that the curricular package that is emerging does not contradict previous good practice, but rather builds on it.
"Clearly there remains concern over certain aspects of the initiative – especially with regard to assessment and emerging qualifications, but I commend and congratulate our staff for the open mindedness and professionalism they have shown in this context.
"Aberdeenshire Council, our local councillors and the Provost have all been inventive in thus alleviating the impact of cutbacks in resources. Their work has also been fundamental in the long-awaited confirmation that a replacement facility for Mearns Academy will actually happen.
"I must admit that initially the promise of 11.2 million of government funding did not seem to match the promised 2/3 costs of a new build anticipated as costing up to 40m. But whatever the complexities of how this total emerged – the crucial fact is that it is confirmed.
"A new school will now emerge. Indeed for the first time ever – in this case to our recent visitors from P7 – I was able to say that you definitely will see a new school in your school lifetime. At this stage its also entirely correct to praise the tenacity of our parent council – MACG – their efforts have been tireless and to be much applauded – especially as the current committee's children most probably will not see a new school.
"There do of course remain other on-going challenges, for example, the very significant challenge of raising levels of attainment is provoking great reflection and refinement of practice.
"Certainly this school year has seen many stellar achievements. One achievement of particular note was the school gaining the award of Customer Service Excellence. This prestigious national award – only 3 schools in Scotland have secured it – confirms our commitment to serve pupils and their parents as best we can.
"Indeed the whole granting of the award confirms the necessity of parents and the school working in partnership, and certainly the support from parents we receive is both consistent and much appreciated. The most significant aspect of the award however is that it has led to improvements in what we do."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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