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Mearns Castle High School, Newton Mearns

By Sue Leonard

"Mearns Castle High School is more than just a building filled with staff and students. It is a hard-working school community," says head teacher Dean Smith, who describes his pupils as a fantastic group of young people.

"Ultimately we want them to pass their exams, to fulfil their potential in every area of talent they have, but beyond that we want them to be responsible citizens who when they leave will go out and make a positive and sustained contribution to society."

You don't have to look far for examples of all these things at Mearns Castle High, on the outskirts of Glasgow. Its recent annual charity week, which included a series of fun events from lunchtime variety shows to throwing waterlogged sponges at teachers, is expected to raise about £8,000 for good causes and its impressive interactive website is jam-packed with news of pupils representing Scotland as well as details of school clubs and an expedition to Malawi next summer.

In addition to all this, Mearns Castle High is one of Scotland's top performing state secondary schools, consistently getting great results in public exams. Its marks over three years from 2006 to 2008 rank it fifth in our table, a position it has held for four out of the past five years. The proportion of pupils achieving five or more Highers at grade A-C rose to 49% in 2008 from 47% in 2007 and 46% in 2006, all results well above the Scottish average of 20%. The percentage gaining five or more passes with top (credit level) marks in Standard Grades or Intermediate 2 over the same years was 68%, 63% and 65%, virtually double the average in Scotland.

High expectation from parents and teachers means that more than 60% of the 1,350 pupils go on to university, significantly higher than the 31% norm across the country. Its strong school inspection report and dynamic website reflect the school's high levels of achievement and engagement and its track record of striving for continual improvement. Mearns Castle deservedly wins the accolade of Scottish State Secondary School of the Year.

Opened in August 1978, the coeducational secondary school is in the affluent suburb of Newton Mearns on the south side of Glasgow in the local authority district of East Renfrewshire, an area which has gained a reputation for having many of the best schools in Scotland. Williamwood High School, in nearby Clarkston, is another East Renfrewshire school to gain our Scottish State Secondary School of the Year award, lifting the title in 2004.

Smith points out that while the school - which serves Kirkhill, Eaglesham, Waterfoot and the southeastern part of Newton Mearns - is situated in a wealthy area, it takes children from a wide range of backgrounds. Less than 4% of its pupils are registered for free school meals compared to the national figure of almost 13%. He attributes its significant accomplishments in and out of the classroom to a range of other factors.

"We are delighted with the progress we are making," says Smith, who is enjoying his third year as head. "I think we have all the ingredients for success. We have very talented, extremely motivated staff. We have enormously talented and committed young people who are supported by their parents and we have got enormous support from East Renfrewshire council."

All this is gelled together by real teamwork and partnership, he says. That partnership involves having a police officer based in the school during term-time who is involved in all aspects of work in the school and wider community. His primary role is an educational one giving input into classes on subjects such as drug awareness and personal safety.

In 2003, under the stewardship of then head, Alan McGinley, the school was showered with praise for its positive and inclusive ethos, its strong links with parents, other schools and external agencies, its high expectation and high levels of attainment, the quality of the curriculum and the wide range of experiences offered to pupils.

Inspectors said most pupils could take responsibility for their learning and were able to co-operate well with their peers. The overall quality of lessons was rated very good in 45% of cases, good in 51% and fair in 4%. There were no unsatisfactory lessons.

"It was an enormously strong report," says Smith, but not one to be complacent, he has been working hard to drive up standards even further. "Our core business is to provide high-quality teaching and learning every period of every day of every week and that is what we have been doing and will continue to do," says Smith.

"We make the basic assumption that we can do better," he says. "We continue to evaluate our work on a regular basis. We continually strive to be excellent in everything we do."

Mearns Castle High does particularly well in volleyball, basketball and athletics with students often representing Scotland. The school has a well-equipped PE department which includes a games hall, two gyms, a fitness suite and two outdoor pitches.

Music is also a strength at the school, which was extended in 2005 to provide a new administration block, more classrooms and extra social areas. Many pupils play instruments and the school's 50-strong concert band has won a raft of gold awards in national wind band competitions. It recently scooped a platinum award at the National Concert Band Festival.

Talking is another thing pupils are particularly good at. The school has reached the final of the Law Society of Scotland's Donald Dewar debating tournament for the past two years and a pupil has just been chosen to join the Scottish team, which will take part in the world schools debating competition in Qatar in February.

The fact that standing up in front of strangers and arguing a point isn't for everyone is something that the school is fully aware of. "We do have high expectations both academically and in the wider curriculum and we want to challenge young people to do their best, but at the same time we want to make sure we are an inclusive school," says Smith.

"I think that what we offer is an inclusive education that provides for the holistic education of the young people that are here," he says. "We want them to achieve their academic best, but in addition to that we provide an enormous range of extracurricular activities."

A number of clubs from cricket and fencing to badminton and computing run after school. Other opportunities include taking part in podcasts and drama productions as well as the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme, which has captured the interest of more than 200 pupils this year. Next June a group of 16 pupils will spend four weeks in Malawi trekking and working with children in orphanages as part of the scheme.

Helping others is part of the learning experience. "At the same time we are committed to serving the wider community through our charity work," says Smith. "It teaches them [the pupils] to be responsible citizens. Being involved in charity work is an important experience for them in this area."

The impact of the money raised through raffles and sponsored events is already tangible. The Prince & Princess of Wales hospice in Glasgow recently opened a new learning and training suite named after the school, in recognition of the fundraising efforts of students, teachers and parents, who collected £15,000 over three years to help with refurbishment costs.

High standards are expected in all areas of school life and that includes behaviour and presentation. Pupils are not just expected to do their best, they are expected to look their best and be on their best behaviour. The school has introduced an incentive scheme as part of its promoting positive behaviour strategy to encourage all pupils to wear the correct uniform, bring the right equipment and kit to school, do their homework, follow teachers' instructions, be respectful and on time to classes. Pupils get awarded green points for each week they gain no demerits. Those with an 80% green record win rewards.

Smith is pleased with the results of the scheme, which is being used to encourage the minority who aren't keeping to the rules to follow the majority. So far this term 97% of pupils are on colour. "That is an impressive statistic," says Smith, before adding characteristically, "but there is still room for improvement."