A NORTH Lanarkshire school has been praised by inspectors for its “strong, respectful ethos.”

Braidhurst High in Motherwell was visited recently by the Education Scotland team.

New headteacher Tracey McDermott was praised for her “clear vision to improve the school further.”

The report added: “She is working well with senior leaders, staff and other members of the school community to improve young people’s experiences, progress in learning and attainment.”

Braidhurst High, which has around 545 pupils, hosts a Scottish Football Association (SFA) Performance School and two local authority football programmes - School of Football and Girls’ School of Football.

More than a third of young people in the school attend these programmes after a rigorous selection process. They come from nearly 40 primary schools across Scotland.

The inspectors also praised the “strong, respectful ethos and sense of community across the school, which is supported by positive relationships” and added: “Young people and their families, and staff, are proud of their school community.”

Other key strengths highlighted in the report included “young people’s many achievements, and development of skills, through a wide range of school activities” and the report noted: “There is strong and creative work of staff and partners to ensure that almost all young people progress to a positive destination on leaving school.”

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A number of areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from North Lanarkshire Council including a requirement to include young people in decisions about the school.

The inspectors added: “All staff should have a clear role in leading school improvement. Senior leaders and staff should continue to review the curriculum to ensure appropriate and progressive pathways for learners.

“All staff, led by the headteacher, should develop robust approaches to improving attainment, especially in literacy and numeracy, ensuring that all young people attain to their full potential.”

A North Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: "We would like to congratulate pupils and staff at Braidhurst on their positive inspection report, which reflects the hard work and commitment of everyone at the school." 

The full report is available on the Education Scotland website.