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Exam results turnaround for Castlebay School 8/8/11
A troubled island school where pupils went on strike in protest of poor teaching has seen a dramatic turnaround in this year's exam results says the Comhairle.
The pass rate for Higher English in Castlebay Secondary was almost 90% compares to an 82% failure rate last year.
Recently top Scottish lawyer Cameron Fyfe said that a former pupil planned to sue Western Isles Council for £50,000 for allegedly making her fail her Higher English exam.
Marion Macleod maintained the low standard of provision of education in English lost her the chance to get into college and disadvantaged her career prospects.
Only two students out of 11 passed the crucial exam last summer.
Twenty pupils walked out at one point and parents campaigned against the crisis amid protests and community concern over a series of critical inspection reports about the main school on Barra.
In May HMI inspector Alistair Kirkwoods said Castlebay School which has come under scrutiny for each of the past four years was gaining a clearer sense of direction.
Western Isles Council says the latest exam results is “further confirmation of this progress.”
Meanwhile, education chairperson Morag Munro welcomed an overall improvement in Western Isles pupils’ exam performance this year.
She said: “This is a good outcome for pupils, parents and the hardworking teachers and support staff who have made these results possible.
“It is the pupils themselves of course who deserve the highest praise: we can all remember the stress of sitting exams, and it’s to our pupils’ credit that they’ve managed to do so well.”
Mrs Munro added that six new schools being built at a cost around £70 million “will improve education provision and ensure that our children are educated in the best possible learning environments.”