Northfield Academy head teacher Craig McDermott has spoken of the school’s “forward momentum” after Education Scotland said the school has made progress.
The Aberdeen school has suffered a string of negative headlines in recent years.
But after damning inspection reports, plummeting attainment levels, and teachers voting to strike over classroom violence, the school is now starting to turn the corner.
In a wide-ranging interview with The P&J, Mr McDermott said the school is now on a “positive trajectory.”
He spoke to us after Education Scotland published a letter to parents praising the school’s progress since he took the helm as acting head teacher after the October holidays last year. He was made permanent head in March.
Positives of Northfield Academy not always recognised, says head
“The young people are fantastic,” said Mr McDermott. “The community is brilliant. The staff are dedicated and committed to improving outcomes.
“Yes, we recognise that some have a way to go. But some are already starting to move in the right direction.
“That’s thanks to work that’s taken place over a number of years.
“I don’t think that’s always portrayed as it should be, and recognised.”
Originally a music teacher, Mr McDermott has previously worked at city schools such as Torry Academy and St Machar Academy. Most recently, he was head teacher for additional support needs (ASN) and outreach across Aberdeen.
He was also part of the ‘tactical team’ which was set up to help make improvements at Northfield Academy.
Remarkably, Mr McDermott still finds time to act as musical director of local amateur dramatics, which he has been involved with for more than 15 years. This includes the Attic Panto, which puts on shows at the Tivoli every year.
After an inspection in early 2023, Northfield Academy was given the lowest grade, ‘unsatisfactory’, in all four areas of assessment.
Such was the damning nature of the resulting report, which came out in March 2023, Aberdeen City Council called on the Scottish Government to intervene.
However, Education Scotland said in a letter published this week – following a further visit to the school by inspectors two months ago – that Northfield Academy “has made progress since the original inspection.”
‘Significant improvement in school culture’ at Northfield Academy, though concerns remain
Mr McDermott was praised in the letter for providing “clear direction for school improvement”, with Education Scotland adding that he is “highly regarded by staff and young people.”
The letter also said staff and parents feel valued, and that there had been “significant improvements in school culture.”
In addition, it pointed to an “increasing majority” of pupils saying they felt safe in school.
The negatives included continuing concerns around bullying, and behaviour in corridors.
Poor attainment and attendance – with “too many” pupils walking out of classrooms – were also highlighted.
Steps have been taken to improve attainment however, with the letter noting “greater rigour and accuracy around literacy and numeracy levels in S1 to S3.”
But what do the pupils think?
The P&J also chatted with pupils Lily Parker, Alex Imlach, Ryan Jeffrey, and Abbie Buchan about the school’s progress. They’ve just moved up to S2 as they near the end of their first year at Northfield Academy.
All were in agreement that the school’s bad reputation is unjustified.
And they were particularly enthusiastic about the S1 ‘Crew’ model, which was also praised by Education Scotland in its letter this week.
The Crew model aims to better support S1 pupils by providing a nurturing environment where they feel included and respected.
It was part of a huge redesign of S1 in light of the tactical team’s recommendations, which included restructuring the pastoral care team.
The pupils we spoke to all said Crew had brought them closer to the teachers, and been crucial in helping them settle into the school.
The daily focuses of Crew are: Mindful Mondays, Tranquil Tuesdays, Wise Wednesdays, Thoughtful Thursdays, and Flexible Fridays.
They do community clean-ups, check-ins, and even held a residential outdoor experience earlier in the school year.
‘It’s annoying when people talk about the bad stuff’
Lily said: “Northfield has such a bad reputation, so when people think of the school they always think of the worst parts, but not what actually goes on in the school.
“You hear about bad reports and bullying but not about the good stuff – how empathetic the staff are or how good most of the pupils are.”
Alex agreed: “The school’s better than it was. My sisters used to go here and they would talk about how bad it was.
“It seems to have become a much safer place.
“The staff are really helpful, if you’re having a bad day they’ll try their best to turn it around and just make you happier.”
And Ryan added: “A lot of the people from other primary schools I’ve met coming up to Northfield have been really nice. I’ve got a great bunch of mates.
“Crew is another good thing because it’s a lot different from the usual set-up.
“It’s relaxed and chilled, and you get to speak to staff more and it’s easier to make friends.”
And Abbie said: “It is annoying when people talk about the bad stuff, because when you get here you realise it’s not at all like people say.
“There are all these rumours about what Northfield’s like, about what happens here.
“It makes you nervous about coming here, but it’s not like that at all.
“Things like Crew are great as well – you know there’s always someone you can speak to if you’re struggling.”
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