Dollar Academy has received an outstanding report from HMIe this week. The inspection covered every aspect of school life in this 5-18 school, and high praise was given to everything from academic achievement to extra-curricular activities. The Academy's powerful links with the wider community were particularly stressed.

The report identified eight key strengths including:

• "very strong curricular provision at all stages"
• "an impressive and imaginative range of extra-curricular activities"
• "the notable pride in the school of pupils and staff"

Seventeen "indicators of quality" were judged as "very good", and four as "good". Among the former were:

• "expectations and promoting achievement"
• "pastoral care"
• "partnership with parents, the Board of Governors and the local community."
   No items featured in the "fair" or "unsatisfactory" categories.

"This is a very positive report, reflecting so accurately on the excellent work of Dollar's teachers in and out of the classroom," commented the Rector, Mr John Robertson. "The HMI have sensed the real focus and drive in this learning community."

Director of Studies, Mr Simon Johnson, was pleased that the report had recognised academic success: "The examination results achieved by our pupils and highlighted in the report are rightly praised, but the report also acknowledges the care and hard work that lie behind them."

Click here to view the full report. HMIe will be making no further reports in connection with this inspection because of "the high performance, the strong record of improvement and the very effective leadership of this school."