St Benedict’s High School is a denominational school which serves Linwood, Johnstone and surrounding communities, on the outskirts of the town of Paisley. It opened in August 2006. The roll was 704 when the inspection was carried out in March 2009. The school has a support unit called the Columba Base for 17 young people with autistic spectrum disorders from across the local authority. Young people’s attendance was in line with the national average in 2007/2008.

Particular strengths of the school

• Courteous, well-behaved and enthusiastic young people.
• Approaches to addressing the needs of vulnerable young people.
• The quality of pastoral care.
• The strong ethos and positive relationships between staff and young people.
• The commitment of the headteacher and staff to improving outcomes for young people.

Examples of good practice

• Inclusive approach for young people with autistic spectrum disorders into mainstream schooling.
• Developing leadership and citizenship in senior students.