St Joseph’s College is a denominational school which serves the town of Dumfries and the surrounding area. The roll was 744 when the inspection was carried out in March 2010. The school provides for young people with a range of additional support needs. The school supports a very high level of placing requests. Young people’s attendance was in line with the national average in 2008/2009.

Particular strengths of the school

• Polite and sociable young people who achieve widely.
• Effective partnerships with a range of other agencies.
• The school’s success in securing employment, training and further or higher education opportunities for young people leaving school.
• Staff and young people who are committed to the school community.

Areas for improvement

The following areas for improvement have been agreed with the school and education authority.

• Involve all stakeholders in developing and implementing agreed priorities for school improvement.
• Adopt rigorous approaches to self-evaluation to improve outcomes for learners.
• Ensure that staff across the school work together effectively to meet the needs of all learners.
• Continue to involve young people more in their learning.