| Established | 1982 |
|---|---|
| Headteacher | Mr. McCormick |
| Depute Headteacher | Mrs Devlin, Mrs Seggie, Mrs Weir and Miss Daley |
| Location | Carfin Street Motherwell ML1 4JP Scotland |
| Students | 709 |
| Houses | St. John Ogilvie, St. Margaret, St. Columba, St. Andrew & St. Kentigern |
| Contact No | 01698 352590 |
| Website | Taylor High School |
Taylor High School is a six year Roman Catholic comprehensive secondary school in New Stevenston (Motherwell, Scotland). Taylor High School is named after Monsignor Thomas Nimmo Taylor who was Parish Priest at St. Francis Xavier Church, Carfin for almost 50 years and who was responsible for the development of the world famous Carfin Lourdes Grotto in 1922.
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The Headteacher is Mr McCormick he is assisted by his Depute Headteachers Miss Daley, Mrs Weir, Mrs Devlin and Mrs Seggie.
There is a teaching staff complement of approximately 57 FTE who demonstrate a very high level of commitment to all in their care and are ably assisted by a range of support personnel. There are 14 Principal Teachers (Curriculum), 8 Principal Teachers (Pupil Support), 1 Principal Teacher (Support for Learning and Teaching) and 1 Principal Teacher (Enterprise). The Pupil Support department operates a horizontal system which supports excellent Pastoral Care.
Pupils attend the school from New Stevenston (NS), Carfin, Holytown, Newarthill, Cleland and the Jerviston area of Motherwell. The school achieved School of Ambition status in 2007 with a focus on Technology. It received additional Government funding from 2007–2010 and has developed the use of technology in learning across the curriculum through the innovative use of Information and Communications Technology including hand held devices such as ipods and netbooks. The use of technology has improved the quality of learning and staff knowledge in the use of ICT in learning.
It has well equipped subject areas, a central Cafeteria/Social area, two large gymnasia and spacious games hall, a well-stocked library/resource centre and a theatre seating 200. The school also has a lift and extensive facilities for the disabled.
The outdoor sports facilities have been extensively upgraded with the installation of an all-weather outdoor floodlit multi-purpose sports area. Further extensive refurbishment is planned to take place in the near future to the school as a whole.
Taylor High School has excellent relationships with its associated primary schools of Cathedral in Motherwell, Christ the King in Holytown, Our Lady & St Francis in Carfin, St Mary’s in Cleland, St Patrick’s in New Stevenston and St Teresa’s in Newarthill. The school is very well supported by the parent body. An active Parent Council meets regularly in the school.
As a Catholic school it is concerned with promoting the two great Christian commandments.
It is for this reason that the school adopted as its motto the prayer of Monsignor Taylor which he offered up in 1897, the year of his ordination to the priesthood.
“Que tout soit pour Dieu”, “May all things be for God”.
Taylor High School welcomes everyone who wishes to come there and is committed to the education of the whole person – spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical.
The school seeks a community among all staff, parents and pupils in order to offer education of the highest quality.
In particular the school is determined to:
within which the prime focus is on the right of all pupils to have equal opportunities for achievement.
The Curriculum is in line with national guidelines, in terms of personalisation and choice and has breadth and balance as well as excellent progression at transition points. Currently the school operates a 30 period week. Subject departments offer a range of 13 different subjects in S1/S2 assisted by a Learning Support department. It is the aim of the school that pupils in First Year are taught by not more than 10 teachers per week. Most pupils select 8 Standard Grade courses in S3/S4. Some pupils are able to choose Intermediate courses at this stage. The school has implemented National Qualifications in Fifth and Sixth Year and now offers a wide range of courses at Advanced Higher, Higher, Intermediate and Access levels. From Third Year upwards a range of vocational courses is offered including Hospitality (Practical Cookery), Hairdressing, Care, Sports Coaching, Practical Craft Skills (Woodworking and Engineering), Travel and Tourism, Higher Photography, Intermediate 1 Creative Digital Media, Intermediate 2 Hairdressing, Sound Engineering Higher Unit, Intermediate 2 Skills for Work Retailing. Many teachers contribute to extra-curricular activities, including the organisation of lunch-time and after school clubs. The school is very well equipped with technology as a result of its time as a technology school of ambition and the curriculum in the coming years will reflect this through the development of a detailed technological entitlement for each pupil.
In addition to offering a full range of courses within the school day the school also offers a supported study programme funded by the Council. This includes a well-established and very successful Easter School. The school has a wide range of up-to-date ICT facilities including broadband Internet access via North Lanarkshire Learning and Leisure Services Wide Area Network. Due to its status as a Technology School of Ambition Taylor High has had access to substantial additional resources from the Scottish Government and all classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboard technology and modern computers.
In recent years, Scottish Qualifications Authority results have shown very good and consistent attainment with steadily improving results at Higher Grade during the years 2006 - 2010.
Taylor High staff are proud of the caring, welcoming, friendly and purposeful ethos which symbolises the school. It is frequently and favourably commented upon by visitors and demonstrates the school’s Catholic ethos and identity in a strongly positive light.
The school's last HMI inspection report was published in February 2004. The outcome of the inspection was very good in a wide range of important areas including the structure of the school’s curriculum, the quality of learning and teaching, support for pupils, ethos, management and community links. The report is available on the HMIe website at www.hmie.gov.uk.
The school achieved distinction on 16 September 2010 when its Fourth Year Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of its Principal Teacher of Music Fiona Cannon, was chosen to sing the Gathering Hymn before the Mass celebrated by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. A video of this performance was released by the school part of which was broadcast on Scottish Television News on 15 September 2010.