High school becomes city's first to claim service award

QUEENSFERRY High has become the first school in the city to receive a prestigious Customer Service Excellence (CSE) award.

The special award focuses on delivery of information, timeliness, staff attitude and an understanding of customers and their experiences.

The top award is the UK Government's standard for high-quality customer service.

Independent assessors found the secondary school to have a deep understanding of, and a commitment to, customer service and demonstrated excellence in 54 out of the 57 judging areas.

Since deciding to apply for the award, the school has launched a new pupil forum bringing benefits such as faster responses to pupil suggestions, implemented a concerns and suggestions procedure and expanded and improved its customer satisfaction questionnaires.

The school has also compiled a staff customer service handbook, improved its website, started measuring response times, distributed its handbook to local libraries and published customer service targets and results.

City education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "Well done to all the pupils and teachers who succeeded in achieving this impressive award."

Headteacher Robert Birch added: "This award recognises our high standards."