24 June 2008
1. The inspection
2. Continuous improvement
3. Progress towards meeting the main points for action
4. Conclusion
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HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) published a report on the inspection of Kinloss Primary School in June 2007. The report indicated that HM Inspectors would engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress and would publish an interim report within one year of the publication of the original report.
Working with the school, the education authority prepared an action plan indicating how they would address the main points for action identified in the original HMIE inspection report. HM Inspectors carried out an interim follow-through visit to the school in May 2008. They assessed the extent to which the school was continuing to improve the quality of its work, and evaluated progress made in responding to the main points for action in the initial report.
With considerable effective support from the education authority, the headteacher and staff had begun to improve aspects of the school’s provision. The school had achieved a silver Eco-Schools Scotland award for its work with pupils on environmental issues. Pupils’ understanding of their local environment was further enriched by their participation in a forest schools project. Staff now provided pupils with better opportunities for creative, expressive and cultural experiences. The school had achieved Health Promoting School status.
In a few classes, teachers had begun to use new interactive whiteboards to increase pupils’ engagement in lessons. Pupils now had improved access to a wide range of resources to promote reading for pleasure in the well organised library. The organisation and range of classroom and learning spaces had been improved. Pupils with autism spectrum disorder were now fully integrated within their classes, and almost all were achieving significant success in the mainstream curriculum. The autism base now provided space for groups of pupils, including pupils with autism spectrum disorder, to develop their collaborative and social skills.
The initial inspection report published in June 2007 identified five main points for action. This section evaluates the progress made with each of the action points and the resulting improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.
3.1 Raise attainment in English language and mathematics.
The school had made a promising start to addressing this main point for action.
Across the stages, teachers effectively developed pupils’ listening and talking skills through a range of helpful activities. Almost all pupils listened well to teachers and to one another in classes. Pupils from P3 to P7 responded well to regular opportunities to make presentations about their learning to adult audiences. Staff had begun to develop effective approaches to assessing pupils’ listening and talking skills. They were not yet using this information effectively to plan pupils’ next steps in learning. Pupils’ skills in reading and understanding texts had begun to improve. Teachers had not yet given sufficient attention to improving pupils’ skills in finding information from a range of sources. In a majority of classes, pupils’ writing showed more appropriate length and detail. Pupils did not use their understanding of how authors used language to further improve the quality of their own writing. In mathematics, the visiting teacher of information and communications technology made strong contributions to the development of pupils’ skills in information handling. Across the school staff effectively developed pupils’ skills in solving mathematical problems. Pupils benefited from regular opportunities to talk about the strategies they had used. Staff did not yet use assessment information to plan pupils’ next steps in developing their mathematical skills. Too often, pupils were required to carry out inappropriately repetitive examples of written calculations.
3.2 Increase the pace and challenge in pupils’ learning.
The school was at the early stages of meeting this main point for action.
Children in the nursery and pupils at the early stages had very good opportunities to learn through well planned play activities. Most teachers had begun to plan lessons to develop pupils’ skills more effectively. A few teachers had increased the level of challenge in homework with imaginative activities. The school had plans to adopt such approaches at all stages. A few teachers now explained the purposes of lessons to pupils and raised pupils’ awareness of their strengths and next steps in learning. School staff had not yet ensured that such approaches were used consistently across the school to help pupils understand how they were progressing in their learning. Teachers did not use questions effectively to develop pupils’ understanding. At the middle and upper stages teachers spent too long talking to the class, and as a result pupils were not fully engaged or active in their learning.
3.3 Develop greater rigour in monitoring pupils’ progress and in improving the quality of learning and teaching.
The school had made a useful start to addressing this main point for action.
The headteacher had used a wide range of effective approaches to monitor the quality of pupils’ experiences and progress. As a result he had a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. He had ensured that staff were beginning to improve pace and challenge in some areas of the curriculum. Staff were now developing an increasing awareness of the features of effective practice and had begun to observe and reflect on one another’s practice. Not all staff had fully or consistently implemented improved learning and teaching approaches or secured sustained improvement in pupils’ achievements. The headteacher had not yet taken a sufficiently rigorous approach to ensuring that agreed school policies and approaches were implemented consistently by all staff.
3.4 Take immediate steps to improve aspects of building security.
The school and the authority had taken important and effective steps in meeting this main point for action.
There were now appropriate security arrangements in place throughout the school building. The entrance foyer provided a single entry point to the school. Reception arrangements created an attractive and welcoming environment. Nursery parents now gained appropriate access through a separate secure entrance.
3.5 Improve partnerships with parents and the wider community.
The school had made a very effective start to addressing this main point for action.
Staff had made considerable improvements to partnerships with parents and the wider community. The new reception facilities provided a more welcoming environment for visitors. The school had established a strong and supportive parent council and a parent support group. Between them, these groups effectively engaged a wide range of parents in the work of the school. Parents provided strong support to the regular social events and attended assemblies where pupils presented their work. The school had made effective arrangements to inform parents about their children’s learning and how they could help. The headteacher and staff had improved the quality of dialogue between parents and teachers at parents’ evenings. Parents were pleased with the information they received in regular newsletters about the work of the school.
With the helpful support of the education authority, the headteacher and staff had taken some useful steps to improve aspects of the school’s provision. The school’s accommodation and the partnerships with parents had been considerably improved and this was already benefiting pupils. Much remained to be done to ensure that changes improved pupils’ skills and experiences at all stages in the school. Progress in a few developments had been too slow. Staff had not yet worked together effectively to increase the pace of change, and consistently apply agreed approaches to improve pupils’ learning. HMIE will continue to engage with the school and education authority and will provide another report on progress for parents and carers within one year of the publication of this report.
Jacqueline Sinclair
HM Inspector
24 June 2008
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff, the Director of Educational Services, local councillors and appropriate Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education, Longman House, 28 Longman Road, Inverness, IV1 1SF or by telephoning 01463 253115. Copies are also available on our website: www.hmie.gov.uk .
HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of follow-through inspections, you should write in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications Team, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA. You can also e-mail HMIEcomplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone 0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.spso.org.uk.
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HM Inspectorate of Education
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