25 August 2009
We published a report on Teanassie Primary School and Nursery Class in August 2007. That report set out key strengths of the school and main points for action.
This follow-through report is based on an inspection visit which was carried out in May 2009. It tells you about improvements since the original inspection in the quality of education which the school1 provides. It also comments on how the school is getting on with the main points for action. First we focus on changes in the core work of the school. We explain how the school has got better at helping children to learn and benefit from being at the school. Next we look at the key processes which enable this to happen, including the involvement of parents2. Our report also describes developments in the ‘ethos’ of the school, by which we mean how well children are cared for and how much is expected of them in all aspects of school life. Finally we comment on improvements in leadership to help the school achieve its aims.
A copy of this report has been placed on the HMIE website www.hmie.gov.uk. Where applicable, you will also find descriptions of good practice in the school and analyses of questionnaire returns.
1. The school
2. Particular strengths of the school
3. How well do children learn and achieve?
4. How well do staff work with others to support children's learning?
5. Are staff and children actively involved in improving their school community?
6. Does the school have high expectations of all children?
7. Does the school have a clear sense of direction?
8. What happens next?
Overall attainment is not yet improving significantly. Most children are now achieving higher standards in their class work. Staff at the upper stages are using children’s ideas to introduce more practical activities to mathematics lessons. Children’s skills in listening and talking are developing well. Their skills in writing need to improve further. Teachers have begun to link children’s learning across curriculum areas to increase children’s enjoyment and improve their understanding. Children have good opportunities to learn about diversity and equality in society. Some staff make effective use of information and communications technology, including digital video, to help pupils to review and evaluate their work. Opportunities for children to use the Internet are still limited by unreliable connections. Teachers now set children a greater number of practical tasks in lessons and children are responding well. In the best practice teachers set challenging personal and group research projects which give children a sense of achievement. More work is needed to ensure consistent practice across the school.
Staff, parents and children have worked closely together to improve the school. Teachers share ideas with one another and with teachers in other local schools. They work together to identify children who need support with their learning. Teachers now need to improve individualised educational programmes to help children with additional support needs to make appropriate progress. Children now understand the purposes of lessons and almost all engage enthusiastically in their learning.
Staff, parents and pupils have produced an ambitious vision for the school which everyone is helping to realise. Staff are increasingly active in improving the school and are now playing a leading part in some developments. Children are taking more responsibility and making important decisions about the school and their learning. All children are involved in committees which carry out ambitious and enterprising projects. Staff now involve children more effectively in evaluating their learning experiences. Through strong partnerships with parents and the community, the school grounds have been substantially improved. Parents have also worked with the education authority to provide a car park and children have installed a community notice board. Staff now give parents more information about the work of the school and their children’s learning.
Teachers continue to expect appropriately high standards of children’s attendance and behaviour. They now give children more opportunities to take responsibility and achieve more widely. Children regularly lead assemblies and celebrate one another’s achievements. The school has made effective improvements in a wide range of areas. Teachers now need to continue to improve their assessment of children’s skills to provide them with more challenging learning activities.
Staff work well together and are improving the children’s learning experiences and the environment for learning. The new acting headteacher has met with staff to review the progress of every child. He is beginning to visit classrooms and has begun to share with staff his ideas for further improvement. The education authority provides useful help. The information gained from tracking children’s achievements is not yet used effectively to monitor their progress. Overall, procedures for self-evaluation are still not well enough developed. The school has further work to do in order to secure continuous improvement.
The school has improved in some key areas of its work since the original inspection. Aspects of learning and teaching are better. There is not enough improvement yet in the arrangements for evaluating the work of the school. As a result, we will continue to engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress. We will carry out a further follow-through visit to the school and will report to parents, within one year of the publication of this report, on the extent of the improvement that has been achieved.
HM Inspector: Jacqueline Sinclair
25 August 2009
To find out more about inspections or get an electronic copy of this report go to www.hmie.gov.uk. Please contact the Business Management and Communications Team (BMCT) if you wish to enquire about our arrangements for translated or other appropriate versions.
If you wish to comment about any of our inspections, contact us at HMIEenquiries@hmie.gsi.gov.uk or alternatively you should write in the first instance to BMCT, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
Our complaints procedure is available from our website www.hmie.gov.uk or alternatively you can write to our Complaints Manager, at the address above or by telephoning 01506 600259.
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 at www.spso.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2009
HM Inspectorate of Education
1. The term ‘school’ is used to include the work of the nursery class, where relevant.
2. Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.