Main points for action
1. To improve attainment in English language the school should review those aspects of its programmes covering handwriting, spelling and punctuation.
The school had made very good progress in meeting this recommendation.
Staff had reviewed and improved the programme for English language. New resources had been purchased to support the revised programme. Staff had established clear and appropriately high expectations of the quality of pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuation. As a result of these actions there had been a marked improvement in pupils’ attainment in their classwork.
2. To improve attainment in mathematics the school should provide more opportunities for mental calculation and for using computers to handle information. There should also be more systematic coverage of the strategies for problem solving.
This recommendation was being addressed very effectively.
The education authority had provided useful advice and staff development on activities aimed at raising standards in mental calculation. Staff now placed a greater emphasis on mental calculation and there had been a marked improvement in pupils’ mental skills.
Working with a consultant, staff had successfully identified gaps in pupils’ skills in using computers to handle information. They ran a short-term development programme, resulting in a significant improvement in pupils’ skills. One teacher, appointed co-ordinator for information technology, was now ensuring that development continued.
Staff had reviewed the programme for problem solving and new resources had been purchased to support the revised programme. Pupils at all stages were now successfully applying a wider range of strategies to problem solving tasks.
Overall, these steps had contributed to improving pupils’ attainment in important aspects of their classwork.