2 September 2008
1. Background
2. Key strengths
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
6. How good is the environment for learning?
7. Leading and improving the school
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
Appendix 3 Good Practice
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Spean Bridge Primary School and Nursery Class were inspected in May 2008 as part of a national sample of primary and nursery education. The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. It evaluated nursery children's and pupils' achievements, the effectiveness of the school, the environment for learning, the school's processes for self evaluation and innovation, and its capacity for improvement. There was a particular focus on attainment in English language and mathematics.
HM Inspectors examined the quality of the children's experience in the nursery, pupils' work and interviewed groups of pupils, including the pupil council and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the Parent Council, representatives of the parent-teacher association (PTA) and a group of parents1.
The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school's progress in implementing national recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision.
The school serves the village of Spean Bridge and the surrounding area. At the time of the inspection the roll was 113, including 32 children in the nursery class. The headteacher, as part of the authority's shared headship initiative, was also headteacher of the nearby Roybridge Primary School. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was below the national average. Pupils' attendance was above the national average.
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
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HM Inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires issued to a sample of parents, P4 to P7 pupils, and to all staff. Information about the responses to the questionnaires appears in Appendix 2.
Parents expressed very positive views about the school. Parents of children in the nursery class thought that their children enjoyed being at nursery. They were very pleased with the school buildings. They felt their children enjoyed being at school. Parents regarded the headteacher and staff as being very hardworking and effective, and were confident that the school set high standards for all pupils. They found parents’ evenings and information from the school very useful. Parents were confident that their children would be helped if they were having a difficulty. Pupils were very proud of their school and enjoyed being there. They liked their teachers and thought staff worked very hard to help all pupils. Pupils felt safe and well looked after and knew staff wanted all pupils to succeed. Staff enjoyed working in the school and thought that they operated very effectively as a team. They appreciated the opportunities to be involved with improving the school and thought the school was very well led.
Learners’ experiences
The overall structure and rationale of the curriculum was good in the nursery and very good at the primary stages. In the nursery, staff provided children with a range of learning activities which effectively supported their development across most key areas. Staff developed very positive relationships with the children and led well-planned group activities. They made very good use of the outdoor environment to encourage children’s physical development and their awareness of the natural world. At the primary stages, staff ensured that pupils developed as learners through well-planned and relevant learning experiences. Teachers organised effective programmes of teaching which promoted progression in learning and helped develop a wide range of important skills. For example, as part of a task learning about the environment, P1 and P2 pupils had worked with the Salmon Fisheries Trust to release and monitor salmon. Staff used a range of well-planned visits which were linked to their classwork. Pupils had outstanding opportunities to develop skills in education for sustainability and an understanding of how to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Staff ensured that all pupils benefited from appropriately frequent and high quality physical education each week. Teachers had established a very positive climate for learning. They were very well organised and used their classroom environments effectively to stimulate learning. Staff consistently shared learning targets with pupils, referring to these targets regularly in order to remind pupils how to succeed. They provided opportunities for pupils to review their learning. These opportunities were not regular enough. Teachers made very good use of praise and most gave clear explanations and instructions. Homework was well organised and linked appropriately to the work covered in class.
Learners’ experiences in the nursery were good and those at the primary stages were very good. Children in the nursery class played very well together. They were kind and courteous towards each other and were making friends. Staff used praise effectively and recognised and rewarded children’s achievements. Every week a ‘Star of the week’ was chosen and children were aware of and proud of their achievements. They did not have sufficient opportunity to choose what to play and their play did not always have a purpose.
At the primary stages, pupils were very well-behaved, hardworking and motivated to learn. They were aware of how well they were doing and almost all knew what they needed to do to improve. Pupils achieved widely and this developed their confidence very well. By working with members of the community at the Lochaber Rural Education Trust they developed a sense of responsibility and contributed very effectively to the local community. Pupils made effective use of appropriate opportunities to discuss with staff how they thought their learning could be improved.
Improvements in performance
The school had successfully improved its performance in a number of key areas. There had been good improvements in performance in the nursery class and very good improvements in performance at the primary stages.
Children in the nursery class were making good progress in communication and language. Most children spoke confidently to staff and to each other. They listened carefully during circle time and took part in extended conversations. Most children were beginning to recognise their written name and a few were able to write their name independently. Children enjoyed looking at books together in the book corner and were developing an interest in print. A few children used the well-resourced writing area to draw and write. Too few children were developing an interest in writing through play.
In English language, at the primary stages, standards in reading and writing were good. Standards had remained high in listening and talking. Almost all pupils achieved appropriate national levels in listening, talking and writing. Most were achieving these levels in reading. A majority of pupils attained these levels earlier than might normally be expected. Pupils with additional support needs were making appropriate progress. Across the school, pupils listened carefully to teachers and each other. They responded very well to questions from staff. Pupils were confident during discussions in groups and when talking to adults from the community. At the early stages, pupils had made a very good start to learning to read. At all stages, pupils worked well in groups to read and discuss a range of books. All pupils enjoyed reading and read confidently. At the middle and upper stages, most pupils described effectively how authors created effects and used these techniques in their own work. Pupils at the middle and upper stages wrote very well for a range of purposes. At the upper stages, pupils wrote about their science experiments very well. At the middle and upper stages, pupils wrote very imaginative stories in a range of different styles. Across the school, the quality of spelling and grammar was not consistently high enough.
In the nursery class, children were making good progress in developing their early mathematical skills. Most children could count and recognise numbers up to ten during group activities. They could recite and order the days of the week. Staff interacted well with children during play activities to reinforce their skills in numeracy. Children had created a graph to measure the growth of their sunflowers. Most pupils could plan, measure, investigate and solve problems in different contexts such as construction.
At the primary stages, the quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was good. Most pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment in key aspects of mathematics and a majority exceeded these. Overall, pupils coped well with their classwork but a few were capable of achieving higher standards, tackling more challenging tasks and making faster progress. Pupils with additional support needs were making appropriate progress. At all stages, pupils were developing good skills in information handling. By P7, pupils could confidently organise, present and interpret information using a range of charts and graphs. At all stages, they made increasing use of information and communications technology (ICT) to support their learning in mathematics. At P1 to P3, pupils showed appropriate skills in early numeracy. At the middle and upper stages, pupils were confident when undertaking written calculations. From P4 to P7, pupils were not quick or accurate enough in oral mental calculations. At the upper stages, pupils developed good skills in measuring length and drawing a range of graphs to represent data. Across the school, most pupils had a sound understanding of shape, position and movement. At all stages, pupils were making good progress in developing their skills in problem solving. For example, pupils in P5 to P7 were able to discuss the strategies involved to solve problems using graphs. Pupils’ skills in using their mathematical skills across the curriculum were good and improving.
In the nursery class, children’s knowledge and understanding of the world was developing well. Children worked together well to plant sunflower seeds and were watching them grow. They used the computer independently and developed skills in using a digital movie maker and programmable toy. Most children enjoyed playing on the outdoor train and became appropriately involved in role play. Children expressed themselves well through painting and drawing. They used percussion instruments very well to accompany their singing. Most children were making very good progress in developing their physical skills. They were developing good finger and hand control and cutting skills. They were learning to climb and balance with confidence on the outdoor equipment.
Across the primary stages, pupils’ skills in health education were excellent. They were confident enough to readily share their knowledge and help to develop these skills in others. Pupils at the upper stages of the school were developing excellent skills in enterprise through a project with a local charity. They demonstrated confidence when working in a range of groups with members of the local community. Pupils in the middle stages had learned much about Egyptian culture and could talk knowledgeably about Egyptian beliefs. They had worked effectively with their teachers to raise money to improve their playground. In the early stages, pupils had collaborated well to learn about the life cycle of salmon.
Pupils developed their skills very well through achieving in a wide range of areas. Across the school, pupils made exceptional progress in developing their confidence, self-esteem and roles as active citizens. Children in the nursery were very cheerful and confident. They were very comfortable and relaxed with nursery routines and were able to share and take turns when playing. They formed friendships and developed their social skills. They used the book corner independently. Pupils at the primary stages responded well to regular opportunities to make decisions within the pupil council, as playground supervisors, buddies and junior road safety officers. Pupils demonstrated an excellent understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. Through well-established links with the local community council, pupils contributed very effectively as young citizens. Pupils met daily with a range of members of the community and teachers used these experiences well to help pupils reflect on their own values.
The school had made very good progress in addressing the priorities within the improvement plan. This progress had a measurable impact on nursery children and primary pupils’ experiences. For example, the newly planned visits to primary classes were helping nursery children to feel more confident about entering P1. Teachers in the primary classes had successfully implemented new approaches to teaching reading. This had improved pupils’ ability to read and increased their enjoyment of reading. Overall, the school knew itself very well and was committed to continuous improvement.
Arrangements to meet the needs of all pupils were good in the nursery and very good in the primary school. In the nursery class, staff made regular, focused observations and tracked children’s progress in their learning and development. They identified and offered effective support to individual children and worked closely with parents and external agencies where appropriate. They did not always provide challenging tasks which built on children’s interests. At the primary stages, learning activities and teaching approaches were well matched to pupils’ needs. Staff took effective steps to meet the differing needs of pupils in their classes. At all stages, teachers set appropriate learning targets for pupils and involved pupils effectively in helping them to achieve their targets. Class teachers and support for learning staff used effective arrangements to identify pupils who required additional assistance with their learning. School staff made effective use of links with a range of agencies to support pupils and meet their learning needs. Support for learning teachers and classroom assistants were skilful at providing a range of useful help for individuals and groups. Through close cooperation, staff prepared high quality individualised educational programmes for pupils requiring more intensive help. Parents and pupils were involved regularly in setting suitable learning targets. The targets were monitored carefully to ensure pupils made appropriate progress.
Aspect |
Comment |
Care, welfare and development |
The standard of care and welfare in the school was very high. All staff were aware of their responsibilities to ensure the safety and welfare of children and pupils, and did so very well. Pupils’ social and emotional wellbeing was very well supported by caring and effective staff. In particular, the care given to traveller children and their families to ensure they settled in and made progress was commendable. The school had very clear procedures for dealing with issues of child protection, and these were followed by all adults. Teachers used a range of appropriate strategies to motivate pupils and reward positive behaviour. Assemblies were used effectively by the pupil council to reward pupils who worked hard and behaved well. Pupils had a clear understanding of issues such as personal safety and bullying. They knew who to contact if they had concerns. Pupils were caring and concerned about each other. Effective arrangements were in place for pupils transferring from nursery class to P1 and from P7 to Lochaber High School. |
Management and use of resources and space for learning |
Staff and pupils had worked hard to create a very well-organised and stimulating environment for learning. Pupils’ work was displayed to good effect. They made outstanding use of the outdoor facilities and environment, such as the greenhouse and pond, to enhance learning experiences. The nursery class was spacious and well organised. The safely enclosed garden and main playground provided challenging and stimulating opportunities for learning. Teaching areas were very bright and welcoming and all classrooms were suitably resourced to meet the needs of individual pupils. Staff made very good use of the shared teaching areas and the additional facilities, including the cooking area, to develop pupils’ life skills. Teachers and pupils used ICT equipment, particularly the Internet, very well. Arrangements for access and security were appropriate. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality and fairness |
The climate and quality of relationships within the school and with the local community were very good and morale was very high. Staff and pupils participated enthusiastically in many activities in the local community and the quality of teamwork was very good. There were positive relationships across the school which encouraged everybody to want to learn. Staff expectations of pupils’ behaviour were high and pupils responded well to these. Pupils demonstrated highly caring attitudes towards one another. Everyone in the school community warmly welcomed children from other cultures, including children from traveller families. All pupils were forthright in expressing their views and ensuring that the school treated everyone equally and fairly. Regular assemblies included the local minister and priest fully in providing for religious observance. Assemblies also were very rich opportunities for pupils to learn about issues of diversity in wider society. Pupils learned very well from senior members of the community in the local gardening club. |
The school’s success in involving parents, carers and families |
The school had developed excellent partnerships with parents, local schools and the wider community. The Parent Council and PTA were closely involved in developing and supporting the work of the school. The school provided parents with lively, clear and accessible newsletters to keep them informed of school events and pupils’ extensive achievements. Each newsletter updated parents with helpful information regarding school priorities for improvement. Nursery parents were kept informed of their children’s progress at parents’ evenings and in an annual written report. Parents supported their pupils’ education in a range of ways. For example, through the highly effective ‘Fun Fridays’ where parents and members of the community passed on their skills to pupils through lively tutorials. Parents worked alongside staff and pupils, both within and outwith classrooms. Parents were consulted regularly and appropriately involved in improving the school. Curriculum evenings, a written progress report and two meetings each year to talk with parents about their children’s progress kept parents very well informed. There were exciting and innovative links with local businesses, charities, community organisations and local churches. In particular, the partnership with the local Rural Complex was very well developed by staff and had an extremely positive impact on pupils’ learning and on the ethos of the school. |
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Spean Bridge Primary School and Nursery Class had many strengths. The school demonstrated a strong capacity to build on its current achievements and to continue to improve. Overall, the quality of teaching for effective learning was good and learning experiences were very good. The headteacher consulted staff, parents and pupils and involved them in developing the curriculum and improving teamwork. The headteacher and staff placed high value upon pupils’ wider achievements. They used the curriculum very well to allow pupils to achieve and build a range of skills. Community involvement was outstanding and pastoral care was of a very high quality. The headteacher and the staff team were committed to the school and confident about improving its work.
The headteacher’s leadership was very good. She had shared her vision for the school very effectively with parents, staff and pupils. She had developed effective collaboration across all areas of the school. This had led to significant improvements to the curriculum, to the ethos of the school and to the teamwork of staff. The headteacher set very high expectations for all staff and pupils and gave them appropriate responsibility to work together to continue to improve the school. Working with staff, she effectively identified areas where improvements were needed and used her professional knowledge and skills to achieve them. She was well supported by staff who willingly took on a number of leadership roles. All teaching staff were fully involved in developing the curriculum and contributed to improvements through highly effective, purposeful staff meetings. The school demonstrated clear improvement through its self-evaluation procedures. The evidence the school used to evaluate its work was soundly based on a range of sources, including the views of pupils, parents and staff. The headteacher monitored the work of teachers by reviewing teaching plans, discussing improvements with the pupil council and formally observing teachers in classes to offer support and advice. This systematic approach resulted in improvements in learning and teaching. Staff met regularly with the headteacher to discuss and track pupils’ progress. These approaches were being further developed to ensure that all pupils made appropriate progress.
Nursery staff were aware of the implications of the Scottish Social Services Council’s Codes of Practice. At the last Care Commission inspection of the nursery class there were two requirements in relation to the storage and administration of medicines. These had been addressed.
Main points for action The school and education authority should continue to provide very good quality and improving education. In doing so, they should take account of the need to:
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What happens next?
As a result of the very good performance, the strong record of improvement and the very effective leadership of this school, HM Inspectors will make no further reports in connection with this inspection. The school and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report, and to share that plan with parents. Within two years of the publication of this report the education authority, working with the school, will provide a progress report to parents.
David Gregory
HM Inspector
2 September 2008
The sections in the table below follow the order in this report. You can find the main comments made about each of the quality indicators in those sections. However, aspects of some quality indicators are relevant to other sections of the report and may also be mentioned in those other sections.
How good are learning, teaching and achievement? |
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The curriculum |
very good |
Teaching for effective learning |
good |
Children's experiences (nursery class) |
good |
Learners’ experiences (primary stages) |
very good |
Improvements in performance (nursery class) |
good |
Improvements in performance (primary stages) |
very good |
How well are pupils’ learning needs met? |
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Meeting learning needs (nursery class) |
good |
Meeting learning needs (primary stages) |
very good |
How good is the environment for learning? |
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Care, welfare and development |
excellent |
Management and use of resources and space for learning |
excellent |
The engagement of staff in the life and work of the school |
very good |
Expectations and promoting achievement |
very good |
Equality and fairness |
excellent |
The school’s success in involving parents, carers and families |
excellent |
Leading and improving the school |
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Developing people and partnerships |
very good |
Leadership of improvement and change (of the headteacher) |
very good |
Improvement through self-evaluation |
good |
This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by inspectors:
| excellent | outstanding, sector leading |
| very good | major strengths |
| good | important strengths, some areas for improvement |
| adequate | strengths just outweigh weaknesses |
| weak | important weaknesses |
| unsatisfactory | major weaknesses |
Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires are listed below.
What parents thought the school did well |
What parents think the school could do better |
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What pupils thought the school did well |
What pupils think the school could do better |
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| What staff thought the school did well | What staff think the school could do better |
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In the course of the inspection, the following aspects of innovative and effective practice were evaluated as being worthy of wider dissemination.
Developing partnerships with parents and the community Close partnerships with parents and the community was a very important aim of the school. The school strived to encourage parents to participate in the education of their children by passing on any skills they had during ‘Fun Fridays’. Twice a term parents and members of the community volunteered to come into the school and lead workshops for pupils. There was a range of activities on offer and pupils worked in mixed age groups, developing teamworking skills, confidence and a sense of achievement. These activities also helped to develop parents’ presentation skills and get them involved with the education of all the pupils in the school. Pupils looked forward to the events and gained an understanding of heritage as they learned skills which may have been lost if they did not help to continue them. Developing the capacities in Curriculum for Excellence The school has a partnership with Lochaber Rural Education Trust. It has developed the partnership to enable pupils from P5 to P7 to work alongside the Trust, developing its garden and planting vegetables to be sold in autumn. Teachers use the activities to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils develop personally as they work alongside and learn from much older members of the local community. They work as responsible citizens and learn about how growing food locally can help the climate globally. Pupils have also developed an enterprising attitude and are planning a number of events to raise funds for the work of the Trust. Pupils develop confidence as they show members of the public around the Rural Complex, talking about the work of the Trust and about the work they have been involved in. Several members of staff are involved in the project which is easily sustained. |
If you would like an additional copy of this report
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HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of primary inspections, you should write in the first instance to Chris McIlroy, HMCI, at 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.
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Crown Copyright 2008
HM Inspectorate of Education
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1. Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.