Cluny Primary School
Buckie
The Moray Council

11 November 2008

Contents

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
How can you contact us?

1. Background

Cluny Primary School was inspected in June 2008 as part of a national sample of primary education. The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. It evaluated 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 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 school serves the west of the town of Buckie. At the time of the inspection the roll was 341. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was below the national average. Pupils’ attendance was above the national average.

2. Key strengths

3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?

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.

Overall, parents, staff and pupils were very happy with the school. All parents stated that the school encouraged their children to work to the best of their ability. All felt that their children enjoyed being at school and that staff showed concern for the care and welfare of their children. All pupils said that teachers explained things clearly, expected them to work to the best of their ability and helped them when they were having difficulties. All pupils stated that they felt safe and well looked after. Staff were very positive about almost all aspects of the school. They felt that pupils were enthusiastic about learning and that the school was well led. A few teachers and around half of support staff felt that communication amongst staff could be better.

4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?

Learners’ experiences

Pupils experienced a suitably broad and balanced curriculum. Teachers made appropriate use of additional time allocated to English language and mathematics in order to improve pupils’ attainment. The school was making steady progress towards providing two hours of good quality physical education for all pupils each week. Pupils at P6 and P7 were developing appropriate skills in speaking and listening in French and German. Staff had made a positive start at developing active play at P1 and P2 to provide additional stimulus for learning. Pupils were developing their information and communications technology (ICT) skills well in several areas of the curriculum, including environmental studies. The quality of teaching was good overall. All teachers used a variety of effective teaching approaches to provide a positive and stimulating learning environment. They gave helpful instructions, clear explanations, and used questioning skilfully to reinforce main points and to check pupils’ understanding. Staff used praise effectively to motivate pupils to participate in lessons and to celebrate success. In most lessons, pupils had effective opportunities to explore their thinking and provide extended answers to teachers’ questions. Regular homework reinforced class work appropriately. Teachers at the upper stages had developed appropriate homework activities which involved parents well in supporting their children’s learning.

The quality of learners’ experiences was good overall. Most pupils listened attentively, were well behaved and carried out written and practical tasks enthusiastically. Pupils understood the purposes of lessons and what they were expected to do. They behaved responsibly and contributed confidently in lessons. At all stages, pupils worked effectively in groups and individually, and led some aspects of learning. In most lessons, pupils took responsibility for their own learning and often helped each other, for example in project work and presentations. Overall, the pace of learning was brisk, but at times pupils were given insufficient time to reflect on ideas. There was scope for all pupils to be given more challenging tasks.

Improvements in performance

The school had achieved good improvements in its performance, across a number of important areas. Staff had successfully improved their approaches to the teaching and learning of mathematics and writing. They had developed a better balance between imaginative and factual writing.

The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in English language was good. Across the stages, most pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment in key aspects of English language. Most pupils achieved these levels earlier than might normally be expected. Standards of attainment had remained steady over recent years. Most pupils, including those who required additional support with their learning, were making good progress. Pupils listened well in lessons and expressed and justified their views clearly to peers in group tasks. Most pupils enjoyed reading for pleasure and could explain their choice of literature. A few reluctant readers across the stages, and ambitious readers at the upper stages, needed further guidance to broaden the range of books they read. Most pupils demonstrated appropriate understanding of the use of language and the skills of the writer. A few pupils were developing critical reading skills by editing one another’s writing. Pupils at P7 demonstrated a good range of effective reading skills such as scanning texts for relevant information. In almost all classes, pupils wrote competently for a range of purposes. Their skills in writing poetry which captured the atmosphere of the subject were particularly well developed. Higher-attaining pupils at the upper stages needed more challenging writing opportunities. A few pupils who experienced difficulties with spelling did not write confidently. Pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work was of a high standard. Staff had begun to develop pupils’ skills well in talking and listening in a range of other curriculum areas.

The overall quality of attainment in mathematics was good. Across the school, most pupils were attaining appropriate national levels. Standards of attainment had remained steady over recent years. Almost all pupils at P2 and most at P5 attained these levels earlier than might normally be expected. The early progress was not always maintained by all pupils at P3 and P4. Those pupils who had not yet attained national levels were making suitable progress. Across the school, pupils used ICT and mathematical games well to support their learning. At all stages, most pupils had a good knowledge of handling data and answered related questions well. Across the stages, most pupils carried out written and mental calculations effectively and were able to explain how they reached the answer. Pupils at P1 and P2 were progressing well in developing their skills in addition and subtraction. Most at the upper stages could work accurately with fractions and percentages and were confident in aspects of measurement. Pupils had a good understanding of shape relevant to their stage. Those at P3 were confident in using coordinates and producing graphs. Across the stages, most pupils worked enthusiastically when problem solving in small groups and used successfully a range of different strategies.

The school helped pupils to develop their learning skills across other areas of the curriculum. Pupils used their practical and research skills effectively when working together on projects, and when reporting their findings to parents. Across the stages, pupils were using their mathematical skills well in other curricular areas such as science and health. Pupils at P2 talked confidently about farming in Africa. Those at P3 knew about the different kinds of fuels and their uses. At P4, pupils had successfully built well-designed model gliders as part of their project work on flight. Pupils at P7 understood the effects of being in the media and the public eye and its impact on people’s lifestyles.

The school took very effective steps to develop pupils’ wider achievements. At all stages, pupils’ awareness of healthy lifestyles was raised through a number of exciting activities such as ‘Wake Up-Shake Up’. Most pupils were involved in a variety of out-of-school activities such as athletics and team sports. Pupils took on roles of responsibility, for example, those at P7 carried out their playground duties well. At P6, pupils successfully supported those in P1 when they started school. Participation in these activities raised pupils’ self-esteem and helped them to become more confident in working with others. Across the school, pupils developed good citizenship skills in their roles as members of the pupil council and through involvement in several activities. For example, a group of P7 pupils travelled to London to accept an award from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on behalf of the school. Pupils had successfully participated in a beach clearing project as part of the Moray Firth Partnership - Beach Guardians Project and had organised an eco-conference for the local community. These and similar activities had helped the school gain a silver Eco-Schools Scotland award and raised pupils’ awareness of the global importance of environmental issues.

The school had made good progress in addressing the priorities in its improvement plan. Several developments of the school improvement plan were beginning to make an impact on the learning and teaching in the school. The school was currently reviewing its programmes in science and ICT. Teachers’ implementation of new approaches to learning and teaching was helping to improve attainment. The school knew its strengths and development needs and was committed to improving the quality of pupils’ learning experiences.

5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?

The school’s approaches to meeting pupils’ learning needs were good. Staff knew their pupils well and planned lessons to address their needs. Teachers provided activities which often related to pupils’ interests and built well on pupils’ prior learning. Overall, in most classes, teachers’ planning took appropriate account of pupils’ prior learning. Teachers often organised pupils into groups for specific tasks, sometimes arranging for the groups to comprise of pupils with similar attainment. At other times, teachers formed groups which led to effective learning with older pupils gaining confidence from helping younger pupils. Support staff made an important contribution by working with groups and alongside individual pupils to ensure that most made appropriate progress in their learning. At times, higher-attaining learners were not given sufficiently challenging tasks. At the early stages, a few pupils with specific learning needs received additional support for learning from a visiting teacher. Others received help in connection with English language. All the pupils concerned had benefited from this support and were making progress towards agreed learning targets. Due to staffing difficulties, some external agencies were not always successful in meeting the needs of a few very vulnerable pupils.

6. How good is the environment for learning?

7. Leading and improving the school

Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.

Cluny Primary School had successfully developed a community ethos and provided its pupils with a very caring and supportive learning environment. The school’s overall performance was good and staff had made a good start at making improvements to the curriculum. Staff promoted and celebrated pupils’ wider achievements very effectively. The quality of learning and teaching was good. Staff did not always ensure that pupils were consistently set appropriately challenging tasks to meet their needs effectively.

The experienced and dedicated headteacher was committed to improving the quality of teaching and learners’ experiences. He had managed change sensitively by consulting staff about improvements to the curriculum and teaching approaches. The headteacher had used his good interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive relationships with parents and the wider community. He had supported staff appropriately in improving their approaches to teaching and in the development of curricular materials. The headteacher needed to increase the pace of improvements in learning and teaching. The depute headteacher carried out her responsibilities very effectively to support the headteacher and staff. The principal teachers carried out their remits well but did not yet have a strong enough role in leading whole-school developments. Staff worked well together as a team but were not sufficiently involved in leading learning, and in developing whole-school initiatives. The school’s approaches to self-evaluation were satisfactory. Senior managers used attainment data appropriately to track pupils’ progress and to inform discussions with teachers in planning groups and setting learning targets. They monitored teachers’ forward plans regularly, observed the classroom practice of the majority of teachers and provided helpful feedback. The headteacher had sought parents’ views, for example relating to the format of parents’ evenings and had introduced improvements. Teachers had started to share ideas and practices with each other. The headteacher had not yet ensured that approaches to self-evaluation were sufficiently rigorous and consistent across all stages, and that good practice was shared effectively. With continuing support from the education authority, the school had a good capacity for further improvement.

What happens next?

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 parents will be informed about the progress made by the school.

Hakim Din
HM Inspector

11 November 2008

Appendix 1 Indicators of quality

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.

This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by inspectors:

Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses

Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires are listed below.

How can you contact us?

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, 1st Floor, Endeavour House, 1 Greenmarket, Dundee DD1 4QB or by telephoning 01382 576700. 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 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. 

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.

Crown Copyright 2008
HM Inspectorate of Education

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated.

Footnotes

1. Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.