13 March 2007
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
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St Blane’s Primary School was inspected in November 2006 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 School Board, 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.
St Blane’s Primary School is a denominational school serving Summerston and surrounding areas in the west of Glasgow. The school was part of the John Paul Academy Learning Community. At the time of the inspection the roll was 182. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was above the national average. Pupils’ attendance was in line with 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.
Almost all parents were very satisfied about almost all aspects of the school. They thought that the school had a good reputation in the local community and that staff showed concern for the care and welfare of their children. Almost all parents felt that the school encouraged pupils to work to the best of their ability and that the school was well led. Parents wished for clearer information on homework activities and the school’s priorities for improvement. Almost all pupils thought that the school helped them to keep safe and healthy. They enjoyed being at school and thought that teachers explained things well and helped them when they had difficulty with their schoolwork. All staff enjoyed working in the school and thought that pupils were enthusiastic about learning. They felt well supported and that there was effective communication amongst staff.
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The overall structure of the curriculum was good. Pupils experienced a broad and balanced curriculum which helped them develop a wide range of skills. At all stages pupils had valuable experiences in enterprise education and this was encouraging them to develop further links with the local community. Throughout the school pupils were developing good scientific skills. A school staff member, seconded to the learning community, was improving pupils’ talking and listening skills. At P7, the school had also introduced a new initiative to enhance the personal and social development of pupils. Teachers had allocated additional time to teaching English language and mathematics but the impact of this on pupils’ learning had not yet been evaluated. Pupils had one prolonged session of physical education (PE) each week but the school had not yet planned how to move towards the provision of two hours of PE per week for each pupil. The quality of teaching was good. Teachers gave clear explanations and almost all made good use of praise to increase pupils’ self-confidence. Most teachers shared learning intentions with pupils but not all consistently reviewed what had been learned at the end of each lesson. Teachers provided a range of opportunities for paired and collaborative work. There were examples of very effective interactive teaching particularly in science, poetry recital and at P5/6. Teachers regularly corrected pupils’ written work but were not yet giving them clear advice on how to improve their skills in writing. Regular homework was set but the range of activities was limited.
The quality of pupils’ learning was adequate. Almost all pupils were well-behaved and ready to learn. They listened well to teachers’ instructions and responded confidently when given the opportunity to work together in pairs or small groups. However, the pace of learning was too slow and pupils required brisker lessons which provided greater challenge. Across the school, pupils were not clear about what they needed to do to improve their learning.
The school had taken some very positive steps in helping pupils to develop their wider achievements. All pupils were involved in a range of enterprise activities which contributed to the development of their self-esteem and confidence. They had received a gold award for enterprise from the education authority. Pupils were developing their health and fitness through a wide range of out-of-school-hours clubs which included netball, football, hip-hop, cheer leading and fun fitness. They were enthusiastic about having a health promoting school and were knowledgeable about healthy lifestyles and basic nutrition messages. Pupils at P6 recently undertook a project to devise an information leaflet for parents about healthy packed lunches. They set up a display at the recent parents’ night with appropriate foods for packed lunches, and gave out their leaflet to parents. The National Youth Choir of Scotland was developing musical skills with pupils at P2 and P3. Pupils were developing their knowledge of committee work through their representation on the pupil council and eco committee. The school also had junior road safety officers who had been involved with representatives from the wider community in formulating the school’s recent travel plan.
English language
Pupils’ attainment in English language was good overall. Pupils’ attainment in reading had remained steady in recent years and there had been a slight increase in writing last session. Across the school, most pupils were achieving appropriate national levels of attainment in reading and the majority did so in writing. Several at P2 to P7 were achieving these levels earlier than might normally be expected. However, a significant number of pupils at each stage were capable of even higher levels of attainment. At all stages, most pupils listened well to instructions. Pupils spoke confidently about their personal experiences. At P7, their skills in group discussions were well developed. Pupils read fluently and with good expression. They understood the main ideas in the text. At P7, they showed an appreciation of a range of poetry, writing styles of different authors and enjoyed reading for pleasure. However, they needed more support in structuring and developing their writing. Pupils were not consistently told how to improve their writing. At almost all stages, the standard of handwriting and presentation was not good.
Mathematics
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was good and had been steady over the last three years. Most pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment. Almost all pupils in P2 were achieving appropriate national levels earlier than might normally be expected. However, this progress was not sustained as pupils progressed through the middle and upper stages. Pupils at P1 were making a very good start to the development of their mathematical skills. By P7, pupils had good information handling skills and were competent in interpreting graphs. However, they had not sufficient expertise in using computers to organise and display information. Across the school, most pupils performed well in written calculations in number, money and measurement. Most pupils showed a clear understanding of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. Across the school, pupils were developing skills in problem-solving and enquiry. However, they were not yet confident in identifying and applying strategies effectively.
Arrangements made to meet the needs of all pupils were adequate. Tasks and activities did not always match the needs of all pupils in classes. As a result of this, many activities were not sufficiently challenging, particularly for more able pupils. Across the school, a number of pupils were capable of achieving higher standards. Most pupils were unclear about what they needed to do to improve and were not consistently involved in setting their own learning targets. The support for learning teacher effectively supported individual pupils and small groups, mainly in English language. She was also supporting a group of identified pupils with behaviour management strategies. Individualised educational programmes were in place but short-term targets did not set out clearly enough what pupils were expected to achieve. The school needed to ensure that all parents were involved with these plans at an early stage. The school had worked hard to establish a nurture class. This was very effectively supporting a number of potentially vulnerable pupils from P2 to P4 in improving their personal and social skills. Parents of pupils who received support in the nurture room met regularly with staff to discuss their child’s progress. Most pupils receiving this support were making effective progress.
Aspect |
Comment |
Pastoral care |
The school provided a very good level of pastoral care for pupils. All pupils enjoyed being at school and felt safe and secure. Staff knew pupils very well, were caring and approachable and showed concern for pupils’ care and welfare. All staff had a clear understanding of their role and responsibility in relation to child protection issues. The school had clear procedures in place for the administration of medicine. An anti-bullying policy was in place. However, education authority procedures for recording incidents had not been implemented. Pupils demonstrated a clear knowledge of the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. The school had effective arrangements in place to support pupils at points of transfer from pre-school into P1 and from P7 into John Paul Academy. |
Quality of accommodation and facilities |
The quality of accommodation was good. Staff made very effective use of all areas to display pupils’ work and create a bright and stimulating learning environment. The school interior was bright and attractive and classrooms and offices had been redecorated. The multi-purpose hall was well used both during the day and for after school activities. Staff made good use of additional areas such as the library, study room and learning support base. The information and communications suite was not yet in operation following a recent fire. Pupils’ changing rooms were being refurbished. Access to the school for those with mobility problems was appropriate. Building security arrangements were appropriate. During wet weather, water persistently leaked through the school roof in a number of areas of the building. Parts of the playground area were often out of bounds due to substantial flooding which restricted pupils’ access at intervals and lunchtimes. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality |
The school had a very friendly, welcoming atmosphere. All parents, pupils and staff had a strong sense of pride in their school. Relationships between staff and pupils were very positive. Staff morale was high. Catering staff contributed positively to the school’s ethos. They had attended an annual parents’ meeting to display a range of meals and offer taster sessions for parents. Throughout the school almost all pupils were well behaved, courteous and friendly. Staff had high expectations of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. However expectations of the pace of pupils’ learning and presentation of their work were not always high enough. Weekly school assemblies provided good opportunities for pupils to worship together and for celebrating a range of pupils’ achievements. Pupils had regular opportunities to participate in the celebration of their faith. The school chaplain visited classes on a regular basis and knew all pupils well. A racial equality policy was in place and education authority procedures were implemented. Pupils had a good knowledge and understanding of other world religions and participated in an annual ecumenical service with other local schools. |
Partnership with parents and the community |
The school’s partnership with parents and the local community was good. The School Board and PTA were very supportive of the school. There was an effective induction programme provided for parents at P1. Informative newsletters were distributed on a regular basis, however parents felt that these could be improved. Class teachers had distributed information to parents about the work pupils would be doing in class. These were well received by parents. Parents were suitably consulted on sensitive aspects of the school’s health programme. Parents received helpful written reports on their children’s progress and the school held two parent meetings each year. However, there was no opportunity for parents to give a written response to the annual pupil report. Parents would like clearer information on homework activities and the school’s priorities for improvement. Pupils’ involvement in fund raising enhanced the school’s reputation in the local community. The school had good links with the other schools in the learning community. |
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
St Blane’s Primary School provided a very welcoming and caring learning environment. Relationships between staff and pupils were very positive. Almost all pupils were well behaved and were enthusiastic about their learning. Pupils’ attainment in English language and mathematics was good. The school was maintaining good standards of attainment but a significant number of pupils were capable of achieving more. Teaching was good but the most effective approaches needed to be consistently applied across all stages. Pace and challenge was not sufficient. Staff expectations of pupil achievement were not high enough. Pupils needed clearer advice on what they needed to do to improve.
The headteacher provided adequate leadership. She was very committed to the school and had developed positive relationships with pupils, parents and staff. She knew her staff and pupils well. Under her leadership, the school had taken forward a number of new initiatives from within the learning community. She now required to take a stronger lead in focusing on key priorities for action and leading curricular improvement. The depute headteacher was similarly committed to the school and provided valuable support to the headteacher. However, due to her teaching commitment this session, her remit required review. A number of procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school had been put in place. This included monitoring teachers’ plans, sampling pupils’ work, observing classroom practice and tracking pupils’ progress. However, these processes were not yet sufficiently rigorous and were not impacting sufficiently on the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. With the support of the education authority, the headteacher and staff should be well placed to bring about improvement.
Main points for action The school and education authority should take action to improve pupils’ learning, achievement, meeting needs and leadership. In doing so they should take account of the need to:
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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. HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a follow-through inspection. This will result in a report to parents, within two years of the publication of this report, on the extent of improvement that has been achieved.
Isabel Robb
HM Inspector
13 March 2007
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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Structure of the curriculum |
good |
The teaching process |
good |
Pupils’ learning experiences |
adequate |
Pupils’ attainment in English language |
good |
Pupils’ attainment in mathematics |
good |
How well are pupils’ learning needs met? |
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Meeting pupils’ needs |
adequate |
How good is the environment for learning? |
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Pastoral care |
very good |
Accommodation and facilities |
good |
Climate and relationships |
very good |
Expectations and promoting achievement |
good |
Equality and fairness |
good |
Partnership with parents, the School Board, and the community |
good |
Leading and improving the school |
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Leadership of the headteacher |
adequate |
Self-evaluation |
weak |
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 with 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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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 Education 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, Europa Building, 450 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8LG or by telephoning 0141 242 0100. Copies are also available on our website www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you wish to comment about primary inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of primary inspections, you should write in the first instance to Chris McIlroy, Acting HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
Our complaints procedure
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to Hazel Dewart, Business Management Unit, HM Inspectorate of Education, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office or by telephoning 01506 600258 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. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 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 2007
HM Inspectorate of Education
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