9 October 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 Bernard's Primary School was inspected in May 2007 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 representatives of the parent-teacher association (PTA) and a group of parents1. There was no School Board.
St Bernard's Primary School is a denominational school serving an area of Coatbridge. At the time of the inspection the roll was 135. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was well 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.
Parents were positive about most aspects of school life. Most felt their children enjoyed being at school and that the school had a good reputation in the community. They all appreciated the care and attention given to their children. Parents commented on the effective links they had with the headteacher. Pupils and parents felt that pupils were treated fairly by staff. Pupils were proud of their school and talked about how much they enjoyed physical education, using computers and involvement in environmental activities. Older pupils spoke with enthusiasm about their responsibilities around the school and in particular peer mentoring activities. All staff were very positive about the school and enjoyed working in it. They praised staff teamwork, and the pupils, whom they felt were keen to learn and willing to work hard.
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The curriculum provided pupils with a good range of learning experiences. Teachers used information and communications technology (ICT) well to extend learning in mathematics. The additional physical activities provided pupils with weekly energetic games that developed their fitness and a range of skills and staff were working towards increasing time allocated to physical education (PE). In French, pupils at P6 and P7 spoke with confidence when discussing food, drinks and the weather. All pupils participated in regular enterprise activities. There was now scope for the school to build on the range of skills developed to ensure challenge and progression. Some aspects of the curriculum were not fully developed. The school did not offer pupils enough opportunities to learn about Scotland or their local environment, or to develop pupils’ knowledge about Scots language or literature. Across the school, pupils learned about Christianity and had opportunities to learn about aspects of Judaism and Islam at some stages. However, the school did not follow a consistent approach to teaching about other world faiths. The quality of teaching was good overall, with some high quality examples. Teachers used praise well. Most gave clear explanations and made effective use of questioning to develop pupils’ understanding. Most teachers provided pupils with guidance on how to improve their work, including increasing written feedback on pupils’ writing. However, there were too many lessons which were led too closely by the teacher, limiting pupils’ experience of different ways of learning.
The quality of pupils’ learning experiences was good. In most lessons, pupils were well motivated, followed instructions and stayed on task. Across the school, pupils worked well together in pairs and groups. For example, pupils in P5 had clearly defined roles in their group discussion about a book. During music lessons, pupils used energetic movement to develop their skills in beat and rhythm. Pupils in P6 and P7 worked confidently in pairs to tackle problem-solving activities. The pace of learning was not consistently brisk across the school. Too many English language activities were repetitive and text book based. In the early stage classes, pupils had good opportunities to learn through purposeful play. This included well-planned activities to develop their skills in numeracy and literacy. Pupils in P1 enjoyed practising drawing skills using a computer and mouse, and learned about road safety through role play. In P2, pupils had learned games children played in the past.
Across the school, almost all pupils were confident and showed positive attitudes towards others. The school took effective steps to help pupils develop their wider achievements. Pupils contributed well to making decisions which affected them at school. They planned regular enterprise and Eco School activities. The school had achieved a gold enterprise award. The school choir had achieved a high standard and had enjoyed singing in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. A range of health promotion events had increased pupils’ knowledge of aspects of healthy and safe living. Active clubs, outwith school hours, were well attended by older pupils. At all stages, pupils were developing an awareness of the needs of others, for example by regularly raising funds for local and international charities.
English language
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in English language was good. Attainment had shown an improving trend in recent years. Most pupils reached appropriate levels of attainment in reading and a majority in writing. At all stages, pupils listened attentively to teachers’ explanations and instructions. At P6 and P7, the majority of pupils were confident in discussing their class work but were less skilled in expressing ideas. Across the school, pupils talked with enthusiasm about books they had read in class. However, by P7 they had a very limited knowledge of authors or types of books. In early years’ classes, pupils enjoyed reading big books with their teacher. By P7, the majority of pupils read familiar texts aloud with confidence and expression, and understood what they had read. They were less confident when presented with new texts. Pupils in P6 and P7 had used books and the Internet well to find information. Across the school, pupils wrote regularly for a range of purposes, including imaginative and personal tasks. They had limited experience of reading or writing poetry. The quality of pupils’ written class work was variable. Pupils at the early stages wrote very well and a few pupils in the upper stages produced work of high quality and of appropriate length.
Mathematics
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was good. In recent years, attainment had improved overall. Almost all pupils were achieving appropriate national levels. At P1 and P2, many pupils were achieving these levels earlier than might normally be expected. However, a few pupils at the middle and upper stages were capable of achieving higher standards by being set more challenging tasks. Almost all pupils were making good progress in their coursework. A few pupils with additional support needs did not receive enough planned support to assist them to progress towards appropriate targets. Pupils in P6 and P7 could confidently interpret information from a range of graphs and charts, and were developing appropriate skills in using computers to handle information. At most stages, pupils lacked confidence when carrying out mental calculations. Across the school, pupils’ written numeracy skills were well developed and they were confident in working with measurement, time and money. Pupils had a good knowledge and understanding of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. At most stages, pupils were able to use a range of strategies to help solve mathematical problems.
Overall, arrangements for meeting pupils’ needs were adequate. Reading, writing and mathematics activities met the needs of the majority of pupils and most teachers made effective use of assessment information to monitor and track pupils’ progress. In most lessons, teachers provided good support for individual pupils and groups. The needs of those pupils who required a high level of support were not being sufficiently well met, and some higher attaining pupils needed to be set more challenging tasks. The deployment of pupils support staff was not focussed on raising attainment or maximising progress. Individualised educational programmes (IEPs) were in place to support pupils’ learning. Parents and pupils were regularly involved in setting and reviewing learning targets. The support for learning teacher effectively supported identified individuals and groups of pupils. The school had begun to put in place appropriate arrangements to support the induction of pupils from nursery into P1 and the transition of P7 pupils to St Andrew’s High School.
Aspect |
Comment |
Pastoral care |
The school provided pupils with high quality pastoral support. Pupils felt safe and were very well looked after. Staff listened to any concerns they had and acted swiftly to resolve any issues. All staff placed a high priority on pupils’ care and welfare. They were fully aware of child protection policies and procedures related to the administration of medication. All staff worked effectively together to create a climate of mutual trust, respect and confidence. Staff dealt effectively with incidents concerning pupil behaviour, including bullying, and promoted an ethos of mutual respect. The buddy and peer mediation systems enabled pupils in P6 and P7 to develop responsible and positive attitudes to others. Pupils were developing positive attitudes to their health and well-being through participation in health promotion events and the school had achieved local authority recognition as a health promoting school. Pupils’ personal and social education addressed topics such as healthy and safe living, but programmes did not develop pupils’ awareness of the full range of personal and social issues. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality |
The school had a welcoming atmosphere. Pupils were proud of their school. Almost all pupils were polite and well behaved. There were appropriate opportunities for religious observance and for celebrating pupils’ achievements. The parish priest was a regular visitor to school and led mass and special celebrations. Pupils were awarded ‘worker of the week’ awards at assembly. Pupil and staff morale was high throughout the school. Staff expected pupils to behave and pupils responded well. However, expectations of pupils’ attainment were not consistently high across the school. Learning about equality and fairness was a regular feature of personal and social development activities. The values and beliefs of the Catholic Church permeated the life of the school. However, there was not yet enough education about racial equality or cultural diversity. |
Quality of accommodation and facilities |
The quality of accommodation was good. Security arrangements were appropriate. The janitor and cleaning staff ensured the school was maintained to a high standard. The classrooms were bright and attractive, although there was little pupil work on display. The gymnasium was in daily use for PE and drama, as well as assemblies and masses. There were no changing facilities for PE. The separate dining hall provided a pleasant social environment and was also used for music tuition. The ICT suite was timetabled for use by all classes, but could be used more frequently. The pupils benefited from a large playground and playing field. There was access to the school for those with physical disabilities, but there was no toilet for disabled users. Traffic congestion at the entrance to the school posed a potential hazard to pupils’ safety and should be monitored by the education authority. |
Partnership with parents and the community |
Partnerships with parents and the local community were very good. Parents received informative reports about their children’s progress and about school events. The weekly reports kept parents informed about behaviour and effort. The staff had established effective links with outside agencies, including local businesses, which enhanced pupils’ learning and the school environment. The community police officer played a key role in supporting the life of the school. The school had strong links with the Church, and worked regularly with the local multi-denominational school. Parents actively supported social and fundraising events throughout the school year. They also helped with educational outings. Members of the local community were regularly entertained in school by pupils from all classes. Parents had access to the resources used for health education. |
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
St Bernard’s Primary School provided a good quality of education for its pupils. The school was well-placed to continue improving. Attainment was good in English language and mathematics but there remained room for further improvement. Pupils were developing a range of positive attitudes and skills across the curriculum. However, at times, abler pupils were insufficiently challenged in their work. Teachers were well-prepared and organised and there were several examples of very effective teaching. All staff were committed to improving the quality of pupils’ experiences and achievements. There was a strong climate of care, trust and respect across the school.
The quality of the overall leadership in the school was good. The headteacher had been in post for over ten years and was very well respected by pupils, staff and the community. He knew all pupils and members of staff well and valued and recognised their talents. He had successfully established and sustained a warm and welcoming learning environment. His approachable, relaxed manner was appreciated and valued by staff and parents. The headteacher had developed productive partnerships with parents, the Church, other schools and the local community. Approaches to evaluating the work of the school were adequate. The headteacher reviewed teachers’ plans and gave encouraging, positive written and verbal feedback. He visited classes to review aspects of learning and teaching and occasionally sampled pupils’ work. Overall, these strategies were supportive to teachers but lacked rigour and did not always lead to improvement. The headteacher did not challenge staff, or identify clearly steps for improvement. Staff were not accustomed to reflecting on their own work to bring about improvement in pupils’ learning and attainment. The school’s approach to monitoring and tracking pupils’ attainment was not systematic enough.
Main points for action The school and education authority should take action to ensure further
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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. Within two years of the publication of this report parents will be informed about the progress made by the school.
Susan R Duff
HM Inspector
9 October 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 |
good |
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 and the community |
very good |
Leading and improving the school |
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Leadership of the headteacher |
good |
Self-evaluation |
adequate |
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 Executive Director Learning and Leisure 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.
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 Unit, 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 2007
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.
1. Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.