2 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
How can you contact us?
Greenburn School was inspected in May 2007 as part of a national sample of provision for pupils with additional support needs. 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 communication, mathematics and understanding and relating to the environment and personal and social education (PSE).
HM Inspectors examined pupils’ work and interviewed groups of pupils and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the School Board 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 South Lanarkshire and provides education for pupils aged from four to 12 years who have additional support needs arising from complex learning difficulties. It forms part of the Calderglen Learning Community and is co-located with Maxwellton Primary School. At the time of the inspection the roll was 43. The school had begun to open coordinated support plans for children who needed them. In keeping with the authority’s policy, all pupils were provided with free meals. 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 all parents, P4 to P7 pupils, and to all staff. Information about the responses to the questionnaires appears in Appendix 2.
All parents felt that they were given helpful information about their children’s progress and thought that the school was well led. Most parents felt that the school buildings were not in good order. Almost all pupils thought that teachers told them how they were getting on with their work and helped them when they were having difficulties. They felt safe and well looked after and thought that the school helped to keep them healthy. All staff liked working in the school. All thought that they celebrated pupil success regularly and appropriately and almost all thought the school was well led. A few staff wanted more regular communication between senior managers and staff and most wanted improvements to the school’s accommodation and facilities.
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The overall quality of the curriculum was excellent. Senior managers and staff based the curriculum around a wide range of relevant and stimulating themes appropriately linked to well integrated teaching skills and imaginative resources. Staff meaningfully linked play activities to class themes. They regularly reviewed these themes in order to continuously renew pupils’ interest and stimulate and appropriately challenge them in their learning. Where appropriate, pupils benefited from two hours of physical education each week. The school’s outstanding sensory motor programme of activities effectively promoted pupils’ learning across a wide range of areas including English language and communication, understanding and relating to the environment (URE), balance, personal organisation, confidence and self-esteem. The school’s close links with Maxwellton Primary School provided further opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively with pupils there. Children from both schools attended a breakfast club and after-school club along with their peers and engaged in well-organised play activities and joint workshops in music, drumming and drama where appropriate. Teachers questioned pupils skilfully, using simple language, boardmaker symbols, Makaton signing, pictures and photos. They made very appropriate use of information and communications technology (ICT) including interactive white boards to support reading, writing and URE. Staff effectively used a range of sensory learning materials including switches, fibre optics and sensory equipment to engage pupils who were at an early stage in their development.
Pupils were often highly motivated in lessons and group activities. At all stages, they were provided with opportunities for choice and encouraged to engage in collaborative work with each other. Across all stages, pupils interacted with each other and communicated well through carefully-crafted play activities in soft play, hydrotherapy and the sensory room. The well-crafted activities and routines were effective in meeting the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders. A few pupils at all stages took responsibility for their own learning. They used computer software and focused on, for example, listening and writing tasks independently. Whilst all class teams used digital cameras to display pupils’ achievements, pupils did not have sufficient opportunities to allow them to reflect on their learning.
Pupils had very good opportunities to develop their wider achievements. The school recognised these well through reports to parents, wall displays and certificates issued during weekly assembly. Pupils participated in swimming galas at a local Aqua Centre, cross-country events, golf tournaments, gymnastics and cycling. The school gave a high priority to health education and promoted healthy lifestyles through the health education programmes and a recent health week. Along with P7 pupils from Maxwellton Primary School, they presented memories of their school career to parents, at the leavers’ ceremony, before moving on to secondary school. Staff made appropriate use of planned educational outings linked to themes to support pupils’ learning.
English language and communication
Overall attainment and achievement in English language and communication were excellent. At all stages, pupils were making very good progress towards their individualised targets very effectively supported by speech and language therapists working in partnership with class teams. Almost all pupils were able to convey their understanding of tasks and their feelings and interests with appropriate assistance from staff. Pupils with more complex learning needs could respond to a given prompt such as a picture, object or smell by vocalising, using eye contact, smiling or pointing. At all stages, pupils made highly effective and consistent use of alternative forms of communication such as the Makaton signing system and symbols. They communicated their personal news and indicated an appropriate response to requests from staff. A few pupils were able to signify simple requests without assistance. A few pupils at the senior stages could read and write simple words and phrases. A few were highly motivated by using an interactive whiteboard and word processor. They were able to put short phrases together to make sentences and match words to pictures. Staff, parents and the home school partnership officer ensured that pupils at all stages had very good access to a wide range of appropriate reading material directly linked to their learning topics. These included stories, sensory books, poems and rhymes, age-appropriate individual readers, tactile stories, big books and pre-reading activity packs.
Mathematics and understanding and relating to the environment
The quality of pupils’ achievements in mathematics and URE was very good. Across the school, pupils were making very good progress in achieving their individual targets. Pupils in all classes were making good progress in matching, and sequencing shapes, colours and numbers. Teachers very effectively reinforced pupils’ number skills using a range of number rhymes, appropriate software, maths games and through interactive work using interactive whiteboards. A few pupils were developing a good sense of time and were competent in reading time from clocks and handling money. At all stages, pupils explored the environment through a range of sensory experiences, including using a multi-sensory room and engaging in very high quality sensory motor programmes. Pupils were developing their awareness of cause and effect and concepts of ‘bigger’ and ‘smaller’ when investigating different materials, using switches and touch screens. Pupils had gained some understanding of living things through an activity involving the planting and growing of potatoes. Some pupils were making good progress towards 5-14 levels appropriate to their stage. These pupils were able to recognise a range of shapes, carry out measurements and engage in problem solving activities. Most pupils were able to use computers effectively in their learning, and many were able to use them independently. Pupils in P6/P7 demonstrated skills in using weights and measurements in preparing food using electrical equipment.
Personal and social education
Pupils were making very good progress in the development of their personal and social skills. All pupils had clear individual personal and social development targets set within their individualised educational programmes (IEPs) which built on their prior learning. Almost all were making very good progress towards their targets. Pupils were encouraged to make choices, sometimes using symbols. There was no pupil council or equivalent, but pupils could make decisions and express opinions through interaction with their class teachers. Pupils demonstrated significant levels of confidence in interacting with visitors and in undertaking carefully structured tasks. They made friends with pupils from Maxwellton, played with them as appropriate during breaks or structured sessions and engaged in some joint activities with them. Circle time and visits to the local community helped to develop pupils’ social and communication skills. At P6/P7 pupils developed independence and citizenship through residential experiences. Pupils learnt to care for others, within the school, and in the local community and wider community. The school community had achieved health promoting status and was working towards silver. It had held a joint health week with Maxwellton and provided a programme of activities for pupils and an evening event for parents and families. Staff also had access to a range of health-promoting activities.
The school planned very effectively to meet the needs of pupils. Where appropriate, pupils had access to mainstream classes in the co-located primary school and staff worked closely and effectively with the area learning support teacher to support their inclusion in mainstream classes. Visiting staff including hearing and visual impairments specialists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists made a strong contribution to meeting pupils’ needs. Almost all pupils were making very good progress towards targets set within their IEPs. Pupils were given additional, direct support by parent volunteers, police cadets and pupils from local secondary schools. Pupils’ individual needs were carefully considered through regular reviews of progress and the P7 progress files provided helpful information for secondary schools. Although staff supported pupils with behavioural difficulties well, successful strategies were not always used consistently across the school.
Aspect |
Comment |
Pastoral care |
The quality of pastoral care provided for pupils was very good. Teachers and support assistants knew pupils well and responded sensitively to their social, emotional and behavioural needs. The school’s procedures for dealing with child protection issues were appropriate, well understood and implemented by staff. Arrangements for the supervision of pupils to ensure their safety at the beginning and end of the day and at intervals were very good. Staff carefully followed protocols and procedures for the administration of medicine. Pupils with individual health plans were closely monitored and supported by the school nurse and special suitable diets were provided. Pupils having school lunch enjoyed choosing from a varied menu and staff promoted social skills and independence at mealtimes and snack times. Appropriate arrangements were in place to support pupils from pre-school to primary. Whilst all pupils benefited from the school’s well-organised transition programme to secondary school, a few experienced uncertainty due to late notification of secondary school destinations. |
Quality of accommodation and facilities |
Overall, the accommodation and facilities were unsatisfactory and many aspects of the accommodation were poorly maintained. The school had a well-used sensory room, two hydrotherapy pools and ramp access for disabled users. Although the entrances to the school were secure, overall, some aspects of security needed to be addressed. Very limited storage space for wheelchairs and other equipment had resulted in cluttered corridors, cupboards and doorways. The roof leaked during wet weather and water lying in the corridor caused a potential hazard. Therapists were unable to carry out proper assessments of children due to lack of appropriate therapy rooms. The shared staffroom was overcrowded and teachers and staff often worked in the corridor in a small open area set aside for them. A small computer suite, located in the corridor posed some difficulties for access to wheelchair users. Additional classroom door handles to ensure safety had not yet been replaced. The hoists had not been maintained recently. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality |
The overall atmosphere in the school and the high quality of staff-pupil relationships and teamwork amongst staff were outstanding. Parents and staff highly commended the warm and welcoming environment. Staff shared a sense of ownership of the schools aims. They regularly celebrated pupils’ achievements through weekly assemblies. The school accredited pupils’ attainment through the use of national assessments as appropriate to pupils’ needs. Pupils at all stages had opportunities to carry out individual responsibilities. Where appropriate, pupils were given genuine opportunities to access mainstream curriculum with support. The school provided appropriate opportunities for religious observance through joint services with its co-located school. Pupils experienced global citizenship and learned about beliefs and customs in other countries through extensive fundraising for Malawian pupils and exchange visits by staff and pupils and satellite links with Nigerian pupils. |
Partnership with parents and the community |
Partnerships with the School Board, parents and the community were excellent. Parents and carers were invited to annual meetings to review their children’s progress and to discuss next steps in learning. They found staff very approachable and helpful. Staff kept parents informed about what their child was doing in school through regular and informative newsletters, through the handbook, home school diaries and regular reports on their child’s progress. Parents particularly appreciated the regular opportunities to attend a wide range of parent workshops for information and advice. The headteacher regularly consulted parents about sensitive health issues. Respite providers attended reviews of pupils’ progress and observed and worked in class with pupils who were due to receive respite care. Strong links with a range of local businesses and organisations effectively developed pupils’ personal and social skills and their understanding of their local environment. |
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Greenburn School provided a very positive learning experience for pupils within a stimulating, inclusive and caring environment. Staff were hard working, committed and very skilled. Almost all pupils were attaining and many exceeding their individual learning targets across the curriculum. The school had excellent links with parents and partner agencies and worked closely with them to ensure that the curriculum effectively met pupils’ needs and in promoting healthy lifestyles.
The quality of leadership was very good. The experienced headteacher was held in high regard by staff and parents. She had a clear focus on leadership for learning and actively promoted very strong teamwork across the school to meet pupils’ needs. She deployed staff carefully and with due regard to their experience and skills and used their skills to lead developments in improving learning and teaching. The depute headteacher tracked pupils’ progress and provided effective, practical support for teachers. Along with two acting principal teachers, she regularly reviewed the curriculum to retain pupils’ interests and provide them with a broad, balanced and appropriate range of learning experiences. Both acting principal teachers very effectively supported the inclusion of pupils in mainstream settings. Their teaching was a model of good practice. However, their class commitment limited opportunities for them to model their very good teaching alongside other staff
Overall, the quality of self-evaluation was good. However, the link between the priorities identified by staff for improvement, and the self-evaluation they had carried out was unclear. Most staff and parents were fully involved in reviewing the work of the school to identify priorities for development. Staff met regularly to discuss their work. Senior managers monitored the quality of annual reviews of pupils’ progress, end of year reports, pupil profiles and and records of achievement. They had begun to observe learning and teaching and share good practice. Staff appreciated their advice and support. All staff made good use of assessment information to evaluate pupils’ progress and identify their next steps in learning. The informative standards and quality report identified the key areas for improvement.
Main points for action The school and education authority should continue to provide high 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 high 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.
Kate Hannah
HM Inspector
2 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 |
excellent |
The teaching process |
very good |
Pupils’ learning experiences |
very good |
Pupils’ attainment in English language and communication |
excellent |
Pupils’ attainment in mathematics and understanding and relating to the environment |
very good |
Personal and social development |
very good |
How well are pupils’ learning needs met? |
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Meeting pupils’ needs |
very good |
How good is the environment for learning? |
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Pastoral care |
very good |
Accommodation and facilities |
unsatisfactory |
Climate and relationships |
excellent |
Expectations and promoting achievement |
very good |
Equality and fairness |
very good |
Partnership with parents, the School Board, and the community |
excellent |
Leading and improving the school |
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Leadership of the headteacher |
very good |
Leadership across the school |
very good |
Self-evaluation |
very 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 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 (Education Resources), 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 provision for pupils with additional support needs, you should write in the first instance to Frank Crawford, HMCI, at the above address.
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.