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Mr G Jeyes |
HM Inspectorate of Education |
Dear Mr Jeyes
The report on the above school was published in January 2002. HM Inspectors visited the school in November 2003 to evaluate progress made in responding to the main points for action in the report.
The school and the education authority have made good progress in meeting the main points for action. The school has maintained its capacity to improve. As a result, no further visits will be made to the school in connection with the inspection report of January 2002.
I attach an evaluation and brief account of the response made by the school and the education authority to the main points for action in the report.
I am sending a copy of this letter to parents and carers of children currently in the school and the other recipients of the inspection report.
Yours sincerely
Lachlan MacCallum
HM Inspector
Main points for action
1. The headteacher should give increased priority to guiding staff on the development and implementation of curriculum programmes and maintaining the focus on raising attainment.
The school had made good progress in addressing this recommendation.
The delivery of the curriculum was now more consistent in its quality. Staff had been involved in the development of revised curricular programmes for all aspects of English language, mathematics and music. A useful staff handbook had been produced, setting out school policies and practices clearly. Quality assurance across the school had improved and there was now systematic and comprehensive monitoring of pupils’ experience and progress. The school had maintained its focus on raising attainment. There had been a successful writing initiative and standards in writing had improved. Standards of attainment in reading, and mathematics had been maintained at levels above the national averages.
2. A more consistent approach to problem solving and the use of ICT for mathematical purposes should be integrated into the mathematics programme.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this recommendation.
There was increased attention to problem solving and the use of ICT within the teaching of mathematics. The headteacher and staff had developed new guidelines for staff on the teaching of mathematics. There were improved resources for these aspects of mathematics, including new networked computers, and there had been a comprehensive programme of staff development. Staff confidence in the use of ICT was still variable, but there was evidence of good practice in a number of areas.
3. The school should develop further its arrangements for assessment and reporting to monitor pupils’ progress across all areas of the curriculum and use the information to inform parents.
The school had made good progress in relation to this recommendation.
Assessment and reporting across the curriculum was now more consistent and systematic. Pupils’ progress was being monitored more effectively. A new assessment and reporting policy had been developed in line with education authority advice, including better arrangements for monitoring and tracking pupils’ progress using ICT. New formats for reporting to parents had been introduced. There was improved overall guidance for staff, who now required to monitor more closely the progress of individuals and groups towards targets.
4. The arrangements for learning support should be reviewed, including the use of individualised education programmes.
The school and education authority had fully overtaken this recommendation.
Support for pupils was now more effective. The education authority had appointed a new Support for Learning Area Network Team (SLANT) co-ordinator who had established a very productive working relationship with the school. The school and the authority had reviewed the arrangements for learning support, implemented a programme of staff development and introduced a revised support for learning policy. These measures were now having a positive impact. There was better liaison between specialist learning support staff and class teachers. Arrangements for monitoring pupils’ progress, including the use of individualised education programmes, had been improved significantly. Pupils with additional needs had realistic targets for their future learning.
The school and the education authority have made good progress in meeting the main points for action. The school has maintained its capacity to improve. As a result, no further visits will be made to the school in connection with the inspection report of January 2002.