30 January 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?
St Vincent’s Primary School was inspected in October 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 representatives of the parent teacher association (PTA) and a group of parents1. There was no School Board.
The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school's progress in implementing national recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision.
St Vincent's is a denominational school serving an area of East Kilbride. It forms part of the St Andrew's and St Bride's Learning Community. At the time of the inspection the roll was 251. 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.
Overall, parents expressed a high level of satisfaction with all aspects of the school. Almost all parents felt that the school was well led and that staff showed concern for the care and welfare of their children. They thought the school was held in high esteem in the community and that their children enjoyed going there. Almost all parents thought the school set high standards of attainment and achievement. All parents were very pleased with the new school campus. Overall, pupils were satisfied with almost all areas of the school. They said that they enjoyed learning and were praised by teachers for their hard work and successes. Most pupils thought they behaved well. Staff also expressed a high degree of satisfaction with almost all aspects of the school. They felt that they maintained very good relationships with the community. They enjoyed working at the school and praised the pupils for their enthusiasm and achievements. A few support staff wanted to be more involved in decision making.
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The school provided a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. Teachers made good use of time to develop pupils’ skills in mathematics. They were implementing new approaches to teaching writing. Some timetabled lessons were too long for the youngest classes. The school recognised the need to increase the regularity of physical education. Teachers provided pupils with good opportunities to learn about the customs and cultures of other religions through the religious and moral education programme. However, they did not use computers regularly enough to support and extend pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Personal and social education permeated the curriculum well. The overall quality of teaching was good and there were several examples of very good teaching. Teachers were very well organised and gave clear explanations and instructions. They selected appropriate resources and took account of pupils’ prior learning. Teachers had made a good start to sharing, with pupils, the aims of their class work and how it was assessed.
Overall, pupils were hard working and motivated to learn. They had made a good start to becoming independent learners and were becoming aware of what they had to do to improve. Staff gave appropriate emphasis to creating opportunities to broaden pupils’ learning experiences and achievements. This was particularly effective at the early stages when pupils were able to learn through play. In the best of lessons, the pace of learning was sufficiently brisk. In a few lessons, pupils worked very well in groups. For example, P3 worked well in small groups to develop skills in reading for information. However, across the school some lessons lacked sufficient pace and challenge. Overall, pupils’ skills in collaborative work were insufficiently well developed.
At all stages, pupils were developing a very good awareness of their responsibilities to themselves and to one another. They were given opportunities to make decisions within the pupil council. They were fully involved during the planning phase of the new school where, for example, they contributed to decisions about the interior colour schemes. They were developing skills in enterprise across the school. At P6, pupils used the French they had learned to help run a French café. Pupils took part in a wide range of after-school clubs including cheer leading, book club and athletics. At P7, pupils developed good relationships with one another through the buddy system and were involved in organising lunchtime games for younger pupils. The school’s positive approach to promoting positive behaviour had contributed to raising pupils’ self-esteem and their motivation to succeed. Pupils acting as junior road safety officers promoted road safety by leading at assemblies. The school had achieved status as a health promoting school and pupils had become more aware of the need for healthy eating through themed menu days organised by the catering staff. Many pupils had developed very good skills in playing musical instruments and singing. The school choir entertained elderly residents in the community.
English language
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in English language was good. Attainment levels in reading had improved in recent years. Attainment levels in writing had fluctuated. Most pupils were achieving appropriate national levels of attainment in listening, talking, reading and writing. A few pupils achieved these levels earlier than would normally be expected. Pupils not attaining appropriate levels were well supported and making good progress. Pupils listened attentively and responded well to questions. Those at P7 contributed well to group discussions and were able to express their ideas and opinions clearly and confidently. However, this was not consistent across all stages. Throughout the school, pupils read widely for pleasure and made effective use of the school library to widen their experience of books and reading. At P1 and P2, pupils read a variety of texts fluently. By P3 they were skilled in finding information from non-fiction books. However, pupils in the upper stages were less confident in using non-fiction texts. At all stages, pupils wrote for a variety of purposes and were making good progress. Pupils’ skills in punctuation, spelling and grammar and handwriting were well developed.
Mathematics
The quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was very good. Attainment had remained high in recent years. Almost all pupils were attaining appropriate national levels. Many pupils achieved these levels earlier than would normally be expected. Pupils not attaining appropriate levels were well supported and making good progress. Across the school, pupils were able to handle and interpret information effectively using an appropriate range of graphs and tables. From P4 to P7, they were learning to use computers to create simple databases and spreadsheets, although they needed more practical, stimulating tasks upon which to base such activities. Throughout the school, pupils performed mental and written calculations very well. They were skilled in solving calculations involving number, measurement and money. Standards of written presentation were good. At all stages, pupils could identify a wide range of shapes and describe fully their properties. They made effective and regular use of computer software and programmable toys to support their learning about position and movement. Pupils’ skills in problem solving and enquiry were developing well. Almost all pupils made good use of a range of strategies to solve problems.
Overall, the school’s approaches to meeting pupils’ learning needs were good. Teachers provided activities for differing levels of attainment but tasks were not always well matched to pupils’ individual learning needs, particularly in reading and mental mathematics. In a few lessons, tasks did not ensure an appropriate level of pace and challenge for some pupils, particularly higher achieving pupils. Pupils who experienced difficulties with their learning were identified early and well supported to make good progress. The depute headteacher coordinated a range of specialist support staff very effectively and her teaching was a model of good practice. The school provided high quality support for pupils with significant additional learning needs. These included well constructed individualised educational programmes which set clear targets for progress which were reviewed regularly with parents. The visiting English as an additional language teacher provided a valuable range of activities which actively promoted pupils’ involvement in learning in an inclusive setting.
Aspect |
Comment |
Pastoral care |
The school had very good arrangements for ensuring the care and welfare of pupils. Staff knew pupils well and responded sensitively to their social, emotional and behavioural needs. They worked effectively together to create a climate of mutual trust, respect and confidence. Staff implemented the school’s procedures for dealing with any incidents of bullying and racism effectively. The school’s procedures for dealing with child protection issues were appropriate and well understood by staff. Pupils felt they were treated fairly and could raise issues through the pupil council and anonymously through the use of a ‘suggestion box’. Those at the upper stages worked effectively as buddies to provide support to younger pupils. Staff encouraged cooperative play through ‘circle of friends’ approaches to support vulnerable pupils. Supportive arrangements were in place at points of transfer from nursery into P1 and at P7 into secondary school. The home-school partnership worker made an effective contribution to promoting links between the school, parents and the community. |
Quality of accommodation and facilities |
The quality of accommodation was excellent. The new school building and its grounds offered an attractive and stimulating environment for learning. Staff and pupils had created a warm and inviting reception area. Classrooms were bright and appointed with high quality fittings and furniture which assisted pupils’ learning. Pupils took great pride in their school and had helped design play areas and select colour schemes for the toilets. They had access to safe play areas, a football pitch and climbing equipment for energetic outdoor play. The school was making effective use of space and staff had created a stimulating additional area where younger pupils could learn through play. The entry system provided safe and secure access to the school and all areas of the building were accessible to all users. Ballerup Nursery was an integral part of the school campus. This arrangement provided opportunities to develop good relationships between children in the nursery and the primary classes. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality |
Pupils, staff, parents and community were very proud of the school and identified strongly with it. Relationships throughout the school were very good and staff morale was high. Strong links between the school and catering staff helped promote the school lunch service. Overall, staff had high expectations of achievement but did not consistently use praise effectively to motivate pupils. Teachers needed to provide pupils with more focused feedback and clearer targets for improving their work across the curriculum. Overall, pupils’ behaviour was very good and the approaches which staff used for managing behaviour were positive. The school organised weekly assemblies that provided opportunities for religious observance and celebrating achievement. Staff had developed systematic approaches to promoting race equality within the curriculum. Pupils learned skills of citizenship through taking responsibilities around the school and in class. Staff recognised there was scope for further development in this area. |
Partnership with parents and the community |
The school’s partnership with parents and the local community was very good. The school communicated effectively with parents. Teachers produced helpful written progress reports for parents each year. They provided curriculum workshops to explain ways in which parents could support their children’s learning and sensitive issues within the health education programme. The parish priest provided valued support and made regular visits to the school. The PTA regularly raised funds and actively supported social activities and events. Pupils, staff and parents had worked effectively together towards ensuring the smooth transition from the old school to the new building. Very good links were established with the nearby home for the elderly. The school choirs regularly sang at well-attended community events. The school had established several useful links with local businesses in support of enterprise projects. The school was at an early stage in developing its role within the education authority’s learning community and should fully engage with the range of opportunities being developed to support the sharing of good practice. |
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Overall, the school provided pupils with an effective education. The school building provided a highly stimulating environment for learning and contributed towards the positive ethos. Staff were committed to the school. The quality of teaching was good and in some instances very good. The headteacher promoted teamwork and delegated effectively to the depute headteacher. He had managed the transition to the new building very effectively. Pupils had positive attitudes to learning and were hardworking. Overall, attainment had continued to rise in recent years. Parents were actively involved in the life of the school and its community.
The overall quality of leadership of the headteacher was good. He communicated effectively with staff, parents and pupils. His open door policy and welcome to parents contributed significantly to the positive ethos of the school. He managed the school well and showed concern for the care and welfare of staff and pupils. With the school now settled in its new environment it was time to refocus on leadership for learning and improvement. While at an early stage in its development, the headteacher was contributing positively to the learning community. Leadership across the school was good overall. The depute headteacher fulfilled her extensive remit very effectively and had earned the respect of parents, pupils and staff. Her support to new staff and newly qualified teachers was exemplary. The principal teacher had made a good start to leading developments in promoting health education and effectively fulfilled her remit to deliver French. Several teachers were delegated a range of responsibilities as coordinators. However, it was too early in the school year to assess the impact of these roles. The school’s previous approaches to self-evaluation had resulted in the production of an appropriate development plan. Nonetheless, these approaches had been limited in range and scope. The headteacher, together with staff needed to introduce more rigorous and systematic arrangements to ensure further improvements in learning and teaching. The school was well placed to implement such approaches. The education authority had provided high quality support during the period of rebuilding the school and provided a clear vision and commitment to continuous improvement.
Main points for action The school and education authority should take action to further improve learning and teaching and meeting the needs of all pupils. 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. Within two years of the publication of this report parents will be informed about the progress made by the school.
Susan Gow
HM Inspector
30 January 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 |
very good |
How well are pupils’ learning needs met? |
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Meeting pupils’ needs |
good |
How good is the environment for learning? |
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Pastoral care |
very good |
Accommodation and facilities |
excellent |
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 |
Leadership across the school |
good |
Self-evaluation |
adequate |
This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by inspectors:
excellent |
excellent |
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. Where any one group had five or less respondees then, in order to maintain confidentiality, the analysis is not provided.
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 .
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
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.