9 May 2006
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 supported?
6. How good is the environment for learning?
7. Improving the school
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
How can you contact us?
The Edinburgh Academy was inspected in January 2006. The inspection covered key aspects of the school’s work at all stages in the junior and senior schools. It evaluated the structure of the curriculum and pupils’ achievements, including their performance in examinations. Inspectors also evaluated the quality of learning and teaching and pupil support, the environment for learning, the school’s processes for self-evaluation, and its overall effectiveness and capacity for improvement. In the junior school, there was a particular focus on attainment in English language and mathematics. In the senior school, the subjects included in the inspection were English, mathematics, modern languages and religious and moral education. The work of the nursery class was not included in this inspection. Provision for boarding was not inspected. Unless otherwise stated, the evaluations in this report apply to provision in both the junior and senior schools.
HM Inspectors observed learning and teaching and examined pupils’ work. They analysed responses to questionnaires issued to a sample of parents and pupils and to all staff. They interviewed groups of pupils, including members of the pupil council in the junior school and ephors (the school’s equivalent of prefects) in the senior school, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairman of the Court of Directors and groups of parents, including representatives of the Parents and Friends Association.
The Edinburgh Academy is a non-denominational, independent school for pupils aged 3 to 18. The junior and senior schools are situated about a mile apart in the north of Edinburgh. In the junior school, the nursery class is mixed. Stages P1 to P6 are for boys only. Pupils move to the senior school at the end of P6. At the time of the inspection, the roll of the nursery class was 51, with 273 boys in P1 to P6.
The senior school is divided into seven stages as follows:
Classes |
Equivalent to |
Geits/2nds/3rds |
P7/S1/S2 |
4ths/5ths |
S3/S4 |
6ths/7ths |
S5/S6 |
The classes Geits to 5ths are boys only, while 6ths and 7ths are mixed. At the time of the inspection, the roll of the senior school was 454.
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
|
Parents expressed very positive views about both the junior and senior schools. In particular, they felt that their children enjoyed school, that there was mutual respect between teachers and pupils and that the school was well led. Almost all felt their children were treated fairly. About a fifth of senior school parents who responded to the questionnaire did not agree that the school had explained how to support their children with homework. Almost all pupils sampled in both the junior and senior schools enjoyed being at the school and felt safe and secure there. They felt they got on well with other pupils and that teachers expected them to work to the best of their ability. In the senior school, less than half of the pupils sampled agreed that pupils had a say in improving the school. Although a significant minority of them did not agree that all pupils were treated fairly, no significant cause for concern was identified during the inspection. Staff in both the junior and senior schools expressed very positive views about almost all aspects of their work. A minority of staff in both schools did not agree that time for continuous professional development was used effectively. In the junior school, around a third of staff felt that the teamwork of some senior managers needed to be improved.
Information about the responses to questionnaires appears in Appendix 2.
The curriculum, learning and teaching
The junior school provided pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum. Improvements to the teaching of physical education (PE) had broadened opportunities for pupils who now participated in a very wide range of sports, gymnastics and dance. There was scope to develop writing across the curriculum. Teachers were developing pupils’ skills effectively in information and communications technology (ICT), but were not yet fully integrating the use of these skills across the curriculum. Opportunities for pupils to develop skills in enterprise education were increasing. Pupils’ learning was extended by frequent outings and visits, for example to the Royal Observatory, national museums and the Botanic Gardens. The range and quality of pupils’ experiences were enhanced by the contributions of specialist teachers. Staff in junior and senior schools were collaborating to ensure improved continuity and progression in pupils’ learning from P5 to 3rds.
In the senior school, Geits to 3rds followed a broad and balanced programme which included rotas for design technology, computing and music. Pupils were grouped according to their prior learning in a number of subjects. They had opportunities to study French, German and Latin. An element of choice involving languages other than English, classical studies and social subjects was available to 3rds. The programme in computing for Geits to 3rds provided pupils with good opportunities to develop a broad range of useful skills. Almost all 4ths and 5ths studied nine GCSE courses, including English language and literature. Most followed broad and balanced programmes, including technological, creative and aesthetic subjects. All pupils studied two sciences. The school planned to introduce the option of studying only one science in the following session, to meet fully the needs of all pupils. 6ths and 7ths followed a broad range of courses leading to both Scottish and English external qualifications. The curriculum at these stages was highly flexible. Most 6ths studied five subjects, either at Higher or AS level while 7ths followed programmes which included both Highers and A-levels. At these stages, the range of subjects on offer included business management, economics, drama, politics, philosophy and Spanish. Pupils in both the junior and senior schools participated in a wide range of additional activities at the end of the school day, reflecting the school’s aim of providing richness and variety of opportunity for pupils.
In both the junior and senior schools, lessons were carefully planned. Teachers provided clear explanations, and often lively and stimulating presentations, for pupils. Some teachers in both schools shared the purposes of lessons with pupils and held helpful plenary sessions at the end. In the junior school, teachers questioned pupils very effectively to monitor their understanding, but less frequently to encourage them to explore their thinking. In the senior school, teachers used questioning very effectively both to check and enhance pupils’ learning. Teachers valued pupils’ contributions and used praise appropriately. In many lessons in the senior school, and in some in the junior school, teachers used a wide range of teaching approaches. ICT was not yet used widely enough in teaching in either the junior or senior school. Homework was regular and appropriate.
In both the junior and senior schools, pupils were well motivated and keen to learn. They focused closely on the work given and made good progress in lessons. In the junior school, pupils worked very well together in groups and were actively involved in their own learning in a few lessons, particularly in English language at P6. Overall, however, junior school pupils had too few opportunities to work independently. There were insufficient opportunities for pupils at the early stages to learn through play. In the senior school, pupils collaborated very well with each other. They were often active and independent in their learning. The pace of lessons was generally well judged and pupils felt confident in seeking support in their learning.
In both the junior and senior schools, the combination of small class sizes and the organisation of classes by prior attainment helped to ensure that pupils’ learning needs were well met. In the junior school, teachers provided prompt and appropriate assistance to individual pupils who required additional support during lessons. A few higher achieving pupils were not sufficiently challenged. In a few classes, pupils had begun to discuss their learning goals with teachers, but overall, they were not sufficiently clear about what they had to do to improve their work. In the senior school, activities and resources provided a particularly high quality stimulus for learning. All pupils were very effectively supported and challenged.
Achievement in English language and mathematics in the junior school
English language
The overall quality of attainment in English language was very good. In recent years, pupils’ attainment, already high, had been improving. Almost all pupils achieved appropriate national levels in listening, talking, reading and writing and many exceeded them. Pupils at all stages talked confidently about their personal experiences and were skilled in group discussion. Many gave effective presentations at assemblies and to their classmates on a wide range of subjects. Pupils read fluently and with very good understanding. They spoke enthusiastically about the wide variety of books which they had read for pleasure. They were knowledgeable about the works of R L Stevenson, a former pupil of the school. Pupils wrote very well, expressing their ideas clearly and using spelling and punctuation accurately. In most classes, they needed to write for a wider range of purposes.
Mathematics
The overall quality of attainment in mathematics was very good. It had been consistently high in recent years. At all stages, almost all pupils attained appropriate national levels and a substantial minority exceeded them. At all stages, pupils demonstrated very good skills in handling mathematical infomation and used charts well to display their findings. By P6, they could interpret information very effectively from a range of graphs and had undertaken their own surveys. In P1 and P2, pupils were making very good progress in developing skills in early mathematics. From P3 to P6, pupils were speedy and accurate in their written and mental calculations, including those involving money. By P6, they demonstrated a sound understanding of fractions and percentages. They had a good grasp of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes and were competent in calculating angles. At all stages, pupils were developing skills in solving mathematical problems. However, by P6, they lacked confidence in solving more challenging problems.
Achievement in the senior school
The overall quality of attainment of Geits to 3rds was very good. Pupils made very good progress in their learning and produced classwork of a high standard.
The following comments refer to examination results over the three year period 2003-2005. They also draw on the overall evaluations of the quality of learning, teaching and meeting pupils’ needs. The school presents 5ths for GCSE examinations. It presents 6ths and 7ths for Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) examinations at Intermediate 2 and Higher, and for AS and A-level examinations.
The overall quality of attainment of 4ths and 5ths was very good. The quality of pupils’ performance in external examinations was very high. Over the last three years, most pupils had attained seven or more A*-C grades in GCSE. Almost half of these awards were A* or A grades with the proportion of A* grades steady at around 20%.
The overall quality of attainment of 6ths and 7ths was very good. The quality of pupils’ performance in external examinations was very high. Most pupils attained a group of awards equivalent to three or more A-E grades at A-level. Over two thirds of pupils attained a group of awards equivalent to three or more A-C grades at A-level. Just under half of A-level awards were at A grade. Most awards at Intermediate 2, Higher and AS levels were A-C grades, with around 40% at A grade. Just under half of A-level awards were at A grade.
Information on the subjects inspected is given later in the report. A significant feature of attainment across the subjects not inspected was the high quality of performance by 5ths to 7ths in external examinations.
Achievement across the school
In both the junior and senior schools, pupils participated enthusiastically in a very wide range of activities beyond the formal academic curriculum. They achieved high levels of performance in areas of individual strength. Pupils in both schools engaged in a variety of residential outdoor experiences. Their citizenship skills were developed very well through, for example, working towards achieving Eco School status in the junior school and taking part in a Young Enterprise scheme in the senior school. The junior school’s developing partnership with schools in Uganda was successfully developing pupils’ international citizenship skills. School sports teams had regular success in inter-school fixtures and overseas tours. A few junior school pupils were members of the national swimming and skiing teams. In the senior school, there was a very high level of pupil participation in a range of sports, including rugby, hockey, cricket and athletics. In both schools, music played a very important role in developing pupils’ appreciation of the importance of working with others and gave them confidence in performing in public. Many pupils learned to perform in the wide range of bands, orchestras, ensembles and choral groups. Both junior and senior school pupils took piping and drumming lessons and the two school pipe bands had been successful in national competitions. A significant proportion of pupils further developed their confidence through performing in drama or musical productions. In the junior school, older pupils used their skills in ICT to create a lively, interesting school newsletter. In the senior school, over 200 pupils benefited from the development of teamwork skills through participation in the school’s Combined Cadet Force. For some, this experience also helped promote leadership skills. Around 90 pupils were also developing these and other important life skills through the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Almost all pupils leaving the senior school gained entry to higher education. Pupils for whom English was an additional language achieved success in the International English Language Testing System and other relevant examinations.
Learning and teaching in the senior inspected subjects
English
Learning and teaching
At all stages, teachers varied their approaches very well to engage pupils in their learning. They questioned pupils very effectively to check and develop their understanding. They were sensitive to, and valued, pupils’ contributions to lessons. Pupils were enthusiastic and responsible in their learning. They were appropriately supported and challenged in their learning. Overall, pupils’ needs were very well met.
Achievement
Most Geits to 3rds completed their coursework very well. Pupils’ reading and talking skills were particularly well developed. All 5ths attained A-C grades in English Language at GCSE level and over half attained A* grades. In English Literature, almost all pupils attained A-C grades and over a quarter attained A* grades. At Higher, most pupils attained A-C grades and over a quarter attained A grades. Almost all those presented attained A-C grades at Intermediate 2. Most 7ths attained A-C grades at A-level in English Literature. The proportion attaining A grades had steadily increased. Most pupils attained an A grade in 2005.
Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.
Mathematics
Learning and teaching
Teachers explained mathematical concepts and methods clearly and used questioning very effectively to involve and motivate pupils. They encouraged pupils very successfully to think through problems for themselves and to set out their reasoning clearly. Homework was used well to maintain the momentum of learning and monitor pupils’ understanding. Teachers had begun to make use of ICT to enrich lessons. Pupils responded very well to staff’s high expectations. The pace of learning was brisk. Teachers ensured that the level of difficulty of the work matched all pupils’ needs and examination aspirations very well.
Achievement
Almost all Geits to 3rds reached appropriate national levels of attainment. More than half of them exceeded those levels. Almost all 5ths presented for GCSE mathematics attained A*-C grades. Around two fifths attained an A* or A grade. Almost three quarters of 5ths presented for GCSE additional mathematics gained an A-C award. Almost three quarters of 6ths and 7ths presented at Higher level attained an A-C award. Almost all of the small number of pupils presented for Intermediate 2 gained an A-C award, with two thirds attaining an A grade. Almost all of those presented for mathematics at A-level attained A-C grades, with two thirds of them attaining awards at A grade. Almost all of the pupils presented for further mathematics at A-level attained A-C grades, with most of them attaining A grades.
Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.
Modern languages
Learning and teaching
Teachers gave clear explanations and made some lively presentations of new language points to their classes. They used a good range of teaching approaches. Small class sizes afforded very good opportunities for regular, effective interactions between teachers and pupils. Teachers used homework well to support pupils’ learning. Pupils worked enthusiastically in class and had good opportunities to collaborate in pairs and groups. Teachers provided good opportunities for active learning with younger classes, used some interesting resources relating to international culture and prepared pupils thoroughly for a range of external examinations. A few lower attaining pupils needed more support to develop their speaking skills and their understanding of grammar.
Achievement
Most Geits to 3rds were developing an appropriate range of language skills. Almost all 5ths presented for French or German at GCSE level attained A-C grades and over half attained A* grades. Almost all pupils presented for French, German or Spanish at Higher achieved A-C grades and the majority achieved A grades. All pupils presented for French, German or Spanish at A-level achieved A-C grades. Around a third achieved A grades.
Other features of pupils’ achievement included the following.
Religious and moral education
Learning and teaching
Teachers gave clear explanations and instructions. They shared the purposes of lessons with pupils and successfully employed a wide range of teaching approaches. Pupils were very attentive in their lessons. They were encouraged to think for themselves and to reflect on ideas, issues and experiences. Overall, pupils’ needs were well met. There was scope for teachers to do more to help pupils build on what they had learned previously and focus on the next steps in their learning.
Achievement
At all stages, most pupils were making good progress in their learning. Most Geits and 2nds demonstrated a good knowledge and understanding of the main beliefs of the religions they had studied. Most 3rds showed a deep understanding of the aspects of the Christian faith they had studied. Almost all 4ths, 5ths and 6ths could confidently discuss a variety of moral issues. They demonstrated a good understanding of the moral viewpoints of a range of religions and non-religious stances.
Other features of pupils’ attainment and achievement included the following.
Both the junior and senior schools provided very effective pastoral care for pupils. In the junior school, all staff knew pupils very well and were sensitive to their individual physical, social and emotional needs. In the senior school, staff were readily accessible to pupils and provided them with helpful advice and support. In both schools, there were clear procedures for child protection, including dealing with any instances of bullying or drug misuse. Pupils felt safe and well looked after. Particularly good attention was paid in the junior school to developing pupils’ knowledge of healthy eating and the place of exercise in a healthy lifestyle. In the senior school, staff actively promoted healthy lifestyles through the extensive range of sports and other extra-curricular activities. Lunch menus in both schools provided a very good selection of healthy choices.
Both the junior and senior schools were very successful in developing pupils’ confidence and self-esteem through the provision of an extensive range of activities. Pupils in both schools demonstrated care and concern for others through very successful fund raising for charity. They took on a range of responsibilities, for example, through acting as house and school ephors in the senior school, and as mentors and "buddies" for younger pupils across both schools. In the junior school, pupils learned about safe life choices and consideration for the feelings of others. However, the continuity and progression of pupils’ learning in the formal programme for personal and social development (PSD) needed to be improved. In the senior school, class teachers delivered a well-planned and progressive programme of PSD. The programme covered a relevant range of topics, which included study skills, personal relationships, substance abuse, and preparation for life beyond school.
Led by the careers team, staff provided very effective curricular and vocational guidance for pupils in the senior school. Pupils and their parents received clear information to assist subject choice at key stages. Support for making career choices included regular individual interviews with a named careers adviser, visiting speakers and attendance at conferences and workshops. Pupils had ready access to comprehensive resources in the very well-organised careers library. Valued input from the Independent Schools Careers Organisation was provided for 5ths upwards. From 4ths upwards, the school advised pupils to take part in relevant work experience during school holidays and a majority did so. Pupils with related career interests were benefiting from productive links with the contractors involved in the school’s new science block. They were gaining valuable experience of the world of work and project management. Staff arranged mock interviews for all pupils. Very good arrangements were in place to prepare pupils for applying to enter higher education. Pupils appreciated the range of support that they received.
In both the junior and senior schools, staff had high expectations of pupils with additional support needs. In the junior school, support for learning teachers worked effectively with groups and individual pupils to develop literacy skills. However, their role in working more widely across the school was not well enough developed. In the senior school, learning support staff used very effective approaches to support pupils with identified needs. They provided subject teachers with very helpful information about the needs of individual pupils and clear, practical advice on strategies to support pupils’ learning. They worked cooperatively with subject teachers in classes to maximise the effectiveness of pupils’ learning experiences. They gave very good tutorial support to small groups and individuals. Very effective provision was in place to meet the needs of those pupils who required extra assistance in external examinations. Across both schools, staff worked closely with parents to prepare individualised learning plans for pupils with specific needs. In the senior school, these plans identified clear and appropriate targets and pupils’ progress towards them was monitored effectively. In the junior school, targets in individual programmes were not always clear enough to allow pupils’ progress to be monitored. Across both schools, pupils with English as an additional language received very good support, including help provided by a specialist teacher in the senior school, and were making very good progress.
Senior managers and the various groups of staff with responsibilities for aspects of pupil support provided an effective service. The recently formed pastoral committee in the senior school was well placed to enhance further the school’s overall approaches to identifying and meeting pupils’ needs.
Under the requirements of the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Records) (Scotland) Act, the school had submitted its policy on disability and discrimination to the Scottish Executive. The policy included the school’s review of physical access to its buildings. However, the school had yet to finalise its strategy for accessibility.
Aspect |
Comment |
Quality of accommodation and facilities |
The junior school building provided a bright and spacious learning environment. It included a large, well-equipped gymnasium/hall, a well-designed dining room and a very good ICT suite. Pupils benefited from a wide range of additional specialised classrooms, for example for art, music and science. In the senior school, the older buildings had a number of strengths, including the spacious assembly hall and the well-organised library. However, the accommodation required modernisation and refurbishment, and improvement in facilities for design technology and science. A new science centre was under construction at the time of the inspection. A number of departments had already been upgraded and further refurbishments to classrooms were planned. The school recognised the need to improve the provision of ICT equipment. Some issues relating to security and signage at the senior school were raised by the inspection team. Pupils at both schools had access to the very well appointed Edinburgh Academy Sports Centre and playing fields, situated on and near the junior school campus. |
Climate and relationships, expectations and promoting achievement and equality |
Pupils and staff identified strongly with the school. Their morale was high. Across both the junior and senior schools, pupils were friendly, courteous and well behaved. Relationships were very positive. In the junior school, pupils were effectively involved in decision making through an active pupil council. There was scope to involve pupils in the senior school more in decision making. Across both schools, staff set very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, effort and achievement. The school successfully celebrated the wide range of pupils’ broader achievements at assemblies and through displays and publications. In both schools, staff and pupils displayed sensitivity towards pupils with additional support needs and those from ethnic minorities and included them in all activities. The school had an appropriate race equality policy. Approaches to promoting equality and fairness were particularly effective in the junior school. Pupils in the senior school were treated equally and fairly, although the school recognised the need to address the view of some pupils that they were not always treated fairly. Both schools provided very well for religious observance. |
Partnership with parents and the community |
Both the junior and senior schools used a wide range of methods to keep parents very well informed about their work. These included weekly newsletters, personal organisers, homework diaries and curricular workshops in the junior school. Effective use was made of e-mail. The very good website contained a wide range of helpful information about the school. Parents were involved fully in their children’s learning. A number of parents worked effectively in the junior school to broaden children’s experiences in reading. The senior school successfully encouraged parents’ involvement, for example by sending out schedules for coursework. The Parents and Friends Association contributed very positively to the school by holding regular social and fundraising events. Its members met senior school staff each term. These meetings had resulted in further improvements in communications, for example a seminar on subject choices in the senior school. |
The Edinburgh Academy ensured that its pupils attained notable academic success and achieved highly in a broad range of endeavours. Pupils were very well cared for and supported in their personal and social development. The curriculum, learning and teaching were very good in the senior school. Under the strong leadership of the recently appointed headteacher, these aspects were improving in the junior school and were now of good quality. Staff across both schools were highly supportive of each other and strongly committed to ongoing improvement in learning and teaching. The strength of the leadership of the school and the momentum of current initiatives demonstrated the school’s strong capacity for continued improvement.
The headteacher of the junior school provided very strong, purposeful and sensitive leadership. She had demonstrated a high level of professional knowledge and skill and had gained the confidence and respect of staff, pupils and parents. She had a clear vision for the school’s future and had successfully initiated a considerable programme of improvement, for example in developing pupils’ learning and achievement. The deputy head gave very effective support to the headteacher and to staff. He had played a leading role in key developments which were significantly improving pupils’ learning experiences. The head of upper primary made a valued contribution through organising pupils’ residential excursions. The monitoring of learning and teaching from P4 to P6, one of his responsibilities, required further improvement. The head of early years had fostered good teamwork amongst teachers from P1 to P3.
The rector provided very effective and thoughtful leadership in the senior school. Staff held him in high regard and appreciated his collaborative management style. He had the strong support of parents. He was highly committed to encouraging pupils to develop a strong sense of values and to fulfil their potential for achievement in a broad range of areas. His direction and support for all staff to reflect on learning and teaching had led to very good learning experiences for pupils and high levels of achievement. The deputy rector provided impressive support to the rector. He had a thorough knowledge of the work of the school and staff appreciated the support he provided. The director of sixth form, year heads and heads of department made very effective contributions in their respective areas. The Court of Directors provided strong strategic direction for the school.
In the junior school, the headteacher had introduced rigorous approaches to evaluating the quality of the school’s work and planning for improvement. All staff took part in working groups to take forward priorities for development. The headteacher and the deputy head monitored teachers’ plans and carried out focused observations of learning and teaching. These approaches had led to notable recent improvements in learning and teaching. The senior school had surveyed the views of parents, pupils and staff through questionnaires and had begun to take action on some of the issues arising. The senior school’s approaches to self-evaluation included heads of departments’ annual reviews with the rector and a range of effective staff working groups to review key aspects of provision. The director of sixth form and the head of geography had led a very good whole-school initiative to introduce more systematic approaches to the evaluation of learning and teaching. These approaches had not yet been adopted throughout the school, to ensure that good practice was recognised and shared consistently.
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Main points for action The school and the Court of Directors should take account of the need to:
|
What happens next?
The school and the Court of Directors 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.
Jane B Renton |
Anne McGachey |
Managing Inspector (Senior School) |
Managing Inspector (Junior School) |
9 May 2006
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.
Unless otherwise stated, the evaluations apply to provision in both the junior and senior schools.
How good are learning, teaching and achievement? |
|
Structure of the curriculum in the junior school |
Good |
Structure of the curriculum in the senior school |
Very good |
The teaching process in the junior school |
Good |
The teaching process in the senior school |
Very good |
Pupils’ learning experiences in the junior school |
Good |
Pupils’ learning experiences in the senior school |
Very good |
Meeting pupils’ needs in the junior school |
Good |
Meeting pupils’ needs in the senior school |
Very good |
Pupils’ attainment in English language in the junior school |
Very good |
Pupils’ attainment in mathematics in the junior school |
Very good |
Overall quality of attainment: Geits to 3rds |
Very good |
Overall quality of attainment: 4ths to 5ths |
Very good |
Overall quality of attainment: 6ths to 7ths |
Very good |
How well are pupils supported? |
|
Pastoral care |
Very good |
Personal and social development |
Very good |
Curricular and vocational guidance in the senior school |
Very good |
Learning support in the senior school |
Very good |
How good is the environment for learning? |
|
Accommodation and facilities in the junior school |
Very good |
Accommodation and facilities in the senior school |
Adequate |
Climate and relationships |
Very good |
Expectations and promoting achievement |
Excellent |
Equality and fairness in the junior school |
Very good |
Equality and fairness in the senior school |
Good |
Partnership with parents and the community |
Very good |
Improving the school |
|
Leadership |
Very good |
Effectiveness and deployment of staff with additional responsibilities in the junior school |
Adequate |
Effectiveness and deployment of staff with additional responsibilities in the senior school |
Very good |
Self-evaluation in the junior school |
Very good |
Self-evaluation in the senior school |
Good |
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. Unless otherwise stated, responses are from groups across both the junior and senior schools.
What parents think the school does well |
What parents think the school could do better |
Almost all who responded thought that:
|
There were no significant issues in the junior school. |
What pupils think the school does well |
What pupils think the school could do better |
Almost all of those sampled stated that:
In addition, in the junior school, almost all pupils sampled:
|
In the junior school, about a quarter of pupils sampled felt they got too much homework. |
What staff think the school does well |
What staff think the school could do better |
All staff who responded stated that:
|
A significant minority of staff did not agree that time for continuous professional development was used effectively. |
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the rector, the headteacher of the junior school and school staff, the chairman of the Court of Directors and appropriate Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education, T1 Spur, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD or by telephoning 0131 244 8142. Copies are also available on our website www.hmie.gov.uk .
If you wish to comment about independent all-through inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of independent all-through inspections, you should write in the first instance to Kenneth Muir, HMCI, 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, 2nd 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, 4-6 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS. You can also telephone 0870 011 5378 or e-mail enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk .
Crown Copyright 2006
HM Inspectorate of Education
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