1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standard Inspection of Knockando Primary School The Moray Council ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Introduction 2. How well are pupils performing?

Knockando Primary School serves the village of Knockando and the surrounding area. At the time of the inspection it had a roll of 55 pupils, formed into three classes.

The inspection took place in February 2000 as part of a national sample of primary education. It evaluated how well pupils were performing, the effectiveness of the school and how well the school was managed.

HM Inspectors assessed the school’s processes for self-evaluation and development planning. They evaluated learning and teaching, examined pupils’ work and interviewed staff and pupils. English language, mathematics and environmental studies were inspected. There was a particular focus on attainment in English language and mathematics.

The results of a questionnaire sent to all parents were taken into account during the inspection. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the School Board and a group of parents.

In English language the overall quality of attainment was good. Pupils at all stages performed well in their coursework, though writing tasks at the middle stages were not sufficiently challenging. They were confident in aspects of listening and talking. Almost all pupils at the upper stages read regularly for enjoyment and gave good individual talks to their class. Pupils at the early stages, and most at the middle and upper stages, were achieving appropriate national levels in listening, talking and reading . Only a majority at the middle and upper stages were achieving appropriate standards in writing .

The overall quality of attainment in mathematics was good. Almost all pupils at the early stages, and the majority at the middle and upper stages, were achieving appropriate national levels in number, money and measurement, shape, position and movement and information handling . While most pupils performed well in their coursework, it was insufficiently challenging at the early and middle stages. Pupils could interpret graphs with confidence, but had limited skills in using computers to organise and display information. Their skills in mental calculation and in tackling problems were generally good.