Agenda item

(Copy reports attached and Inspection Report to follow)

7.0       STIRCHES PRIMARY SCHOOL

            In Attendance: - Ms Lesley Miglis (Headteacher), and Gillian McKenzie (Quality Improvement Officer)

          The Chairman welcomed the representatives from Stirches Primary School. 

7.1     HMIe Report

              There had been circulated copies of a report which explained that Stirches Primary School was inspected in Juen 2023 using a ‘short’ inspection model. This means that only two quality indicators were inspected in both the Early Learning and Childcare setting and the Primary School over a 3-day period.    The HMIE Report evaluated the Early Years and Childcare provision as good and the Primary provision as satisfactory across quality indicators.  The evaluation gradings range given by HMIE on school inspections can range from unsatisfactory to excellent, so a grading of good indicated there were important strengths with areas for improvement.  A grading of satisfactory means that the strengths within this aspect of the setting work just outweigh the weaknesses in this aspect of the school’s work. The inspection team had found the following strengths in the school’s work – a) The relatively new headteacher had established a strong and positive culture in the school and nursery. Children behave very well and there was a calm and purposeful environment for learning; b) Teachers and senior leaders had worked well together to ensure children experience high-quality learning, teaching and assessment across the school. They had improved their approaches to using data to identify gaps in children’s learning and c) Practitioners in the nursery engage children well through a range of learning experiences indoors and outdoors. They have a strong focus on helping all children to achieve the best possible outcomes.

7.2     The following areas for improvement had been identified and discussed with the Headteacher and representative from Scottish Borders Council a) Senior leaders should support teachers to reflect on their practice to make sure it is improving children’s progress in learning; b) Teachers and practitioners need to involve children in planning what and how they learn. This will ensure children know how well they are progressing; and c) Staff should continue to raise children’s levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy at all stages.

7.3     Headteacher explained the actions taken in the nine weeks since the inspection, a Pupil Equity Plan and School Improvement Plan in alignment with the verbal feedback we were given from the inspection team had been created.  Actions in terms of priority one would focus on all staff being familiar with Aifl principles to ensure that children know what they are learning, and the steps needed for success.  There would be consistent and agreed methodologies to ensure that learners were supported with high quality questioning and that there were opportunities throughout learning to clarify children’s understanding.  Raising attainment in Numeracy and Mathematics through the development of effective and consistent learning and teaching methodologies and through the implementation of effective and progressive planning and assessment.  Implementing the #SBCWay Numeracy into good classroom practice and using this effectively in the planning.  Embedding of the work done last session on effective teaching methodologies in Literacy incorporating North Lanarkshire Active Literacy and engaging in the SBC Way with a focus on Reading, Writing, and Oracy.  Developing the curriculum to ensure all children had a progressive curriculum aligned with Curriculum Rationale and Vision, Values and Aims and that staff had a voice in the creative development of this.  Ensuring the curriculum provided flexible learning pathways which lead to raising attainment through meeting the needs and aspirations of our leaners.  Creating learning pathways which support children to build on their prior knowledge and are based on the principles of curriculum design.  In terms of priority two, continuing to support and develop nurture principles as a nurturing school further implementing SBC Inclusion policy focussing on Nurture Principles 1 – Children’s learning is understood developmentally and Principle 6 – The importance of transitions in children’s lives; supporting the process of leading and developing differentiation to ensure all pupils have a range of resources to support/challenge at all levels of learning and that all tasks, activities and resources are effectively differentiated and provide appropriate pace and challenge for our learners; ensuring all pupils know their individual learning targets and next steps to ensure personal progression and continuing to develop assessment evidence and ensure that there was clear understanding of progression across Curriculum for Excellence levels through effective moderation.  Ensuring that all pupils attain their best based on assessment evidence collected being used formatively.  In terms of priority 3 - become familiar with key Play Pedagogy documents, research and professional reading texts; develop effective interactions, environments and spaces to appropriately meet the needs of all ELC and P1 learners; Effective observing and assessing learners in P1 play to effectively support next steps in learning; extending children’s voice to ensure their interests will be evident in experiences planned for learning.  In terms of progress made all staff have a clear understanding about expectations for learners, ensuring that all assessment evidence was used to effectively meet learners needs and were working on enhancing their knowledge and understanding to support the process of leading and developing differentiation and providing resources to support and challenge pupils at all levels ensuring appropriate pace and challenge.   Staff had completed reflective workbooks and professional dialogue sessions to aid their professional understanding.  Professional learning had begun on engaging with the SBC Way focussing on Oracy to develop Literacy practice across the school and ELC.  Formative Assessment strategies had been refreshed and Staff had completed a padlet identifying their next steps in taking this forward.  Staff have begun to engage with the #SBCWay in relation to Numeracy and had completed training in Number Talks to ensure consistency in classroom conversations based around carefully planned problems that are solved mentally and had incorporated these into daily effective numeracy lessons. P1 teacher and Principal Teacher had been taking part in SEIC Play Pedagogy Pioneer Connector training to explore and enhance Play and their professional knowledge through familiarisation of early years’ documents and professional reading.  These staff and our Early Years’ team have also been working to enhance their Interactions, environment and spaces (inside and outside) to ensure a seamless progression from ELC to P1.  They are also going to be working to develop their Observations and assessments to ensure Children’s voice is heard and that they are responding to their interests in our planning and delivery of Cross Curricular bundles.

7.4     Although unable to attend Laura Miller C,hair of Parent Council had submitted a short statement in which she stated that the parents felt there was less disruptive incidents in class and more involvement with parents about what was going on in the school, learning etc., there were more opportunities to go into school to see the children’s work and talk to the teachers.  The children are feeling more involved, have a better understanding of what was expected of them and were generally feeling more settled in class.  The general atmosphere of the school had improved and the strong leadership, determination and passion in the head staff was clear.   Parents felt that the school was moving in the right direction and would continue to do so.

7.5     Gillian McKenzie, Quality Improvement Officer congratulated the school on their positive inspection and highlighted that the Headteacher had only been in post 12 months prior to the inspection being undertaken.  There was a very positive culture in the school and the outcomes for children were improving.  A follow up inspection would be carried out in May 2024.

7.6     Members agreed that the rate of progress should be commended and were impressed with the energy and expertise improving outcomes for children which would feed into Hawick High School.

          DECISION

AGREED: -

(a)          the School Improvement Plan for Stirches Primary School which addresses areas for improvement as outlined in the HMIE Inspection Report (June 2023).

(b)          the Quality Improvement Team’s plan for support and showcasing of the work of Stirches Primary School following the inspection.