Quality indicators help pre-school centres, education authorities and inspectors to judge
what is good and what needs to be improved in the work of the pre-school centre. You
can find these quality indicators in the publication Child at the Centre(2)1. Following our
inspection of each pre-school centre, the Scottish Government gathers evaluations of
three important quality indicators to keep track of how well all Scottish pre-school centres
are doing.
The Care Inspectorate publishes quality grades to better inform people and the Scottish
Government about the quality of care services. Awarding grades at inspections is aimed
at encouraging providers to identify and address areas for improvement. The Care
Inspectorate also uses the grades to ensure our inspection activity is targeted and
proportionate. The grades at inspection are awarded against four quality themes, details
of which can be found on the Care Inspectorate website.
Here are Education Scotland’s evaluations for ABC Nursery Ecclefechan
Children’s experiences
Improvements in performance
Meeting learning needs
weak
weak
unsatisfactory
We also evaluated the following aspects of the work of the pre-school centre
The curriculum
Improvement through self-evaluation
unsatisfactory
unsatisfactory
Here are the Care Inspectorate’s gradings for ABC Nursery Ecclefechan
Quality of care and support
Quality of environment
Quality of staffing
Quality of management and leadership
adequate
adequate
adequate
weak
At the last inspection that was conducted by the Care Inspectorate, there was one
recommendation and no requirements. Recommendation has been addressed.
1
The Child at the Centre, Self-Evaluation in the early years, HM Inspectorate of Education, 2007, :
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/Images/catcseey_tcm4-712692.pdf
Education Scotland
Denholm House
Almondvale Business Park
Almondvale Way
Livingston
EH54 6GA
T
01506 600 308
F
01506 600 313
E eyfp@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
Textphone 01506 600236
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use this number for voice calls as this will not
connect.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Transforming lives through learning
Requirement

The provider must ensure that those employed in the nursery receive training
appropriate to the work they are to perform.
In order to achieve this the provider must ensure that; they evaluate staff’s
understanding of their own learning; monitor that it is effectively implemented;
and support staff with the design and implementation of the nursery curriculum so
that all children are supported and enabled to achieve their potential.
This is in order to comply with The Social Care and Social Work Improvement
Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, Scottish Statutory
Instrument 2011/210 15(b)(i) - A requirement about staffing.
Timescale for completion: Six months from the publication of this report.
Recommendations

Management and staff should continue to develop their care plan format so that
there is a clear statement for each child attending the nursery, which sets out
how the nursery plans to meet the care and development needs of each child
attending the service.
National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 6 - Support and development.

The provider, manager and staff should improve the nursery environment by:
making sure that the building is decorated and maintained internally and
externally to an appropriate standard; establishing procedures for monitoring the
temperature of all areas of the nursery; and developing the cleaning schedules to
include all areas of the building, so that they are routinely cleaned, as
appropriate.
National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 2 - A safe environment.

The provider, manager and staff should establish systematic and rigorous
procedures for self-evaluation and monitoring of all areas of the service, using
local and national guidance and which lead to clear plans for maintaining and
improving the service.
National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 13 - Improving the service.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/school/eyc/
ABCNurseryLockerbieDumfriesandGalloway.asp
http://www.scswis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7644&Itemi
d=489
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