St Mark’s Primary School
Hamilton
South Lanarkshire Council
21 October 2008
Contents
Page
1.
The inspection
1
2.
Continuous improvement
1
3.
Progress towards meeting the main points for action
1
4.
Conclusion
3
How can you contact us?
4
1. The inspection
HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) published a report on the inspection of
St Mark’s Primary School in October 2006. Working with the school, the education
authority prepared an action plan indicating how they would address the main points for
action identified in the original HMIE inspection report.
HM Inspectors revisited the school in June 2008 to assess the extent to which the school was
continuing to improve the quality of its work, and to evaluate progress made in responding to
the main points for action in the initial report.
2. Continuous improvement
The school was demonstrating an increased capacity for continuous improvement. Staff had
worked hard to achieve progress on the priorities identified in the original HMIE report.
With continued strong leadership from the headteacher, the school had made steady progress
across a wide range of improvements in its performance. The headteacher had consulted
staff, parents and pupils on a wide range of issues and they had worked together to review
and develop the school aims. The school’s focus on continuous professional development
had been well judged and this had led to improvements in the quality of pupils’ learning
experiences and in attainment. The school had improved partnerships with parents who
actively supported the school through the Parent Council. Staff had improved
communications with parents including through the development of the school website. The
school accommodation continued to be improved and the school grounds development
project had successfully involved staff, parents and pupils. The school had been successful in
achieving a bronze health promoting school award.
3. Progress towards meeting the main points for action
The initial inspection report published in October 2006 identified four main points for action.
This section evaluates the progress made with each of the action points and the resulting
improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.
3.1
Ensure that tasks and activities provide sufficient challenge and support
to meet the needs of all learners.
The school has made very good progress with this main point for action.
Teachers had improved their approaches to planning and programmes across all curricular
areas to improve the pace of learning. They had developed a wider range of teaching and
learning approaches. Teachers had visited other schools and participated in professional
development which had increased their skills. Staff had improved the quality of pupils’
learning experiences including developing active learning approaches. They now planned
tasks and activities carefully to ensure that they better met the wide range of pupils’ abilities
and prior experiences.
1
Staff now used assessment information more effectively to plan appropriate tasks and
activities and ensure pupils made appropriate progress. Teachers were successfully
implementing a range of ‘Assessment is for learning’ strategies including sharing learning
intentions and success criteria. Across the school, teachers were using a wider range of
information and communications technology (ICT) to effectively enhance pupils’ learning
and to better meet their needs. Teachers had carefully considered the needs of boys. They
had taken account of their views on resources that would improve their motivation. Teachers
had improved the range of educational visits and visitors to increase the relevance of pupils’
learning experiences to real life.
Pupils were aware of their levels of attainment and teachers provided clear feedback on their
next steps in learning. Pupils took greater responsibility for their own learning. They
enjoyed many opportunities to work collaboratively and independently. They expressed their
views and opinions well in class and reflected on their learning.
The headteacher has reviewed the deployment of support staff to focus more on the needs of
individual and groups of pupils. The school had more parent helpers who supported learning
well in class. The school has improved links with John Ogilvie High School including
effective transition arrangements for pupils requiring additional support.
3.2
Continue to improve attainment across the school, especially in English
language.
The school has made very good progress with this main point for action.
The school had improved some important aspects of attainment. Teachers had developed a
programme for talking and listening and had increased opportunities for talking and listening
across the curriculum. Staff had improved resources in reading and with parents’ support had
made improvements to the school library. Staff training had focused on writing and teachers
had increased time in the curriculum to developing pupils’ skills. They shared expected
standards with pupils and celebrated ‘star writers’. Overall, the quality of pupils’ writing had
improved across the school. Levels of attainment in reading and writing had steadily
improved and attainment in mathematics had remained high. Almost all pupils were
attaining expected national levels in reading, writing and mathematics.
3.3
Raise expectations and develop a whole school approach to promoting
and celebrating achievement.
The school has made very good progress with this main point for action.
The school has put in place a wide range of approaches to celebrate pupils’ achievements.
These include the house system for points for good behaviour and achievement, ‘star writers’
and ‘pupil of the week’. Pupils’ achievements were celebrated regularly through displays,
presentations at assemblies, newsletters and on the school plasma scene. Staff now used
praise more effectively. Pupils had increased opportunities to take on leadership roles
including through the pupil council, by being house captains and vice-captains and junior
road safety officers. Pupils felt they have a voice in the school and that their views were
taken account of in decision making. They had increased opportunities to achieve in a range
of areas including outdoor education, the residential experience and after-school activities
2
such as the singing group, the gardening club, and sports such as badminton. The school had
encouraged parents to become more involved in learning through a more consistent approach
to homework. Staff had been successful in gaining parental support in addressing
late-coming. Overall, staff, pupils and parents had increased expectations of pupils’
attainment, achievement and behaviour.
3.4
Develop systematic and rigorous approaches to monitoring and
evaluating the work of the school.
The school has made good progress with this main point for action.
The headteacher had developed the school’s approaches to self-evaluation and now had a
calendar of monitoring activities in place. These included providing constructive feedback
on teachers’ plans and sampling jotters as well as observations of lessons. The headteacher
tracked pupils’ attainment and met regularly with staff to discuss pupils’ progress and targets.
She had consulted staff, parents and pupils on a range of polices and procedures and had
gathered their views of the school to inform priorities for improvement. Staff were beginning
to use a range of quality indicators to evaluate their practices.
4. Conclusion
Overall, the school had made very good progress in addressing the main points for action.
The headteacher and staff had worked hard together to improve the quality of learning,
teaching and meeting needs. Aspects of pupils’ attainment had improved. The school had a
range of effective approaches to promote and celebrate achievement and had increased
expectations. The headteacher had effectively improved the school’s approaches to
self-evaluation. The school’s capacity for improvement had continued to grow under the
strong leadership of the headteacher.
As a result of the progress made HM Inspectors will make no further visits to the school in
connection with the report of October 2006.
Mary Hoey
HM Inspector
21 October 2008
3
How can you contact us?
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.
HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of follow-through inspections, you should write
in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm
House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our
Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications Team, Second
Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston,
EH54 6GA. You can also e-mail HMIEcomplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our
complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 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
(SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about
Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, 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 2008
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.
4