15 December 2015
Dear Parent/Carer
Stornoway Primary School and Nursery Class
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Recently, as you may know, my colleagues and I inspected your child’s school. During
our visit, we talked to parents and children and worked closely with the headteacher
and staff. We wanted to find out how well children are learning and achieving and how
well the school supports children to do their best. The headteacher shared with us the
school’s successes and priorities for improvement. We looked at some particular
aspects of the school’s recent work, including improvements in approaches to effective
teaching. As a result, we were able to find out how good the school is at improving
children’s education.
How well do children learn and achieve?
There are many strengths in the way that children learn and achieve at the primary
stages. In the early learning and childcare settings, while there are some strengths,
we have asked staff to take forward some key improvements. Across all stages,
children benefit from very positive relationships with staff in which they are respected
and valued. Children in turn are polite, well-mannered and are very keen to learn. In
the early learning and childcare settings, children’s favourite experiences include being
outdoors where they enjoy physical activities. They now need to be more involved in
planning their learning so that they are more independent and benefit from a greater
range and quality of experience. At the primary stages, for almost all of the time,
children’s learning has a clear focus on encouraging them to think and discuss in pairs
and groups. We observed some examples of children very effectively leading
discussions with their peers. Almost all teachers set clear aims for learning. Children
are becoming increasingly aware of how to improve the standard of their work through
the setting of targets for a few areas of learning. By the older stages, children are
encouraged to be more independent in their learning by researching and presenting an
area of personal interest. We have asked staff to ensure that children’s learning
experiences are consistently strong across all activities.
Children benefit from a range of clubs and visits which help develop skills for learning,
life and work. In the early learning and childcare settings, most children are
developing an awareness of others, including through national fundraising events. A
few children can describe their participation in events such as collecting resources to
send to children abroad at Christmas. Those in P4-P7 gain important leadership skills
by organising some of these clubs. Those who have participated in the local Mòd
have had their talents in recitation, music and song recognised. Children stage
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Transforming lives through learning
concerts which are very well-supported by parents. Their involvement in making short
films strengthens their skills in the use of digital technology while also giving them a
motivating situation in which to apply Gaelic. It would be beneficial for all children to
reflect on how well their skills are being advanced by taking part in these opportunities.
In the early learning and childcare settings, in early literacy, Gàidhlig or English, and in
mathematics, children are making satisfactory progress. They enjoy listening to
stories, with a few showing an awareness of different authors. Children apply their
learning in numeracy such as when shopping in the town. However, we have asked
staff to place more emphasis on developing children’s skills in early numeracy and
mathematics. Children in Gaelic Medium Education are increasing their understanding
of the high quality language that staff use continuously as part of playroom practice.
We have asked staff to encourage children to speak more Gaelic during routines such
as when having their snack. Overall at the primary stages, children are making good
progress in most aspects of their learning. By the end of P7, most are achieving
appropriate levels in literacy and numeracy with a few achieving better than expected.
The headteacher works with staff to have a close look at children’s progress. From
this, they have correctly identified that there are groups of children in the early and
middle stages, who could be making better progress in mathematics and English.
Additionally, they recognise that children’s progress in literacy and Gàidhlig at the
older stages needs to be improved. As a result, we have asked staff to increase the
learning through Gaelic from P2 as one way of improving children’s attainment in
literacy and Gàidhlig and across the curriculum for Gaelic Medium Education.
Children describe well the reasons that books appeal to them. They write with care,
attention and detail. Children’s best pieces of writing have featured in books that they
have authored. There now needs to be more focus on checking children’s progress in
listening and talking. Most children have good skills in mental calculations. As a next
step, we have advised staff to continue to build stronger evidence of assessment in all
aspects of children’s learning.
How well does the school support children to develop and learn?
At the primary stages, children are supported well to develop and learn. There is
scope for improvement in the early learning and childcare settings. Across all stages,
staff have created a welcoming learning environment for children and families.
Commendably, there is a very inclusive approach to children who need extra help with
their learning. Children share their knowledge with each other. For example, those in
P2 help P1 with their spelling. The specialist support teachers and assistants are
effective in helping individuals and groups at the primary stages. They provide useful
advice and guidance to staff such as in supporting those who have English as an
additional language. Teachers need to continue to ensure that activities are set at an
appropriate level of difficulty to meet the needs of all children in each class. They
should review the way they group children for mathematics to ensure that activities are
meeting the learning needs of each individual for those both in English and Gaelic
Medium provisions. In the early learning and childcare settings, activities need to
encourage children to enquire and investigate. Staff also need to increase the pace of
learning and raise their expectation of what children can achieve across the
playrooms.
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At the primary stages, teachers provide a mainly broad and balanced curriculum.
There are significant ways in which the curriculum of the early learning and childcare
settings could be better. Across stages, staff’s planning of learning is well-advised and
underpinned by the school’s motto, ‘Ar dìleab’/Our legacy. As a result, children’s
learning includes some features which are precious to their island. At the primary
stages, this includes all children in English medium education learning Gaelic from P1.
A next step would be to create an ethos in which the Gaelic language is seen and
heard regularly beyond the classroom. Staff at the primary stages are improving
programmes of learning by using Curriculum for Excellence guidance. They have
developed an approach for literacy and numeracy which clarifies what is expected of
children at each level. Specialists in art, music and physical education support
children’s learning. The school has identified the need to review the programme for
sciences. We have also asked them to focus on developing children’s knowledge and
skills in digital technologies. Teachers plan interesting projects which help children
make meaningful links across their learning. We have asked teachers to be clearer on
what children will learn as part of individual programmes for the curricular areas and
through projects. There are significant improvements required in the curriculum for
those in the early learning and childcare settings. In achieving this, staff should aim for
a broader curriculum which describes children’s goals in learning. Staff would benefit
from more professional learning in how to plan quality learning experiences across all
playrooms.
How well does the school improve the quality of its work?
The school is led by an experienced headteacher who is well-respected by parents.
She is supported well by staff who lead on projects to improve the school. They
readily share their skills and expertise with each other. Teachers benefit from activities
which help develop an understanding of standards of children’s work. Teachers now
need to have a greater role in tracking the achievements and progress of all learners
to ensure that they are appropriately supported and challenged. While children are
consulted about aspects of school life, they are keen to continue to have a greater role
in helping shape school improvements. We have asked the senior management team
to prioritise working with staff in the early learning and childcare settings to help
achieve a better start to children’s education. In so doing, staff would benefit from
using guidance such as Building the Ambition and Advice on Gaelic Education.
This inspection found the following key strengths.



Polite, well-mannered and articulate children who are very keen to learn.
The positive and caring relationships between all staff and their pupils.
The range of achievements which are building children’s confidence.
We discussed with staff and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar how they might continue to
improve the school and nursery class. This is what we agreed with them.


Develop further staff confidence and skills to plan quality learning experiences
across all playrooms.
Ensure consistency and challenge in learners’ experiences with children clear on
their next steps in learning and attainment.
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Develop further self-evaluation and the curriculum to drive improvements in
children’s progress and attainment in both Gaelic Medium and English provisions.
Increase the use of Gaelic for delivering the curriculum from P2 and ensure that all
children have opportunities to hear and use Gaelic in all features of the school’s
work.
What happens at the end of the inspection?
We are satisfied with the overall quality of provision at the primary stages. We are
confident that most of the school’s self-evaluation processes are leading to
improvements. We are not yet totally satisfied with some of the provision in the early
learning and childcare settings. As a result, our Area Lead Officer will work with
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to build capacity for improvement and will maintain contact
to monitor progress. Within a year of publishing this letter, we will ask Comhairle nan
Eilean Siar for a progress report on how well they are making improvements to the
early learning and childcare settings. We will also ask Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to
keep parents informed of the extent to which the early learning and childcare setting
has improved.
Joan Esson
HM Inspector
Additional inspection evidence, such as details of the quality indicator evaluations and
national care standards gradings, for your school can be found on the Education
Scotland website at
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/school/primsec/Stor
nowayPrimarySchoolEileanSiar WesternIsles.asp
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please contact the administration team on the above telephone number.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact us
by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail: complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
or write to us addressing your letter to the Complaints Manager, Denholm House,
Almondvale Business Park, Livingston EH54 6GA.
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