Banff Primary School
Aberdeenshire Council
19 December 2006
Contents
Page
1. Background
1
2. Key strengths
1
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
2
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
2
5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
4
6. How good is the environment for learning?
5
7. Leading and improving the school
6
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
9
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
10
How can you contact us?
11
1. Background
Banff Primary School was inspected in September 2006 as part of a national sample of
primary education. The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all
stages. It evaluated pupils’ achievements, the effectiveness of the school, the
environment for learning, the school’s processes for self-evaluation and innovation, and
its capacity for improvement. There was a particular focus on attainment in English
language and mathematics.
HM Inspectors examined pupils’ work and interviewed groups of pupils, including the
pupil council, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met representatives of
the Parent Support Group (PSG) and a group of parents 1. There was no School Board.
The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school’s progress in implementing
national recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision.
The school serves the town of Banff and the surrounding area. At the time of the
inspection the roll was 437, including 75 children in the nursery class and 31 pupils
who have additional support needs arising from a range of difficulties including
complex learning difficulties. These pupils received specialist support in classes in the
‘yellow corridor’, and, where appropriate, they joined their peers in mainstream
classes. At the time of the inspection there was a vacant post for a depute head teacher.
The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was below the national
average. Pupils’ attendance was above the national average.
The work of the nursery class was not included in this inspection.
2. Key strengths
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
•
Polite, confident and well-behaved pupils.
•
Inclusion of pupils with additional support needs.
•
Relationships between staff and pupils.
•
The concern shown by all staff for pupils’ care, welfare and well-being.
•
Learning experiences of pupils with additional support needs.
1
Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and
carers who are relatives or friends.
1
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
HM Inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires issued to a sample of parents, P4
to P7 pupils, and to all staff. Information about the responses to the questionnaires
appears in Appendix 2.
Parents were positive with almost all aspects of the school. They felt that staff treated
children fairly and that the school had a good reputation in the community. They
thought children enjoyed being at school and that staff showed genuine concern for
pupils’ care and welfare. A small number of parents who responded to the
questionnaire did not feel they had a clear idea of the school’s priorities for improving
the education of pupils. Pupils thought that teachers knew them well, expected them to
work hard and helped them when they found work difficult. Pupils liked their school
meals, but did not like the seating arrangements. Staff felt pupils were enthusiastic
about their work and behaved very well. They thought staff worked very well together
as a team and they provided good support for one another.
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The overall quality of the curriculum was adequate. Teachers gave appropriate
attention to developing pupils’ skills in the expressive arts. They had recently made
improvements to programmes for English language, mathematics and religious and
moral education (RME). They had made a good start to developing pupils’ skills in
enterprise and citizenship. However, the curriculum did not yet provide sufficient
continuity and progression in the development of pupils’ knowledge, skills and
understanding. Teachers used curriculum flexibility time to provide additional time for
the teaching of English language and mathematics, but had not yet evaluated the impact
of this on pupils’ attainment. At the upper stages, limited use was made of information
and communications technology (ICT) to support learning in aspects of mathematics.
The quality of teaching was good, and there were some examples of very good
teaching. Teachers were well organised and gave clear explanations. They
consistently shared the purpose of the lessons with pupils and most held useful reviews
of learning at the end of lessons. In the most effective lessons, teachers used a wide
range of teaching approaches. However, the quality of teaching was variable and in
some lessons teaching approaches were too limited. Teachers were too reliant on the
completion of textbook pages and worksheet activities. The quality and range of
homework was variable.
Across the school, almost all pupils showed positive attitudes to learning and worked
hard on the tasks set for them. Pupils’ learning was enriched by effective contributions
from visiting specialists in art and design, physical education and home economics.
However, in too many lessons, teachers did not challenge pupils appropriately to
extend their learning. As a result, the choice of tasks and activities did not meet the
needs of all pupils. Pupils responded very well where their learning was brisk, for
example, in a writing lesson in P6 and in physical education in P7. Pupils at P2 to P4
worked well together in group and class activities. Across the school, but particularly
2
at P1 and P2, the pace of learning was too slow and pupils were not sufficiently active
in their learning, for example through play.
At all stages, pupils were making very good progress in developing confidence and
self-esteem. The pupil council had identified and made important decisions about
school issues such as an adventure playground and changing the times for school
lunches. A strong ethos of achievement was promoted in the ‘yellow corridor’ and
pupil success was regularly celebrated. Pupils from the classes in the ‘yellow corridor’
were very effectively involved in the wider life of the school. They were gaining
self-esteem and confidence by taking part in school shows and assemblies. Pupils at P7
were going to take part in the residential trip with their peers in mainstream classes.
The school had won prizes in a number of local and national competitions including a
prize for designing and building a bi-plane. The school was working towards
recognition as a Health Promoting School and most pupils were knowledgeable about
nutrition.
English language in the school
Pupils’ attainment in English language was adequate. In recent years standards of
attainment had varied in reading and declined in writing. Across the school, the
majority of pupils achieved appropriate national levels of attainment. Most pupils,
particularly at the early and upper stages, were capable of achieving higher standards in
reading and writing. Pupils with additional support needs and those with English as an
additional language were making good progress towards achieving agreed learning
targets. Almost all pupils listened attentively to instructions and explanations. Most
pupils talked confidently and clearly about personal experiences. At most stages,
pupils had presented interesting talks to others within their year group. At P3, pupils
read confidently, could name their favourite author and talk about a book they had read.
Across the school, pupils were beginning to write for a wider range of purposes.
However, at almost all stages, pupils did not have a clear understanding of how to
improve their writing. The quality of pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their
work were not always of a sufficiently high standard.
Mathematics in the school
The overall quality of attainment in mathematics was weak. Over the last three years
there had been no significant improvement in attainment. A majority of pupils were
attaining appropriate national levels in key aspects of mathematics. At all stages, a
high number of pupils were capable of achieving higher standards. Pupils who were
experiencing difficulties with aspects of mathematics received good support and they
were making good progress in their learning. At all stages, pupils could understand
and interpret information. Those in P6 and P7 did not make sufficient use of
computers to organise and display information. Pupils in P4 to P7 were able to use a
variety of strategies for mental calculation. At P7, pupils showed a good understanding
of decimals and fractions. Pupils in P3 and P4 had a good knowledge of shape and
could discuss their properties. Across the school, most pupils were unsure of strategies
they could use to solve problems.
3
The ‘yellow corridor’
Pupils in the ‘yellow corridor’ classes experienced a broad and balanced curriculum
which was very effectively matched to their individual needs. Staff made very
effective use of the time available for pupils’ personal and social development. Pupils
were making very good progress towards their individualised targets with support from
teachers, support staff and the speech and language therapist. Pupils with more
complex learning needs were able to respond to prompts such as a picture, object or
smell by vocalising, using eye contact, smiling or pointing. Pupils were making good
progress towards achieving their individual mathematics targets. A few joined
mainstream classes for mathematics and were attaining appropriate national levels of
attainment. Teachers and support staff used a wide range of approaches to support
pupils’ learning. These included effective use of symbols, signing, familiar objects and
simple language to share the purpose of lessons with pupils. Teachers and support staff
interacted very positively with pupils. They regularly provided outings and trips into
the local community to allow pupils to develop their skills in a relevant context.
Pupils in the ‘yellow corridor’ classes were making very good progress in developing
their personal and social skills. They were confident individuals who were
experiencing success through very well planned and varied learning experiences.
Pupils were developing an understanding of aspects of health and personal hygiene
through a range of appropriate activities. The school’s approaches to meeting the
needs of individual pupils were very good. Tasks and activities were very well
matched to individual pupils’ needs. Staff made well-judged use of individualised
educational programmes (IEPs) to monitor pupils’ progress and achievements. The
depute headteacher had developed very effective procedures for monitoring and
tracking pupils’ progress. Parents were fully involved in setting learning targets.
Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists all
worked very effectively with teachers and support staff to ensure that pupils’ needs
were fully met.
The depute headteacher had gained the respect and confidence of staff, parents and
pupils. She carefully deployed staff, matching them to pupils’ individual needs. She
tracked pupils’ progress systematically through continuous assessment, the monitoring
and review of IEP targets and forward plans. She was highly committed and provided
very effective support for all staff’s professional development.
5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
Arrangements to meet pupils’ learning needs were adequate. Staff provided pupils
with a variety of tasks and activities. However, these were not always well matched to
the needs of higher achieving pupils. As a result, pupils were not making appropriate
progress in their learning. Pupils were not yet sufficiently involved in setting their own
learning targets or in evaluating their own progress. Teachers reviewed pupils’
progress informally but did not make effective enough use of attainment information to
identify and plan next steps in learning. Support staff were well deployed and made
positive contributions to supporting pupils’ learning. Visiting support for learning
teachers provided very good professional advice and effective support for pupils with
additional support needs. Individualised educational programmes were very well
4
planned with appropriate learning targets. Commendably, the school worked closely
with a range of partner agencies to provide specialised support for identified pupils.
6. How good is the environment for learning?
Aspect
Comment
Pastoral care
The quality of pastoral care was very good. All staff
demonstrated concern for pupils’ care and welfare. Pupils
felt safe and well looked after in the school. They were
familiar with the school’s procedures for dealing with
bullies and were confident enough to use them. The
school’s procedures for dealing with child protection issues
and for managing incidents of racism were appropriate and
understood by staff. The significant number of pupils for
whom English was an additional language were very well
supported and encouraged to become part of the school and
local community. Staff had taken positive steps to promote
a healthy lifestyle. These included the organisation of a
health week by pupils in P7 and access to a breakfast club.
Pupils were very knowledgeable about the importance of
good hygiene practices. The school had clear and effective
procedures to ensure a smooth transition for pupils moving
from P7 to secondary school. Arrangements for transition
from the nursery class into P1 were not effective and should
be reviewed.
Quality of
accommodation
and facilities
The quality of accommodation was very good. The recently
extended school buildings provided a bright and stimulating
environment for pupils. The extensive grounds included
grass areas and an Astroturf pitch which were used
effectively for a range of energetic physical activities.
Resources were in good supply and were very well
organised. An adventure playground and sensory trail were
due to be completed by October 2006. Particular strengths
of the accommodation for pupils in the ‘yellow corridor’
were the soft play area with sensory equipment and the
specialist multi-sensory room to provide a range of sensory
stimulation. However, classrooms in the ‘yellow corridor’
were sometimes too small for the range of teaching
approaches which teachers used. Repairs to broken
windows on the link corridor and to water ingress in the
former academy building required attention.
5
Aspect
Comment
Climate and
relationships,
expectations
and promoting
achievement
and equality
Staff provided a very welcoming, secure and inclusive
environment. Relationships between pupils and staff were
very good. Teachers used praise appropriately to motivate
pupils. Pupils were polite and almost all were very well
behaved. They respected and supported one another and
were proud to be part of the school community. The school
made use of regular assemblies to celebrate achievement and
for pupils to worship together. Staff worked very well
together as a team and their morale was high. The school
promoted a strong sense of equality and fairness, and
everyone’s contribution was valued. Pupils had a good
understanding of racial equality issues and the need to take
account of individual differences. However, teachers’
expectations of pupils’ attainment, particularly in English
language and mathematics, was not high enough.
Partnership
with parents
and the
community
The school had strong links with parents, support services
and the local community. The PSG provided valuable
support to the school. Parents were encouraged to be
actively involved in the life and work of the school through,
for example, induction events for new pupils. However, the
organisation and communication associated with these
events needed some improvement. Parents received helpful
written reports on their child’s progress and parents’
evenings were always well attended. Parents of pupils
attending classes in the ‘yellow corridor’ were very positive
about the support their children received. The school had a
wide range of approaches for communicating with the
parents of children in the ‘yellow corridor’ classes. The
school had plans to consult with parents over sensitive
health education issues. The local chaplains gave effective
support to the school.
7. Leading and improving the school
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
The school provided a caring and inclusive learning environment. Relationships were
positive and teachers worked well together as a team. They were eager to take part in
staff development opportunities so that they could improve pupils’ learning. Pupils’
attainment in English language was adequate and weak in mathematics. Teachers had
implemented new programmes in English language, mathematics and RME. These
were beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning experiences.
There were examples of very effective teaching but this was not consistent and the pace
6
and level of challenge was not yet sufficient enough to meet the needs of all learners.
Teachers did not provide enough opportunities for pupils to be actively involved in
their learning or to set their own learning targets.
The headteacher had worked hard during her two years in post to successfully build a
strong school community and to create the school’s capacity to improve. A number of
planned developments had not progressed as well as the headteacher had intended as a
result of senior staff vacancies and secondments. She had earned the respect and
confidence of parents, staff and pupils. The depute headteacher with responsibility for
the ‘yellow classes’ provided high quality leadership. The school’s approaches to
monitoring the quality of its work had important weaknesses. The headteacher had
involved staff in identifying key priorities for improvement and in developing aspects
of the curriculum. She visited classes and provided oral and written feedback to staff
on their plans. Teachers had recently been made aware of the school’s attainment
information and compared this with national assessment information. They had not
previously been involved in using this data to rigorously and systematically evaluate
pupil progress. Overall, the school’s approach to planning for improvement was not
yet effective enough to enable the school to improve standards in English language and
mathematics. The headteacher and education authority will require to focus more
clearly on developing leadership for learning and in extending the school’s capacity to
improve its work.
Main points for action
The school and education authority, in liaison with HM Inspectors, should take
action to ensure improvement in:
•
pupils’ attainment in English language and mathematics;
•
pupils’ continuity and progression in their learning;
•
the pace of learning and level of challenge in tasks and activities;
•
opportunities for pupils to be actively involved in their learning; and
•
approaches to monitoring and evaluating pupils’ attainment, learning and
teaching.
7
What happens next?
The school and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan
indicating how they will address the main findings of the report, and to share that plan
with parents. HM Inspectors will engage with the school and the education authority to
monitor progress. They will publish an interim report on progress within one year of
the publication of this report. Thereafter, HM Inspectors will continue to engage with
the school and the education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a
follow-through inspection. This will result in another report to parents, within two
years of the publication of this report, on the extent of improvement that has been
achieved.
Marion Burns
HM Inspector
19 December 2006
8
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
The sections in the table below follow the order in this report. You can find the main
comments made about each of the quality indicators in those sections. However,
aspects of some quality indicators are relevant to other sections of the report and may
also be mentioned in those other sections.
How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
Structure of the curriculum
The teaching process
Pupils’ learning experiences
Pupils’ attainment in English language
Pupils’ attainment in mathematics
Personal and social development
adequate
good
adequate
adequate
weak
very good
How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
Meeting pupils’ needs
adequate
How good is the environment for learning?
Pastoral care
Accommodation and facilities
Climate and relationships
Expectations and promoting achievement
Equality and fairness
Partnership with parents and the
community
Leading and improving the school
Leadership of the headteacher
Leadership across the school
Self-evaluation
very good
very good
very good
adequate
very good
good
adequate
good
weak
This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by
inspectors:
excellent
very good
good
adequate
weak
unsatisfactory
outstanding, sector leading
major strengths
important strengths with some areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
9
Appendix 2
Summary of questionnaire responses
Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires
are listed below.
What parents thought the school did
well
What parents think the school
could do better
•
Their children enjoyed being at
school.
• The school had a good reputation
in the community.
• Staff treated their children fairly
and showed concern for the care
and welfare of children.
• They were welcomed by staff.
•
What pupils thought the school did
well
What pupils think the school could
do better
•
•
Teachers knew them well.
Teachers expected them to work
hard.
• The school helped them to keep
safe and healthy.
• Teachers helped them when they
found work difficult.
• They liked being at school.
•
What staff thought the school did
well
What staff think the school could
do better
•
•
They enjoyed working in the
school.
• Staff showed concern for the care
and welfare of pupils.
• Staff worked hard to promote and
maintain good relations with the
local community.
• Pupil success is regularly
celebrated and there was mutual
respect between staff and pupils.
10
•
They did not have a clear idea of
the school’s priorities for
improving the education of
pupils.
They wanted to know how to
help their children with
homework.
A few pupils felt the behaviour
of some pupils was not good.
There were no significant issues.
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 Acting
Director of Education and Recreation, 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, Greyfriars House, Gallowgate, Aberdeen
AB10 1LQ or by telephoning 01224 642544. Copies are also available on our website
www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you wish to comment about primary inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of primary inspections, you should write in
the first instance to Chris McIlroy, Acting HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education,
Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston
EH54 6GA.
Our complaints procedure
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to
Hazel Dewart, Business Management Unit, HM Inspectorate of Education, Second
Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston
EH54 6GA. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office or by
telephoning 01506 600258 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.
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to
investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should
write to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4-6 Melville Street,
Edinburgh EH3 7NS. You can also telephone 0870 011 5378 or e-mail
enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s
office can be obtained from the website: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2006
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.
11