Glenlee Primary School
Hamilton
South Lanarkshire Council
3 October 2006
Contents
Page
1. Background
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2. Key strengths
1
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
1
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
2
5. How well are pupils supported?
4
6. How good is the environment for learning?
4
7. Improving the school
5
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
8
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
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How can you contact us?
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1. Background
Glenlee Primary School was inspected in May 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 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 the chairperson of
the School Board, representatives of the parent-teacher association (PTA), and a group
of parents 1.
The school serves the area of Burnbank in Hamilton. At the time of the inspection the
roll was 390, including 60 in the nursery class. The school provides specialist support
for deaf pupils. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was
well above the national average. Pupils’ attendance was below the national average. A
new school was scheduled to open in 2007. The Education Authority had plans to
incorporate Hamilton School for the Deaf within the same campus.
The nursery class was inspected at the same time and is the subject of a separate report.
2. Key strengths
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
•
The commitment of the headteacher and staff to promoting an inclusive ethos.
•
Emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles among pupils and their families.
•
Impact of the school’s transition arrangements on the continuity of children’s
learning between nursery and primary 1.
•
Productive partnerships with parents and their involvement in their children’s
learning.
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.
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Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and
carers who are relatives or friends.
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Parents, pupils and staff were very positive about the school. Parents thought that the
school had a good reputation in the local community and felt welcome. They believed
that their children were treated fairly and that staff showed care and concern for their
welfare. Pupils enjoyed school and felt that teachers expected them to work hard.
They appreciated their involvement in decision making about aspects of school life.
They believed that the school helped them to keep safe and healthy. A quarter of pupils
thought the behaviour of some pupils was not good. Staff were very positive about
almost all aspects of the school. They enjoyed working there and thought there was
good communication between senior management and staff. They felt that there was
mutual respect between staff and pupils. All staff believed that the school was well led.
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
Teachers provided pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum. They made effective
use of additional time given to English language to improve attainment and this was
beginning to impact on reading and writing, particularly at the early stages. However,
teachers did not systematically develop pupils’ skills in listening and talking. Across
the school, there was notable emphasis on health education and this had helped to
develop pupils’ understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Although pupils
were developing their competence in information and communications technology
(ICT), teachers did not consistently provide enough opportunities for them to use ICT
across the curriculum. The quality of teaching was good. Teachers organised and
managed lessons well and provided pupils with good explanations. They shared the
purpose of lessons with them and in most classes discussed what they had learned. In
examples of very effective teaching, they used a range of approaches to involve pupils
actively in their learning. At all stages, teachers used practical activities effectively to
reinforce pupils’ learning in mathematics. Approaches to providing pupils with
feedback about their work were developing but were not consistent across the school.
Homework was regular and included a range of appropriate activities.
The quality of pupils’ learning experiences was good. Most pupils were motivated and
hard working. However, in a few classes they were not actively involved in learning.
When they had the opportunity, pupils worked well in pairs and in groups. For
example, pupils at P5 co-operated effectively with each other to write instructions for
riding a bicycle. At P2, they were learning about teamwork and worked confidently in
groups to complete jigsaw puzzles. At P1, pupils demonstrated confidence in working
on their own to complete a series of tasks. However, this good practice in developing
pupils’ independence was not consistent across the school. Opportunities for pupils to
learn through play at P1 to P3 stages were not challenging enough. Pupils at P7 had
produced high quality presentations on a variety of topics using ICT. They had also
produced databases on different types of rocks as part of their science work.
Pupils participated in a range of stimulating activities which enhanced and widened
their achievements. They had good opportunities to be involved in decision making
through the pupil council and provided their views on aspects of school life. They were
developing a sense of local and global citizenship through involvement in enterprise
education initiatives aimed at raising funds for different charities. At P4 and P5, pupils
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had learned sign language and had been involved in shared initiatives with pupils from
Hamilton School for the Deaf. Senior pupils developed a sense of responsibility by
organising a range of playground games and activities for pupils. The school’s
emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles had resulted in good provision for afterschool activities such as badminton, football and athletics. Pupils benefited from a
well-organised and successful breakfast club. At P4, pupils were developing an
enjoyment of reading through involvement in an after-school book club. At all stages,
pupils regularly borrowed books from the school’s well-resourced library. At P7, they
gained confidence and developed their personal and social skills through their
involvement in a residential experience with pupils from another local primary school.
English language
The quality of pupils’ attainment in English language was adequate. Standards in
reading and writing had fluctuated in recent years. There were encouraging signs of
improvement in both reading and writing in the current year. A majority of pupils had
attained appropriate national levels. Pupils who had not attained appropriate levels
were making steady progress. Attainment in listening and talking was not
systematically assessed or recorded. At the early stages, pupils were developing good
skills in reading and writing. As a result, increasing numbers of pupils were attaining
national levels earlier. However, this improvement had not yet fully impacted on
attainment at P7, particularly in writing. At P4, most pupils were able to read fluently
and could identify features of language use in texts. At P7, the majority of pupils
talked confidently about books that they had read and their favourite authors. They
demonstrated a good understanding of the features of different types of books and were
skilled at reading for information. At all stages, pupils were steadily improving their
writing skills and had good opportunities to write for different purposes. The quality of
pupils’ handwriting, spelling and presentation was not consistently high across the
school.
Mathematics
The quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was good. In recent years, attainment
had improved. Across the school, most pupils had attained appropriate national levels.
At P3, most pupils were attaining these levels earlier than might normally be expected.
However, at other stages of the school a few pupils were capable of attaining even
higher standards. Pupils who had not attained national levels were making good
progress. At all stages, pupils were able to display and interpret information from
charts effectively. By P7, they could use a range of graphs and charts, including
databases and spreadsheets. At P4, pupils had a secure grasp of number and money
work but were less confident in using measurement. Pupils at P7 were not confident in
some aspects of number work such as decimals. They demonstrated a good knowledge
of two- and three-dimensional shapes. Across the school, pupils were able to identify
and use a range of strategies to solve mathematical problems.
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5. How well are pupils supported?
The headteacher and staff provided a good standard of pastoral care for pupils. The
caring and committed staff knew their pupils well and were sensitive to their physical,
emotional and social needs. Staff followed clear procedures for dealing with medical
emergencies and the administration of medication. The headteacher took a strong lead
in seeking support for vulnerable pupils from other agencies. However, record keeping
for these pupils was not systematic enough. A few staff were not aware of the school’s
arrangements for child protection. The school successfully promoted anti-bullying
through a range of approaches including a ‘Happy School Week’. Pupils felt safe in
the school and were confident that staff would deal effectively with any concerns. Staff
had developed a range of innovative approaches to promote an awareness of health
among pupils and parents. The school was currently working towards achieving the
gold award for health promoting schools.
Overall, the provision for meeting pupils’ learning needs was adequate. Teachers and
support assistants provided pupils with appropriate support to meet their needs in
English language and mathematics. However, in other areas of the curriculum, tasks
and activities were not challenging enough for higher attaining pupils. The roles and
responsibilities of the management team in coordinating provision for pupils with
additional support needs were not clear enough. The specialist teacher of the deaf
provided good support for deaf pupils and liaised effectively with visiting specialists.
Electronic sound systems for deaf pupils were not used consistently enough by staff.
Pupils with individualised educational programmes (IEPs) had appropriate learning
targets. However, these pupils and their parents were not involved in planning or
reviewing their learning. At all stages, pupils were not involved in setting or reviewing
their learning targets. Pupils for whom English is an additional language were making
appropriate progress. The school had very effective arrangements for children
transferring from nursery to P1 and this had impacted positively on pupils’ learning in
P1. Transition to secondary school was well supported through an effective
programme of visits from staff in the secondary and induction visits for P7 pupils and
their parents.
6. How good is the environment for learning?
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Aspect
Comment
Quality of
accommodation
and facilities
The quality of accommodation was good. Most classrooms
were spacious and bright. Staff had made effective use of
space to provide accommodation for a parents’ room, an
ICT suite and a library. The large hall was utilised as a
dining hall and for curricular activities such as gym and
drama. It was also regularly used by pupils for clubs and
activities before and after school. Sound field systems for
deaf pupils were located in a few classrooms. There were
appropriate arrangements for security and for supervision of
the playground. The building was not accessible for all
users.
Aspect
Comment
Climate and
relationships,
expectations
and promoting
achievement
and equality
The school provided a welcoming and supportive learning
environment. Morale among staff was high. Staff had
introduced a new system to promote positive behaviour and
this had resulted in improvements. Although there had been
improvements in punctuality, levels of attendance had
fluctuated, despite the efforts of staff. Expectations of
attainment were not consistently high at all stages. Pupils
had actively contributed their views on aspects of school life
such as homework and health promotion. Regular
assemblies provided good opportunities for pupils to share
good work, celebrate achievements and participate in
religious observance. Staff used praise effectively to
encourage pupils and displayed examples of good work
throughout the school. The headteacher and staff actively
promoted an inclusive and fair ethos in the school. They
had plans to explore how they would extend current
opportunities within the curriculum to increase pupils’
understanding of racial equality.
Partnership
with parents
and the
community
The school’s links with parents and the community were
very good. The School Board and the PTA supported the
school well. Parents received helpful information about
their children’s progress in school reports. The school had
actively encouraged the involvement of parents in promoting
healthy lifestyles for their children. Staff sought their views
on aspects of school life such as homework and reading.
They had been appropriately consulted on sensitive health
issues. Parents were actively involved in the life of the
school by assisting with the library and after-school
activities. The school had very good links with Hamilton
School for the Deaf. A group of pupils from this school
joined pupils in Glenlee Primary School on a weekly basis
to develop their writing skills. In order to widen pupils’
experiences, the headteacher promoted effective links with
the community, for example, the day centre for the elderly,
library and Leisure Centre.
7. Improving the school
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Glenlee Primary School provided a very welcoming and inclusive environment.
Teachers were highly committed to improving the school and had actively promoted a
good range of activities to widen pupils’ experiences. Clerical, janitorial and support
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assistants made a very positive contribution to the staff team. With support from
promoted staff, teachers had made good progress in developing teaching approaches in
mathematics and English language. However, their expectations of pupils’ attainment
were not consistently high and the improvements in teaching had not yet sufficiently
impacted on improvement at all stages. Most pupils responded well to the positive
learning environment. However, they were not consistently involved in learning
experiences which challenged and motivated them.
The school had capacity to ensure continuous improvement. The headteacher provided
good leadership. He had a clear vision for the school’s future development and
involved staff in leading and taking forward improvements. He had successfully
promoted very good relationships with parents, pupils and staff and was highly
regarded by them. The headteacher knew pupils and their families well and took a
strong lead in providing pastoral care for vulnerable pupils. However, he had not
placed enough emphasis on some aspects of his role such as the coordination of
additional support for learning and quality assuring the work of the school. The two
depute headteachers and two principal teachers supported the headteacher very well.
They provided good role models for staff in their own teaching. They carried out their
responsibilities very effectively and provided appropriate guidance and support to
teachers in taking forward improvements. Staffing difficulties which the school had
experienced during the year had resulted in additional challenges for the management
team in ensuring consistency of approaches, particularly in learning and teaching. The
school’s approaches to self-evaluation were limited. The two depute headteachers
monitored teachers’ plans and regularly tracked pupils’ attainment. However, the
headteacher and deputes had not systematically evaluated the quality of teaching and
learning or the standards of pupils’ work.
Main points for action
The school and education authority should take action to improve attainment,
learning and teaching and meeting pupils’ needs. In doing so they should take
account of the need to:
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•
raise attainment in aspects of English language and mathematics and ensure
that listening and talking is assessed and recorded systematically;
•
ensure that pupils are sufficiently challenged by their learning experiences;
•
improve the management of additional support for pupils; and
•
develop further the school’s processes for monitoring and evaluating the
quality of teaching and learning.
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. Within two years of the publication of this report parents will be
informed about the progress made by the school.
Noreen Connaughton
HM Inspector
3 October 2006
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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
good
good
good
adequate
good
How well are pupils supported?
Pastoral care
Meeting pupils’ needs
good
adequate
How good is the environment for learning?
Accommodation and facilities
Climate and relationships
Expectations and promoting achievement
Equality and fairness
Partnership with parents, the School
Board, and the community
Improving the school
Leadership
Effectiveness and deployment of staff with
additional responsibilities
Self-evaluation
good
very good
good
good
very good
good
good
adequate
This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by
inspectors:
excellent
very good
good
adequate
weak
unsatisfactory
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excellent
major strengths
important strengths with some areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
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 school.
Teachers in the school set high
standards for pupils’ attainment.
• Staff had explained how they could
help their children with homework.
• Parents’ evenings were helpful and
informative.
•
What pupils thought the school did
well
What pupils think the school could
do better
•
•
•
•
•
•
They felt safe and well looked after
in the school.
They knew what to do if they were
upset.
All pupils were treated fairly.
They had a say in deciding how to
make the school better.
Staff were good at dealing with
incidents of bullying.
A few parents wanted more
information about the school’s
priorities for improvement.
A quarter of pupils thought that
the behaviour of some pupils was
not good.
What staff thought the school did
well
What staff think the school could
do better
•
•
The school communicated clearly
the standard of work it expected
from pupils.
• The school dealt effectively with
any incidents of bullying.
• There was mutual respect between
staff and pupils.
• Pupil success was regularly
celebrated.
A few support staff did not feel
that they had opportunities to be
involved in decision making.
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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.
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
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thereof are stated.
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