Aberchirder School
Aberdeenshire Council
18 January 2005
Contents
Page
1. Background
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2. Key strengths
1
3. Views of parents and carers, pupils and staff
1
4. How good are learning, teaching and
achievement?
2
5. How well are pupils supported?
3
6. How good is the environment for learning?
4
7. Improving the school
5
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
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Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
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How can you contact us?
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1. Background
Aberchirder School was inspected in September 2004 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 staff and pupils. They assessed
the school’s processes for self-evaluation. They analysed responses to questionnaires
issued to all parents, P4 to P7 pupils, and to all staff. Information about the responses
to the questionnaires appears in Appendix 2. Members of the inspection team also met
the chairperson of the School Board, representatives of the parent-teacher association
(PTA), a group of parents and members of the Pupil Council.
The school serves the village of Aberchirder and the surrounding area. At the time of
the inspection the roll was 187, including 17 in the nursery class. The proportion of
pupils who were entitled to free school meals was well below the national average.
Pupils’ attendance was above the national average.
The inspection also evaluated the quality of educational provision within the base for
pupils with emotional and social behavioural difficulties.
An integrated inspection of pre-school provision was carried out at the same time by
HMIE and the Care Commission and is the subject of a separate report, which was
published on 12 January 2005.
2. Key strengths
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
•
Caring, committed and hard working staff.
•
The role of visiting teachers and instructors in enhancing pupils’ learning.
•
The school’s active contribution to life in the community.
3. Views of parents and carers, pupils and staff
Parents, pupils and staff were generally happy with the work of the school. Parents
thought the school had a good reputation in the community and were pleased with the
communication between school and home. During discussions with members of the
inspection team, parents stated that they trusted the school to deliver an appropriate
curriculum and were happy to leave school developments to the staff. Many parents
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were concerned about safety at the entrance to the school. Pupils liked being at school
but some felt that unacceptable behaviour was not properly dealt with and there was a
perception amongst pupils that teachers showed favouritism towards girls. Pupils
would like to see their playground improved, with a range of games and activities.
Overall, teachers and support staff were positive about school life and almost all
thought that the school was well led.
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The overall quality of the curriculum was fair. It did not provide pupils with broad and
balanced learning experiences. Curricular programmes were not well planned and did
not ensure sufficient progression in pupils’ learning. In several classes, activities to
promote pupils’ personal and social development covered similar issues. The
programme for religious and moral education did not focus adequately on extending
pupils’ knowledge of world faiths. Pupils had limited access to information and
communications technology (ICT) to help them develop appropriate skills and to use
ICT to support their learning across the curriculum. There were some examples of
good teaching but across the stages practice was too variable. Teachers did not always
make the purpose of lessons clear to pupils and some did not give clear explanations to
groups and classes. Overall, the range of teaching approaches was limited, with too
much emphasis on teacher-led activities and too little use of interactive teaching. They
focused too much on giving pupils written tasks and did not give sufficient attention to
promoting pupils’ learning through discussion.
Across the school, most pupils applied themselves conscientiously to classwork but
they often worked on unchallenging tasks which did not require much thought. Pupils
were often passive learners and did not have regular opportunities for active
independent learning in groups or pairs. They were often unclear of what to do next.
Teachers had begun to provide some detailed written feedback on pupils’ work but this
approach was not consistent across the school and pupils did not always know how to
improve their work. Across the school the pace of learning was too slow. Pupils
supported by the base had begun to enjoy completing set learning activities.
Pupils demonstrated a good awareness of healthy and safe living. At P4 to P7, this was
extended by challenging games skills and physical activity from the visiting teacher of
P.E. Pupils at P7 had good knowledge of aspects of World War Two and worked well
together to prepare and perform at a school assembly. The pupil council met regularly
and made positive contributions to the work of the school. From P5 pupils had
developed basic skills in French vocabulary. Across the school pupils were making
good progress in learning Doric, Scots language used in the local area. Some were
developing good skills in playing brass and stringed instruments.
English language
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in English language was fair. Most pupils
were achieving appropriate national levels of attainment in reading and writing. Recent
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results showed a declining trend. In listening and talking the majority of pupils were
less skilled and were not sufficiently competent in group discussion. Less than half of
pupils were attaining national levels in listening and talking. In reading and writing
most pupils were making good progress in their coursework but some higher attaining
pupils were capable of achieving more. Most pupils read accurately and confidently
from their reading books but needed to read from a wider range of sources. Most pupils
were able to identify and discuss the work of their favourite authors. At P7, some
pupils produced good pieces of imaginative writing. However, overall, pupils’ writing
skills were not well developed. Standards in spelling, handwriting and presentation of
written work were inconsistent across all stages. Pupils at the early and middle stages
and in the support base were not confident in writing for a range of purposes, including
reporting and recounting events.
Mathematics
The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was fair. In recent years, the
proportion of pupils attaining national standards had declined. By P3, almost all pupils
were achieving appropriate national levels in all aspects of mathematics. At P4 to P7, only
a majority were achieving these levels. While most pupils performed well in their class
work, many lacked confidence in mental calculations. At all stages, pupils could interpret
graphs and charts well but they were not confident in using computers to organise and
display numerical information. Pupils’ skills in problem solving and enquiry were not well
developed. Overall, some pupils were making slow progress.
5. How well are pupils supported?
Staff knew each pupil individually and were alert to their emotional, physical and social
needs. Staff were aware of the school’s arrangements for child protection. Pupils knew
where to go if they had a problem and were able to raise issues and ideas through the
pupil council.
Overall, there were important weaknesses in arrangements for meeting pupils’ needs.
Teachers made too little use of information about pupils’ strengths and development
needs in planning pupils’ learning. In the middle and upper stages, pupils were not
making sufficient progress from their prior levels of attainment. There was very good
provision of additional staff to support pupils’ learning and behaviour, including
several classroom assistants and auxiliaries. They undertook their tasks conscientiously
but were not always effectively deployed in classrooms. Some teachers did not
adequately address the learning needs of individuals and not all pupils were included in
classroom activities. The visiting support for learning teacher provided very good
support for pupils but she had insufficient time to consult with class teachers. The
headteacher needed to improve the deployment of all support staff to meet the learning
needs of all pupils more effectively and to promote inclusion.
Pupils receiving support from the base in school were well supported in class and in the
additional teaching areas. The staff in the base offered skilled support in strategies for
anger management. Pupils were also well supported by a multi-agency team and were
making progress in their learning. In meeting individual needs, attention was beginning to
be given to widening the curriculum and ensuring resources were age appropriate.
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6. How good is the environment for learning?
Aspect
Comment
Quality of
accommodation
and facilities
The quality of accommodation was good. Classrooms were
large and bright and all areas of the school were cleaned to a
high standard. The entrance area provided a range of
information for parents and pupils and appropriate
arrangements for security were in place. The large gym and
stage areas were used for a variety of purposes and a large
playing field and playground also provided good facilities to
promote physical activities. Pupils did not have access to
the changing rooms. Safety at the entrance to the school
was a serious concern, particularly because vehicles and
pedestrians shared the same access. Pupil access to the car
park area needed to be reviewed. These issues and other
health and safety issues were drawn to the attention of the
team by parents and members of the School Board.
The support base attached to the school offered very good
accommodation and was maintained to a high standard.
Climate and
relationships,
expectations
and promoting
achievement
and equality
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Staff and pupils were proud of their school. Staff morale
was high and staff had good relationships with most pupils.
Most pupils were polite and well behaved. Staff did not
have consistently high expectations for all pupils. The
newly formed pupil council was increasingly involved in
decision making. There were some opportunities for older
pupils to have responsibilities and duties around the school
including supporting learning in environmental studies.
Whole school assemblies were regularly used to celebrate
achievements in school and in the community and the
school chaplain led religious observance on these occasions.
Pupils demonstrated care and respect for others through a
range of fund raising activities. The school needed to take
positive steps to promote race equality and help pupils to
value diversity.
Aspect
Comment
Partnership
with parents
and the
community
Parents valued the work of the school and they gave good
support to all social, cultural and sporting events. The
school kept parents informed about the work of the school
through regular newsletters and provided helpful
information on children’s progress at planned interviews
with class teachers. Some teachers used homework diaries
as an effective link between home and school. Members of
the local community were regular visitors to classes to
support learning about the past and groups of pupils often
performed music and drama for the elderly in the village.
Members of the School Board were seeking a more active
role in school developments.
7. Improving the school
Aberchirder Primary School made good provision for pupils’ care and welfare and
promoted healthy and safe living. However, there were some important weaknesses in
the quality of education provided by the school. Although there were a few examples
of effective teaching, the overall quality of learning and teaching was fair. In too many
lessons, pupils’ learning lacked pace, stimulation and challenge. Tasks and activities
set as class work were not consistently well matched to the needs of individual pupils.
Levels of attainment in English language and mathematics were fair and had not
improved. The curriculum did not provide a coherent or progressive experience.
The headteacher was very well regarded by pupils, staff and parents. However, there
were weaknesses in the leadership and management of the school. In her time in post,
the headteacher had taken steps to improve the ethos of the school and now needed to
focus on improving learning, teaching and attainment. The local authority had not
sufficiently supported or challenged the work of the school and teachers had had
insufficient staff development opportunities to learn about best practice. The
headteacher undertook a range of monitoring activities and as part of a research project
was engaged in detailed observation of pupil behaviours and learning styles. She
visited classes regularly and provided teachers with written and oral feedback which
they found helpful and supportive. Teachers assessed and recorded pupils’ progress but
they did not give sufficient attention to tracking pupils’ progress towards national levels
of attainment. Arrangements for self-evaluation were not well understood by all staff
and lacked rigour and impact. Self-evaluation activities had not enabled the school to
identify weaknesses effectively and bring about improvements.
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Main points for action
The school and education authority, in liaison with HM Inspectors, should take
action to ensure improvement in:
•
attainment in English language and mathematics;
•
the quality of learning and teaching;
•
the pace and challenge of class work to meet the needs of all pupils;
•
the curriculum to ensure pupils receive an appropriately broad, balanced and
progressive experience;
•
arrangements for self-evaluation and the monitoring and evaluation of learning
and teaching; and
•
the accommodation and safety issues highlighted in the report.
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 and carers. 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 and carers, within two years of
the publication of this report, on the extent of improvement that has been achieved.
Susan R Duff
HM Inspector
18 January 2005
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Appendix 1
Indicators of quality
We judged the following to be very good
•
No aspects were found to be in this category
We judged the following to be good
•
•
•
•
•
Pastoral care
Accommodation and facilities
Climate and relationships
Equality and fairness
Partnership with parents, the School Board and the community
We judged the following to be fair
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Structure of the curriculum
The teaching process
Pupils’ learning experiences
Pupils’ attainment in English language
Pupils’ attainment in mathematics
Meeting pupils’ needs
Expectations and promoting achievement
Leadership
Self-evaluation
We judged the following to be unsatisfactory
•
No aspects were found to be in this category
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Appendix 2
Summary of questionnaire responses
Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires
are listed below.
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What pleased parents and carers
most
What parents and carers would like
to see improved
• Children enjoyed being at
school.
• The school had a good
reputation in the community.
• Parent’s evenings were helpful
and informative.
• The school building was well
maintained.
• The school was well led.
•
What pleased pupils most
What pupils would like to see
improved
• Teachers supported them with
their learning.
• They were listened to by all
staff.
• Teachers expected them to
work hard in school.
•
•
What pleased staff most
What staff would like to see
improved
• Overall teachers and support
staff were very happy working
in the school.
• There was effective
communication amongst staff.
• They showed concern for the
care and welfare of pupils.
• Pupil success was celebrated.
•
•
•
Information about how to support
children’s homework.
Information about the school’s
priorities for improvement.
The behaviour of other pupils.
All pupils to be treated fairly.
Opportunities to be involved in
decision making.
Dealing with indiscipline.
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 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 the Care Commission
website www.carecommission.com and the HMIE website www.hime.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 Frank Crawford, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Europa
Building, 450 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8LG and Complaints Co-ordinator,
Headquarters, Care Commission, Compass House, Riverside Drive, Dundee DD1 4NY.
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, T1 Spur,
Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD. A copy of our complaints
procedure is available from this office or by telephoning 0131 244 8468 or from our
website at www.hmie.gov.uk and www.carecommission.com.
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 2005
HM Inspectorate of Education
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