Aberchirder School
Aberdeenshire Council
16 January 2007
Contents
Page
1.
The inspection
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2.
Continuous improvement
1
3.
Progress towards meeting the main points for action
1
4.
Conclusion
3
How can you contact us?
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1. The inspection
HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) published a report on the inspection of
Aberchirder School in January 2005. 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 September 2006 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 education authority and school had made steady progress in improving the quality of
education for pupils. Since the inspection, there had been a significant number of staffing
changes and the school roll had fallen. As a result, there were now six classes in the school
and the headteacher had a teaching commitment. The education authority had provided
well-judged support to the headteacher and staff to take forward the school’s action plan. As
a result there was clear evidence of improvement in the quality of learning and teaching,
pupils’ attainment and the school’s approaches to monitoring and evaluating all aspects of its
work. Staff had worked together to introduce a number of new initiatives at class and school
level. Pupils’ understanding of the need for a healthy lifestyle had increased and staff had
involved pupils in a range of successful enterprise activities. The headteacher had improved
the school’s approaches to self-evaluation by increasing the involvement of staff, pupils and
parents in identifying priorities for improvement. She had introduced new procedures to
monitor the quality of learning and teaching and to track pupils’ attainment more closely.
The education authority had improved storage space in the school and had drawn up plans to
ensure pupil safety at the school entrance. However, the work was yet to be carried out and
there was no firm timescale for completion.
3. Progress towards meeting the main points for action
The initial inspection report published in January 2005 identified six 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
Improve attainment in English language and mathematics.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this main point for action.
Pupils’ attainment in English language and mathematics had improved steadily since the
inspection. Staff were making good use of a range of new resources to meet the varied needs
of pupils and had introduced target setting to ensure that pupils were making appropriate
progress in their learning. They had been actively involved in implementing new policies
and teaching approaches for English language and mathematics to ensure that pupils’
learning experiences were suitably broad and varied. Teachers had taken part in a number of
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staff development activities to extend their expertise in the teaching of reading, writing and
mental mathematics.
3.2
Improve the quality of learning and teaching.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this main point for action.
The education authority had worked with the headteacher and staff to improve the quality of
learning and teaching in each class. Most teachers had improved the way in which they
explained to pupils what they were to learn and how they could improve their work. They
helped pupils to set personal learning targets and had effectively involved pupils more
actively in the learning process. The school had improved planning and assessment
approaches, including the setting of targets to monitor pupils’ progress in key aspects of the
curriculum. The education authority and headteacher provided a good level of support for
class teachers. They had made arrangements for staff to visit other schools to observe other
teachers and to discuss learning and teaching styles. As a result, teachers could identify and
discuss the changes they had made to aspects of their teaching and identify the ways in which
pupils’ learning had improved.
3.3
Improve the pace and challenge of class work to meet the needs of all
pupils.
The school had made good progress in addressing this main point for action.
Teachers had a clear understanding of pupils’ prior attainment levels. They had introduced
effective systems to monitor the progress of individual pupils and set realistic targets for
them in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, most pupils were achieving
appropriate national levels of attainment in these aspects. Teachers had improved the quality
of feedback to pupils and made positive and constructive written comments in their jotters to
give praise and identify their next steps in learning.
3.4
Improve the curriculum to ensure pupils receive an appropriately broad,
balanced and progressive experience.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this main point for action.
The headteacher had worked closely with staff to review the structure and balance of the
curriculum and ensure that all areas were being addressed appropriately. She monitored
teachers’ timetables and plans to ensure that appropriate time was being allocated to each
area of the curriculum. Staff had developed and introduced new curriculum programmes for
English language, mathematics, enterprise, religious and moral education and personal and
social education. Pupils’ learning experiences had been improved in these areas and pupils
in P7 talked enthusiastically about the recent improvements to the curriculum and the impact
on their learning. Pupils were making good progress in English language and mathematics
and it was clear that teachers were making effective use of assessment information to build
on previous learning. Staff recognised that the next step would be to extend the use of
assessment information across all areas of the curriculum to ensure continuity and
progression in all aspects of pupils’ learning.
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3.5
Improve arrangements for self-evaluation and the monitoring and
evaluation of learning and teaching.
The school had made good progress towards meeting this main point for action.
With the support of the education authority the headteacher and staff had worked closely to
involve staff, pupils and parents more fully in evaluating the quality of the school’s work and
identifying improvement priorities. The headteacher had introduced a range of effective
methods to identify areas for improvement using national quality indicators, curriculum
audits and questionnaires. She had worked closely with staff and the School Board to
produce a well-judged development plan with appropriate improvement priorities. The
headteacher had introduced revised approaches to monitor and evaluate the quality of
learning and teaching. She monitored pupils’ work, observed learning and teaching,
discussed pupils’ attainment and commented on teachers’ plans. A number of aspects of the
quality of learning and teaching had improved as a result of oral and written feedback to
teachers on their lessons.
3.6
Address the accommodation and safety issues highlighted in the report.
The education authority had made adequate progress towards meeting this main point for
action.
The education authority had carried out a review of all health and safety issues identified in
the original report. The storage facilities and pupils’ changing rooms and been improved and
there were plans in place to increase the storage arrangements. The plans to improve safety
arrangements at the school entrance had been drawn up by the local authority but a costing
exercise had not yet taken place and there was no timescale for completion of the work.
4. Conclusion
The education authority had worked well with the headteacher to ensure improvements in the
work of the school, particularly in relation to the quality of learning and teaching.
Relationships among staff, pupils and parents were consistently good. Despite significant
changes in staffing, the headteacher had created a strong sense of teamwork among staff. She
continued to enjoy a very strong and productive partnership with parents. Pupils’ attainment
in English language and mathematics had improved and most pupils were making good
progress in their learning.
As a result of the good overall progress in meeting the main points for action, HM Inspectors
will make no further visits to the school in connection with the report of January 2005.
Within six months of this report, the education authority will be asked to provide an updated
report on the progress towards improving the safety arrangements at the school entrance.
Parents will be informed about progress.
Michael Wood, HMI
District Inspector
16 January 2007
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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 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 follow-through inspections
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.
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 2007
HM Inspectorate of Education
This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in
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stated.
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