28 January 2014
Dear Parent/Carer
St Cuthbert’s Primary School and Nursery Class
South Lanarkshire Council
In December 2012, HM Inspectors published a letter on your child’s school.
Recently, as you may know, we visited the school again. During our visit, we talked
to children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff. We heard from the
headteacher and other staff how the school has continued to improve. We looked at
particular areas that had been identified in the original inspection and at aspects of
the school’s work, as proposed by the headteacher. As a result, we were able to find
out how well children are now learning and achieving and how the school is
continuing to support them to do their best. This letter sets out what we found.
How well do children learn and achieve?
Children are now motivated and enthusiastic across all areas of their learning. They
know their strengths and speak confidently about the skills they are developing.
They describe the positive changes in the way they learn and how these approaches
help them make better progress. Children in the nursery are more interested in their
learning. They now concentrate for longer periods of time. Across the school,
children work very effectively in pairs and in small groups. They take greater
responsibility for their learning. They are more confident about knowing what they
are good at and what they need to do to improve. They set their own goals and
review the progress towards these targets through their learning journeys and
learning books. The school is continuing to develop children’s skills as learners
through regular focused conversations.
In the nursery, the staff have much improved the environment with many examples
of print and text to support early literacy skills. In numeracy, children playing with
water use appropriate words to describe when containers are full and empty. In the
primary classes, children now make better progress in their learning. At P4, they can
outline the main ideas, predict and suggest how and why certain events are taking
place in their story. Most children observed are able to listen very well. They are
developing their skills in building on each other’s ideas. There are now examples of
writing of a high standard. Children read more challenging texts. They can apply
their literacy and numeracy skills across their learning. For example, they create
good written reports in science. In mathematics and numeracy, children are enjoying
greater success in written calculations. They are improving their skills in mental
calculation and solving mathematical problems. Of note are the improvements in
children’s skills, knowledge and understanding in the sciences and art.
Education Scotland
W1 Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
T
0131 244 8293
F
0131 244 8424
E edinburgh@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
Textphone 01506 600236
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use this number for voice calls as this will not
connect.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Transforming lives through learning
How well does the school support children to develop and learn?
There is a clear improvement in the way children’s needs are met. Teachers’
expectations of what children can achieve are higher. Lessons are better planned,
with clear learning intentions and success criteria that are understood by children
and staff. Staff are skilled at using questioning to extend children’s thinking and
learning. Children with additional support needs are now monitored very closely.
They receive a higher quality of focused and targeted support. Parents are more
involved in the planning process and this helps to link learning between home and
school. There is a noticeable improvement in the quality of experiences for children
with additional support needs. This helps them make better progress in their
learning. The school has made very good progress in taking forward Curriculum for
Excellence. The curriculum is very well organised. The whole-school framework
ensures children make suitable progress in their learning from nursery to P7. The
curriculum is flexible enough to reflect local and global events and areas of interest
shown by the children. The school is continuing to develop the way it assesses
children’s progress.
How well does the school improve the quality of its work?
The headteacher is highly committed to the school and a strong leader of learning.
She is supported by the principal teacher who carries out her remit very well. The
headteacher has worked closely with children, parents and staff. Together they have
brought about many positive changes to children’s experiences in a very short period
of time. Teachers reflect regularly on their work with the aim of continuing to
improve their practice. The views of children, parents and staff are valued.
Self-evaluation is focused on improving outcomes for children. As a result, children’s
achievements across their learning have greatly improved. The school is well-placed
to continue to build on its many strengths and work towards addressing its identified
priorities.
What happens next?
The headteacher is a strong leader of learning who knows the school’s strengths and
areas for improvement. Staff work very well together and as a team they have made
very good progress in addressing the areas for improvement outlined in the previous
report. Through its well-designed curriculum, the school has high expectations of
what children can achieve. As a result their attainment across their learning has
improved.
As a result of these improvements, we will make no further visits in connection with
this inspection. As part of its arrangements for reporting to parents on the quality of
education, South Lanarkshire Council will inform parents about the school’s
progress.
Elizabeth C Montgomery
HM Inspector
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If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a
translation 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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