Follow-through Inspection by
HM Inspectorate of Education of
Quarry Brae Primary School
Nursery Class
Glasgow City Council
21 February 2007
Quarry Brae Primary School
Nursery Class
139 Crail Street
Glasgow
G31 5RB
In carrying out this follow-through inspection, HM Inspectors take account of
National Care Standards, Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
and The Child at the Centre. The following standards and related quality
indicators were used in the recent inspection.
National Care Standard
Child at the Centre Quality Indicator
Standard 2 – A Safe Environment
Resources
Standard 4 – Engaging With Children
Development and learning through play
Standard 5 – Quality of Experience
Curriculum
Children’s development and learning
Support for children and families
Standard 6 – Support and Development
Standard 14 – Well-managed Service
Management, Leadership and Quality
Assurance
Evaluations made using HMIE quality indicators use the following scale, and
these words are used in the report to describe the team’s judgements:
excellent
very good
good
adequate
weak
unsatisfactory
outstanding, sector leading
major strengths
important strengths, some areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
Follow-through Inspection by
HM Inspectorate of Education of
Quarry Brae Primary School
Nursery Class
Glasgow City Council
Introduction
Quarry Brae Primary School Nursery Class was inspected in October 2006 as
part of a programme of follow-through inspections carried out by
HM Inspectorate of Education. The nursery had been inspected by the Care
Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education as part of a programme of
integrated inspections in February 2004, and a report was published in
June 2004. The headteacher, working with staff, had prepared an action plan
indicating how the recommendations identified in the integrated inspection
report would be addressed. The purpose of this follow-through inspection is to
evaluate the progress made by Quarry Brae Primary School Nursery Class in
achieving improvements based on the recommendations set out in the
integrated inspection report.
Recommendations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Staff should observe and identify children’s
needs and interests more systematically,
and use the information when planning
activities.
Staff should improve the programmes as
outlined in this report.
Staff should work in partnership with other
professionals to create individualised
educational plans for some children.
The headteacher and depute should
develop systematic procedures for
monitoring and evaluating the quality of the
service.
The headteacher should fully implement the
procedures for employee development and
review.
Evaluation of progress
Adequate
Good
Adequate
Adequate
Very good
1
Overview of progress achieved
Staff had made adequate progress in assessing, planning and recording
children’s development and learning. They had useful systems in place for
long-, medium- and short-term planning. Staff carried out regular observations
of children and used these to appropriately complete assessment records.
They discussed their observations of children informally but did not use the
information gathered to effectively plan for children’s next steps in learning.
Staff had yet to build up organised profiles with examples of children’s work
and share these regularly with children and parents.
Staff had made good progress in reviewing and implementing programmes in
all five key areas of the curriculum. Children were happy in the nursery and
were becoming familiar with daily routines. They had good opportunity to
develop independence in personal hygiene and self-service snack. Children
were not yet involved in preparing snack and using it as a context for counting
and developing early literacy skills.
Children listened well to a story and some talked confidently to each other and
adults. Staff used the computer and related programmes successfully to
encourage children to draw pictures and recognise animal pictures and
sounds. Children concentrated well during these experiences. Although a few
children used notepads in role-play, there was no writing table available in the
playroom. There was scope for staff to provide a wider range of early writing
activities across the play setting.
Children showed interest in an attractive display table about autumn. In sand
play, children were learning about shape, size, and measure, when creating a
variety of moulds in wet sand. They played a bear game to progress
understanding of sorting and counting. Staff did not provide sufficient
opportunities for children to test out ideas and solve simple problems.
Children enjoyed playing percussion instruments and a few demonstrated skill
in keeping beat and rhythm. Children had free access to a well-organised
collage area and some enjoyed expressing themselves using play dough and
paints. Children did not have sufficient access to a wide enough range of
paint materials or tools to allow them to explore and extend their creative
skills.
Children enjoyed regular energetic play in the school hall. They crawled,
jumped and rolled over a range of obstacles. They had some opportunity to
select small-sized play equipment at times throughout the week.
2
Children did not have regular enough access to physical energetic play
experiences out-of-doors.
Staff had made adequate progress in developing partnership with other
professionals and creating individualised educational programmes. The
headteacher had delivered a workshop on individualised educational plans to
all nursery staff. All staff were now aware of their role and responsibility in
identifying and working with children requiring additional help in learning.
Parents whose first language was not English were well supported by staff.
Newsletters had been translated into several native languages and parents
were advised on how to access English-speaking classes. More commitment
to joint planning with partner organisations and services had to be further
extended, to ensure that barriers to learning were removed, and that all
children achieved their potential. Suitable individualised educational
programmes should be created, effectively implemented and regularly
reviewed. Those children whose first language was not English should be
included, where appropriate.
The headteacher had made adequate progress in developing suitable
procedures for monitoring and evaluating nursery provision. Since her
appointment in May 2004, she had worked with staff to secure ongoing
improvement and development in the nursery. Curriculum policies and
procedures to support the work of the nursery had been created and made
available to parents. Staff were involved in identifying aspects for improving
the work of the service. They sought parents’ views through questionnaires.
The headteacher and staff were making appropriate progress in implementing
an improvement plan which highlighted suitable areas for development. The
headteacher met weekly with staff to discuss general issues and planning.
She monitored plans formally on a termly basis and gave written and verbal
feedback to staff. Although the nursery teacher was monitored as part of the
whole school monitoring process, other nursery staff were not yet formally
included in these systems. The headteacher did not effectively draw on
evidence from focused monitoring of learning and teaching and on data
relating to children’s development, progress and achievement to impact on the
quality of service provided.
The headteacher had made very good progress in implementing procedures
for employee development and review. Staff review was in place and
effectively identified staff strengths and skills and met staff development
needs. Information from staff reviews informed the improvement plan and
supported staff development activities.
3
Other Issues - Response to recommendations or to requirements made at the last
Care Commission singleton inspection.
The previous Care Commission report included one requirement: ‘The staff
team should undertake relevant qualifications for registration with the Scottish
Social Services Council.’
This requirement had not yet been implemented. But due to particular
circumstances this requirement will fall as there is no realistic expectation for
this qualification to be gained.
Conclusion
Quarry Brae Primary School Nursery Class had made adequate progress
overall in overtaking the key recommendations set out in the report of
June 2004. As a result of the progress achieved, HM Inspectors will request a
progress report from the education authority within one year of the date of this
report.
Elizabeth Oliver
HM Inspector
4
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher, staff and the
education authority. Copies are also available on the Care Commission
website: www.carecommission.com and HMIE website: www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you wish to comment about pre-school inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of pre-school inspections, you
should write in the first instance to Kenneth Muir, 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 600 258 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, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone
0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail ask@spso.org.uk. More
information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website:
www.spso.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2007
HM Inspectorate of Education
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