Sacred Heart Primary School
and Nursery Class
Penicuik
Midlothian Council
8 January 2008
Contents
Page
1. Background
1
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’ learning needs met?
4
6. How good is the environment for learning?
5
7. Leading and improving the school
6
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
9
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
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How can you contact us?
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1. Background
Sacred Heart Primary School and Nursery Class were inspected in September 2007 as
part of a national sample of primary and nursery education. The inspection covered
key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. It evaluated nursery children’s and
pupils’ achievements, the effectiveness of the school, the environment for learning, the
school’s processes for self-evaluation and innovation, and its capacity for
improvement. There was a particular focus on attainment in English language and
mathematics.
HM Inspectors examined the quality of children’s experience in the nursery, pupils’
work and interviewed groups of pupils, including the pupil council, and staff.
Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the Parent Council, and a
group of parents 1.
Sacred Heart Primary School is a denominational school serving an area of Penicuik.
At the time of the inspection the roll was 169, including 23 children in the nursery
class. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was in line with
the national average. Pupils’ attendance was also in line with the national average.
The school had recently gone through a period of staffing instability, in particular in the
nursery and early years stages.
2. Key strengths
HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths.
•
The quality of pastoral care.
•
Climate and relationships throughout the school.
•
Productive partnerships with parents, the Parent Council and the community.
•
Polite and hard-working pupils.
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
HM Inspectors 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.
Overall, parents expressed a high level of satisfaction with almost all aspects of the
school. All parents felt that the school treated pupils fairly and encouraged them to
work to the best of their ability. They thought their children were happy at school.
1
Throughout this report, the term ‘parents’ should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and
carers who are relatives or friends.
1
They were very pleased with the school’s relationship with the community and the
commitment of staff in providing opportunities for pupils to take part in performances
for parents and the community. Some parents expressed concerns about the size of the
school building in relation to the pupil roll. They felt that aspects of the school’s open
plan design resulted in distraction to staff and pupils, at times. Parents of nursery
children were satisfied with the quality of care and education provided for their
children. Almost all pupils were satisfied with all aspects of the school. All said that
the school helped them to stay safe and healthy. They thought that teachers knew them
well and helped them with their work. Staff also expressed a high degree of
satisfaction with almost all aspects of the school. All staff thought there was effective
communication among staff and that they had regular discussion about how to achieve
school priorities.
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
Pupils’ learning experiences and achievements
The nursery curriculum provided broad and balanced experiences across the five key
aspects of learning. Children had opportunities to choose from a wide range of activities.
Teachers provided regular play activities at the nursery and early stages. Children had
opportunities to make choices in their play. However, staff interactions did not always
extend thinking and learning. The quality of the curriculum in the primary was adequate.
Overall, pupils experienced a broad and balanced curriculum. This placed a strong
emphasis on language and mathematics as well as on aspects of personal and social
development. Use of additional flexibility time for English Language and mathematics had
started to lead to improvement in attainment. There was a strong emphasis on health
education and, through a range of effective approaches, pupils were encouraged to adopt
healthy lifestyles. Approaches to planning however did not always support staff in
addressing pupils' learning needs. The development of pupils’ skills in listening and talking
lacked sufficient progression. Pupils from P1 to P7 were not yet receiving two hours high
quality physical education per week. The quality of teaching was adequate. Almost all
teachers shared effectively with pupils what they were expected to learn, although this
varied in consistency across the school. Most teachers gave clear explanations and
interacted positively with pupils. The quality of teachers’ questioning was good at P6/7.
This required further development throughout the school. Teachers’ use of information and
communications technology (ICT) throughout the school and the nursery was too limited
and did not support their engagement of pupils in their learning. Overall, approaches to
learning and teaching lacked sufficient consistency and did not always result in pupils
engaging actively in their learning.
The overall quality of children’s learning in the nursery was good. Children developed
early skills in art through mixing paint and creating pictures. They moulded and
modelled using dough and engaged in role play in the home area. Children
experimented with the different sounds of musical instruments and sang familiar songs
and rhymes. A few children used the computer to solve simple problems. Younger
children explored the properties of sand and water and developed knowledge and
understanding about the world. Children were developing a range of physical skills
and were finding out what their bodies were able to do. In the primary, almost all
pupils at all stages were attentive and highly motivated. Pupils responded well to
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regular opportunities to solve problems. At a number of stages, pupils were becoming
increasingly skilled in working with a partner and in a small group situation. At some
stages, pupils were learning to reflect on their work and to use personal targets to plan
for improvement. However, these approaches were not being consistently and
effectively applied at all stages. The level of pace and challenge in pupils’ learning
was not sufficiently high across the school.
Children in the nursery were making good progress in their emotional, personal and
social development. They were happy and settled and were familiar with the nursery
rules and routines. Most children cooperated well with one another and were able to
share and take turns. Almost all children were becoming independent in some personal
tasks. Staff in the primary school took good steps to help pupils develop their wider
achievements through involvement in the Pupil Council and as Junior Road Safety
Officers and playground activity leaders. In recent years a programme of residential
visits for pupils at the upper stages had been established in order to develop pupils’
independence. Achievements were regularly celebrated at assemblies and a variety of
certificates sent home. Pupils participated in the Penicuik Gardening Club Show and
provided a range of stage shows for parents and the wider community.
English language
Children in the nursery were making good progress in the development of communication
and language skills. They enjoyed listening to stories and understood simple instructions.
Some children were developing an understanding of the link between the written and
spoken word. Most children were able to use language confidently whilst talking to one
another and to adults. Children made marks using crayons and pencil during play activities.
Staff did not provide enough opportunities for children to use spoken language for a wide
range of purposes. At the primary stages, the quality of attainment in English language was
good. Levels of attainment in reading and writing had, overall, improved in recent years.
Most pupils were achieving appropriate national levels of attainment in reading and
writing. A significant minority of pupils at a number of stages were attaining these levels
earlier than might normally be expected. Most pupils who required additional support were
making good progress in their learning, though this was not consistent throughout the
school. Almost all pupils listened well to adults. In P6/7, pupils listened very well in class
and group situations and were able to make decisions on what they heard. They were
confident in offering their views on a range of issues. Across the school, most pupils were
able to reflect confidently on their reading. A few lower-attaining pupils required further
support to enable them to read with fluency. Most pupils wrote effectively in a variety of
styles and were becoming increasingly skilled in planning and evaluating their writing.
However, at times pupils did not write at sufficient length nor was their writing of a
consistently high quality. Standards of spelling and presentation were too variable and
required further improvement.
3
Mathematics
Children in the nursery class were making adequate progress in early mathematics.
Most were able to sort and match by shape and colour. Some children could count and
recognise numbers. Due to restricted opportunities, children had not developed fully
their interest in mathematics nor were they applying mathematical knowledge and skills
sufficiently well in the context of play. At the primary stages the overall quality of
attainment in mathematics was good. Levels of attainment had fluctuated over the last
few years though the trend was now more positive. Most pupils were now achieving
national levels of attainment in mathematics. A minority of pupils, particularly at the
early stages, were achieving these levels earlier than might normally be expected.
However, these early gains were not built on in the later stages of the school. In almost
all classes, pupils had a good understanding of graphs. At the upper stages, pupils were
able to handle and display information with confidence. At all stages, pupils were sure
of number bonds and table facts and were growing in confidence in tackling mental
challenges. Lack of attention to place value hindered the progress of a few pupils in
written work at P6/7. Pupils in P6/7 were confident in discussing two- and
three-dimensional shape, patterns and sequences in number. From P4-7 pupils had
structured timetabled opportunities to learn problem-solving strategies and now
required more opportunities to apply them in a range of real life contexts.
5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
Children’s learning needs in the nursery were adequately met. Staff made regular
observations of children and noted their responses to play activities. This information
was used to plan for next stages in learning. However, staff did not always support
individual children effectively enough. The information provided at transition to the
early stages of the primary school did not provide sufficient information for teachers
to build on children’s prior learning experiences in nursery. In the primary, there
were important weaknesses in how staff addressed the learning needs of pupils. In
maths and writing, teaching through the use of attainment groups across a number of
stages had helped teachers to focus on the learning needs of pupils. Pupils across the
stages contributed to setting their own learning targets and were learning to reflect on
progress they had made. However, staff did not yet offer sufficient and consistent
challenge to ensure that pupils achieved to their full potential. In writing, for
example, too many pupils across the stages were capable of achieving higher
standards. The support for learning teacher provided in-class support, including help
for individuals and small groups of pupils. The headteacher had taken steps to review
and improve how the school addressed and managed the learning needs of all pupils.
This required further attention and action. Pupils who required additional support
were making some progress towards agreed learning targets. This was too
inconsistent. The management of individualised education programmes (IEPs),
including pupils’ progress towards learning targets, was not sufficiently systematic
and rigorous. Involvement of parents in the ongoing review and implementation of
pupils’ learning targets was not sufficiently well planned or effective. Learning
assistants provided appropriate additional help for a range of pupils. The school had
developed some useful links with a number of agencies to help provide targeted
support for identified pupils.
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6. How good is the environment for learning?
Aspect
Comment
Pastoral care
The quality of pastoral care was very good. Nursery staff
were aware of their responsibility to protect children and to
ensure a safe, secure environment for learning. Across the
school, all staff were caring and supportive. Staff were
aware of, and sensitive to, pupils’ emotional, personal and
social needs. Pupils responded well to encouragement to
express their views or concerns on a range of matters that
affected them. Pupils enjoyed being at school. They felt
the school helped them to be safe and healthy and they were
aware of what to do if they were upset. Appropriate child
protection, anti-bullying and safe use of the Internet policies
were in place and known by staff. Pupils were developing a
sound knowledge and understanding of healthy lifestyles.
The school had recently been awarded Health Promoting
School status. There were effective arrangements in place
to support pupils’ pastoral needs when transferring from
nursery to P1 and from P7 to secondary school.
Quality of
accommodation
and facilities
The school’s accommodation and facilities were adequate.
The nursery playroom was safe, secure and well managed
but the outdoor play area requires improvement. Large
metal containers in the playground restricted space. The
fence surrounding the play area needed attention. There had
been recent improvements to the flooring in the gymnasium.
Cloakrooms had been remodelled in order to remove an area
where misbehaviour was likely to occur. The open plan
learning spaces, especially in the P3-7 area, provided
limited room for learning and teaching. Noise levels, at
times, did not assist pupils’ concentration. Within the P3-7
area there was limited room for display. Storage space was
very limited and required improvement. All areas of the
building were accessible to all users and security
arrangements were appropriate.
5
Aspect
Comment
Climate and
relationships,
expectations
and promoting
achievement
and equality
Staff in the nursery had created an environment where all
children and parents were made to feel welcome. Children
were treated equally and with equal concern. Staff made
effective use of praise to acknowledge children’s efforts and
achievements and to build self-esteem. Pupils and staff
identified with and were proud of their school. Staff used
praise well to motivate and encourage pupils. Their
expectations of pupils’ attainment, however, were not
consistently high. There were appropriate opportunities for
religious observance. There was strong sense of equality
and fairness evident in the work of the school. Pupils at P7,
for example, were aware of a range of issues that are
important to them as citizens. The headteacher had
identified the need to support and develop further the
promotion of equality and fairness in the curriculum through
strengthening opportunities for pupils to explore values in
society and in their life.
Partnership
with parents
and the
community
The quality of the school’s partnership with parents and the
community was very good. In the nursery, parents were
encouraged to become involved in their children’s learning
through involvement in initiatives such as Story Sacks and
Learning Story books. In the primary, parents were invited
to comment on the school improvement plan and were
helped and encourage to support their children’s learning.
Regular consultation surgeries, held by the headteacher,
offered parents very good opportunities to raise any
concerns with the school. The school makes good provision
for consultation meetings for parents in order to discuss
education about sensitive health issues. The school had very
good community links including with senior citizens and the
local sheltered housing community.
7. Leading and improving the school
Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.
Sacred Heart Primary School provided pupils with a safe and caring environment for
learning. Pupils benefited from a broad curriculum and their attainment in English
Language and mathematics was good. Pupils responded well to the school’s very
positive climate and relationships. However, there was a need to improve the
consistency in the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Pupils were not
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yet sufficiently active in their learning. Expectations of pupils’ attainment were not
consistently high at all stages.
The leadership of the headteacher was good. In her two years in post, the headteacher had
maintained and developed positive relationships with parents, other local schools and the
local community. She had led and implemented a number of improvements. These
included the introduction of a range of helpful curriculum programmes and policies
designed to ensure improved progression in pupils’ learning. The headteacher was
committed to meeting the needs of all pupils and had started to take steps to improve how
the needs of the lowest attaining pupils were being addressed. The recently appointed
principal teacher was working closely with the headteacher to address this issue. Overall,
the school required a more considered approach to the management of change and greater
clarity in the role and responsibilities of promoted staff. The headteacher had introduced a
number of approaches to monitor and evaluate the work of the school including classroom
visits, scrutiny of teachers’ plans and sampling pupils’ work. These approaches had
resulted in some improvement in aspects of learning and teaching. The headteacher had
made a good start in the implementation of a programme to track and predict pupil
attainment. This required further development. The school required further and sustained
support from the education authority to help ensure improvement in a number of important
areas.
Nursery staff were aware of the implications of the Scottish Social Services Council’s
Codes of Practice. At the last Care Commission inspection there was one
recommendation and three requirements that had been addressed.
Main points for action
The school and education authority, in liaison with HM Inspectors, should take
action to ensure improvement in:
•
progression in pupils’ learning experiences in aspects of the curriculum;
•
the consistency of learning and teaching across the school;
•
how pupils’ learning needs are addressed, including the management of IEPs;
and
•
how change is led and managed, including the use made of information
gathered from self-evaluation processes.
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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.
Frank Adams
HM Inspector
8 January 2008
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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
How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
Meeting pupils’ needs
How good is the environment for learning?
Pastoral care
Accommodation and facilities
Climate and relationships
Expectations and promoting achievement
Equality and fairness
Partnership with parents, the Parent
Council, and the community
Leading and improving the school
Leadership of the headteacher
Self-evaluation
adequate
adequate
adequate
good
good
weak
very good
adequate
very good
good
good
very good
good
adequate
This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by
inspectors:
excellent
very good
good
adequate
weak
unsatisfactory
outstanding, sector leading
major strengths
important strengths with some areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
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Appendix 2
Summary of questionnaire responses
Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires
are listed below. Where any one group had five or less respondees then, in order to
maintain confidentiality, the analysis is not provided.
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What parents thought the school did
well
What parents think the school
could do better
•
Communicated effectively with
parents.
• Had a very positive ethos.
• Teachers set high standards for
pupils.
•
What pupils thought the school did
well
What pupils think the school could
do better
•
•
Helped to keep them safe and
healthy.
Improve aspects of
accommodation, including the
open-plan layout.
Be more consistent about the
amount of homework.
What staff thought the school did
well
What staff think the school could
do better
•
•
Provided good support for staff and
pupils
There were no significant issues.
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,
Education and Communities, 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, Denholm house, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale
Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA or by telephoning 01506 600385. Copies are also available
on our website www.hmie.gov.uk.
HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of primary inspections, you should write in
the first instance to Chris McIlroy, HMCI, at the above address.
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our
Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management Unit, Second Floor, Denholm
House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA. You
can also e-mail HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints
procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 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
(SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints
about Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, 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 2008
HM Inspectorate of Education
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