4 November 2014
Dear Parent/Carer
Chatelherault Primary School and Nursery Class
South Lanarkshire Council
In September 2013 HM Inspectors inspected your child’s school and published a
letter one month later. At the same time, the Care Inspectorate carried out a shared
inspection of the nursery class. 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 other 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?
Most children continue to enjoy their time at school and speak positively about their
learning. They enjoy discussing their learning with each other, and showcasing their
work to parents and visitors. Children with additional needs (ASD classes) now take
part more frequently in learning experiences with their peers in mainstream classes
and are involved in whole-school activities to a greater extent. One class had
enjoyed taking on the role of forensic detectives and this provided a meaningful
context for their learning. Teachers have introduced ways to engage children more
successfully in their learning. For example, all children, particularly those in the
nursery class, now enjoy more regular opportunities to learn outdoors. In the
primary classes, teachers now provide more practical activities to stimulate children’s
thinking. They are helping children to understand more clearly the purpose of
lessons and are encouraging children to reflect on their learning and know if they
have been successful. In the nursery and ASD classes, staff have improved the
layout of the rooms. This is helping children to settle more easily and is encouraging
them to persevere with activities for longer periods. Last session, the school
introduced personal learning planning for children throughout the school. This
should be developed further, particularly in the nursery class. It will help children to
become more active participants in planning and reviewing their individual learning
goals. Children at the early stages of primary are now making better progress in
developing their early mathematics and literacy skills. Across the rest of the school,
children’s achievements are still not of a consistently high enough standard. Staff
have begun to track children’s progress more effectively and intervene where
necessary. In time, this will help to ensure they all attain as highly as possible.
Education Scotland
W1 Spur
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
T
0131 244 8079
F
0131 244 8424
E edinburgh@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
Textphone 01506 600236
This is a service for deaf users. Please do not
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?
Staff continue to care deeply about providing high-quality experiences and doing the
best they can for children. Teachers have recently improved the way they plan and
deliver learning so that they can meet the needs of all children in their classes more
effectively. This, along with some of the assessment information they are gathering,
is beginning to ensure children receive more appropriate levels of support and
challenge. In almost all classes, the pace of lessons is now brisker and therefore
children are more stimulated, and spend more time learning. Staff have taken part in
a wide range of professional learning and have worked very well with South
Lanarkshire Council staff and with colleagues from other schools to help to bring
about necessary improvements to the curriculum. They have developed
programmes for learning in almost all subjects. Teachers are now using assessment
information in spelling, reading and mathematics to plan more effectively for
children’s progress. This is in the very early stages of development and will take
time to have an impact on children’s progress.
How well does the school improve the quality of its work?
The headteacher has used the feedback from the original inspection to draw up an
action plan for improvement. Some aspects of this plan are now in place and
remaining aspects have been identified as priorities for this year and next year, for
example further improvements to the curriculum. The school undertook a very
successful piece of work to review its vision, values and aims and commendably
included staff, children and parents in this process. This has helped children
understand their role in improving their school and is raising expectations. We think
this is a good model on which to base further improvements. The capacity of the
school’s management team has been increased recently by the appointment of two
depute headteachers who are already bringing about improvements in their areas of
responsibility. The management team, and in particular the headteacher, need to
strengthen further relationships within the school so that staff and parents feel
confident in sharing their views and know they can influence change and help to
drive improvement.
What happens next?
Staff have worked tirelessly to implement new ideas and to address the priorities
highlighted at the time of the original inspection. It is too early to see the benefits of
many of these improvements, particularly the impact they are having on children’s
progress. The school understands there is more work required to bring about further
improvements to the curriculum. Consequently, our Area Lead Officer will work with
South Lanarkshire Council to continue to build capacity for improvement, and will
maintain contact to monitor progress. We will return to carry out a further inspection
within one year of publication of this letter. We will then issue another letter to
parents on the extent to which the school has improved.
At the last inspection of the nursery class in September 2013 there were two
requirements made by the Care Inspectorate (Social Care and Social Work
Improvement Scotland, SCSWIS). We have found evidence that one of the
requirements has been met. The other requirement relating to personal learning
2
planning has been carried forward in this inspection. In addition, seven
recommendations have been made as a result of this most recent inspection.
Details of these can be found at
http://www.scswis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7644&Itemi
Elaine Merrilees
HM Inspector
If you would like to receive this letter 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.
3