HMIE Report on Applecross Primary and Nursery

Applecross Primary School received a mixed report from HM Inspectors who visited the school in May 2008 as part of a national sample of primary education, covering key aspects of the school’s work at all stages.   It evaluated the nursery children’s and pupil’s achievements, the effectiveness of the school, the environment for learning, the school’s processed for self evaluation and innovation, and its capacity for improvement.  There was a particular focus on attainment in English language and Mathematics.

The report stated that school staff had created a very positive climate and relationships between staff and pupils were very good.   All pupils were very well behaved and friendly and polite.  Staff morale was high and staff worked well together.  The school was successful in working in partnership with parents; the parent council supported the work of the school well and included the parents of nursery children.   The school’s arrangements to ensure the care and welfare of pupils were very good.   The Head Teacher was very committed to the school and to the nursery and primary pupils.

Inspectors judged that the school had strengths including:

  Well behaved and courteous pupils who were keen to learn.
  High quality imaginative writing at all stages.
  The care and commitment of the Head Teacher and for staff to the nursery children and primary pupils.

However, there were a number of areas which were evaluated as weak.  The curriculum did not build upon pupils’ skills progressively; pupils did not have enough opportunities to develop their problem solving skills in mathematics.  In environmental studies and expressive arts the range of activities was not effectively structured.  As a result, pupils did not develop appropriate knowledge understanding and skills as they progressed through each class stage.  The Head Teacher had worked with parents and staff to improve some aspects of the school’s work.  These included better planning in the nursery class and improved homework arrangements at the primary stages.  She had maintained very good relationships with staff and involved them well in discussing the school’s practice.  However, there were some important weaknesses in her leadership.  In some areas, progress in bringing about improvements has been too slow.  The school’s arrangements for evaluating its work were weak overall.  HM Inspectors noted that with the support of the Education Authority in staff, the Head Teacher had the capacity to improve the school.

HM Inspectors identified the following main points for action:

• The quality of the curriculum to ensure that all pupils develop appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills;
• Pace and challenge to ensure that pupils’ learning needs are met effectively
• The arrangements for nursery children’s and primary pupils’ safety within the school’s playing areas; and
• Arrangements for evaluating the quality of learning, teaching and attainment to ensure that all pupils make appropriate progress.

Laurence Young, Senior Education Officer, Ross, Skye and Lochaber Area, acknowledged the hard work of the staff and Head Teacher.  He was concerned, however, by the mixed nature of the report, some aspects being good and some aspects being weak, and stated that the authority would work with the Head Teacher and school staff to implement the improvement actions highlighted in the report. 

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 and carers.  HM Inspectors will publish an interim report on progress within one year of the publication of this report.  Thereafter, HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a follow-through inspection.  This will result in another report to parents, within two years of the publication of this report on the extent of improvement that has been achieved.