HMIe report on Newtonmore Primary School and Nursery Class, Inverness

In an HMIe report on Newtonmore Primary School and Nursery Class, Badenoch and Strathspey, the inspectors note the following particular strengths of the school:

• children’s learning experiences and wider achievements;
• staff teamwork and the very good ethos of the school;
• progress of children’s learning through the medium of Gaelic;
• confident, well-behaved children who contribute well to their community; and
• success of the Head Teacher in involving children, staff and parents in improving their school.

Inspectors highlight that across the school, children are confident and active learners. Children in the nursery setting are making very good progress in early literacy and numeracy skills and plan a well-judged range of tasks and activities which hold children’s interest and generate curiosity.

Throughout the school, children are demonstrating that they can use a wide range of information and communications technology with confidence. Attainment levels in reading, writing and mathematics are high and the well planned curriculum, using the experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence, is helping children to develop a wide range of knowledge and skills. Together staff and pupils are planning relevant and motivating tasks and activities which develop literacy and numeracy skills across other areas of the curriculum.

Pupils are receiving high quality learning experiences in French and Gaelic. Along with additional opportunities to develop skills in a range of sports the pupils receive two hours of high quality physical education per week.
Inspectors particularly recognise the very effective staff teamwork and the involvement of all members of the school community including support staff and volunteers, in improving children’s experiences and state in the report that the ethos of the school is “outstanding”.

The Inspectors identified two areas for improvement within the school and education authority. These were:

• improve self-evaluation, including tracking of children’s progress to ensure that the learning needs of all children are met; and

• continue to improve learning and teaching approaches in line with Curriculum for Excellence.

Commenting on the report Head Teacher Karen Craig said: "I am delighted that the report reflects our enthusiastic and enterprising pupils along with the hard working and dedicated staff. I am particularly pleased that the Inspectors recognise the innovative work that is being carried out here and have gone away with two exemplars of best practice. More importantly, the report recognises how the parents, the community and the school work together hand in hand, to help our children progress in their learning and create a school of which we can all feel very proud.“

Parent Council Chairperson Lesley Gorman commented: “This is a fantastic report which recognises the part that everyone plays in providing such rich experiences for our children. You only have to walk through the door of the school to feel the welcoming atmosphere and see how well behaved the children are. I am especially proud of the way the children are taking responsibility for their environment through all the work of the eco-school and ensuring that we are teaching our pupils to be responsible citizens.”

As a result of the very good quality of education provided by the school, HMIe will make no further visits in connection with this inspection.