High standards at Drakies Primary School, Inverness

Pupils and staff at Drakies Primary School have received praise from Her Majesty’s Inspectors in their report  published this week.  The inspectors found high standards in reading and writing and almost all children making good progress in mathematics and numeracy.  They also found “confident, responsible, courteous and well behaved children who are proud of their school” and praised the “calm learning environment and positive relationships between staff and children”.  

Head Teacher, Shona Kelly, whose leadership was recognised in the report, welcomed HMIe’s findings.

She said: “The report identifies the strengths of the school and the commitment from all staff to support and educate the children. It also reflects the commitment and hard work of the children.  It endorses what we are currently undertaking to improve the learning experiences for all in our care at Drakies Primary and Nursery.”

Chairperson of the Parent Council, Lee Dowie, also expressed satisfaction and drew attention to the school’s achievement despite major alterations to the catchment area.

He said: “The Parent Council are pleased to be involved in the inspection process. We are happy with the favourable findings of the inspection, especially after a period of significant change for Drakies Primary School over the past few years. We continue to support the school and Ms Kelly in the improvement of our school.”
                                                        
The inspectors expressed confidence in the school’s capacity to improve and will make no further visits in relation to their recommendations. These included continuing to develop children’s responsibility for their own learning, continuing to develop the curriculum to take account of Curriculum for Excellence and increasing the leadership of all staff throughout the school.