Arisaig Primary School Inspection

Arisaig Primary School was inspected in May 2006 as part of a national sample of primary education.

Both pastoral care and partnership with parents was recorded as excellent with the school being  described as a caring, supportive and inclusive environment for pupils. Staff were described as being committed to the care and welfare of the pupils and to maintaining close parental links to enhance learning. The head teacher, Martin Jones, worked  closely with the local community and a notable feature was a well received 12-week parenting programme which he had run. There was a strong emphasis on recognising and rewarding achievement, including the effective use of assemblies. The polite and friendly pupils were actively involved in the decision-making processes in the school. Pupils managed their own behaviour well. Teachers set high expectations of behaviour but were less consistent in their demands on pupils’ learning and attainment.

The Inspectors also made a number of recommendations for the school. The quality of accommodation was described as weak overall with some aspects of the accommodation being unsatisfactory. This, together with identified health and safety issues, should be addressed by the authority.  

Inspectors also recommended that the school and the authority take action to improve attainment in English Language and Mathematics. They judged that the pace of learning and level of challenge for pupils, particularly in the middle and upper stages, should be improved.  Overall, there was too little emphasis on monitoring and evaluating pupils’ progress and teachers’ use of assessment information to set appropriate learning targets for all pupils.

Commenting on the report Mr Jones said: “ I am delighted with the report. It is some reward for the hard work put in by staff, pupils and parents. The council has addressed the health and safety issues outlined in the report and since the inspection the school has shown, for the fifth consecutive year, an improvement in attainment.”