GARELOCHHEAD Primary has earned a positive report from education inspectors, who marked the school as good in three categories out of four.
Inspectors from HM Inspectors of Education Scotland visited the school in May, and reported that pupils were “motivated to learn by staff who create interesting and active contexts for learning”.
They also hailed the work of the school’s head teacher, Lesley Watt, who they said was “highly regarded and provides strong leadership across the school community”.
The school was rated as good for leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; and ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion. It was rated satisfactory for raising attainment and achievement.
As a result, inspectors will not make any further visits to the school. As the nursery class had been visited within the previous 18 months, it was not part of the inspection.
A report said: “Children, staff and parents were fully involved in the recent refresh of the school’s vision, values and aims.
“Their vision of ‘being the tree of knowledge at the heart of the community’ is the lived experience of children, staff, parents and partners.
“The well-embedded school values of ‘be kind, be ambitious, be safe and be respectful’ are well-promoted throughout the school. These are widely understood and are evident in everyday interactions between staff and children.
“The school community has worked successfully to ensure cohesion between the vision, values and aims. As a result of this work, children display a very strong sense of belonging to the school.
“The head teacher is highly regarded across the school by children, staff, parents and partners. In the short time since she has taken up post, the head teacher has clarified the strategic direction of the school to the school community.
“Her energy and passion for improving learners’ outcomes is enthusing staff to lead change. Parents, children and staff feel strongly that the head teacher has transformed the ethos, with children’s needs identified and met effectively across the school.
“The school leadership team work very well together, ensuring change is considered carefully and paced appropriately.”
The report added: “The head teacher, staff and children have created successfully a purposeful, calm and caring learning environment. Staff know children very well and support them effectively through embedded nurturing practices, underpinned by the school’s established values.
“School leaders and staff have worked very well together to ensure classroom and learning spaces are inclusive, appropriately stimulating and well organised.
“Classroom displays and those throughout the school reflect children’s learning and achievements. This is supporting children very well to participate and engage in their learning.
“There are highly positive relationships between all staff and children. Staff support children well to understand their rights and develop appropriate classroom charters that set expectations for learning and behaviour. As a result, all children are polite, respectful and behave very well in all areas of the school.”
