Positive interim follow-through report for Goodlyburn Primary
Last updated | 29/04/2008
An interim follow-through HMIE inspection report of Goodlyburn Primary published today (Tuesday 29 April) has shown that positive improvements have been made at the school, and that work is ongoing to continue to raise standards.
An HMIE inspection report published last year identified five main points for action at Goodlyburn. The interim report examines what staff are doing to work towards these suggested improvements.
The interim report states that positive steps are being made to improve the overall behaviour of pupils. Inspectors found the school atmosphere "calmer and more purposeful". Almost all pupils consistently displayed appropriate behaviour during lessons and outside the classroom. As a result, the quality of pupils' learning experiences had improved and there was less disruption, inspectors found.
Important initial steps had also been taken to improve pupils' attendance, the report said. The new behaviour management programme was having a positive influence on the school experience and this was encouraging improved levels of attendance. Staff had also implemented a more effective system for monitoring attendance.
The report said that work to raise attainment in English language and mathematics was at a very early stage. There were encouraging signs of improvement in attainment in mathematics at P3 and P4. A few P7 pupils had attained appropriate national levels for mathematics whilst in P6.
However, inspectors found that raising attainment in English needed ongoing attention. At P6 and P7 attainment in writing had fallen in 2007 and at other stages improvements had still to be seen. The report recommends that a more effective language programme should be put in place at the school.
There were signs of good progess in increasing pupils' capacity to work independently, inspectors said. The climate in the classrooms had improved and as a result pupils had a more appropriate and encouraging environment for more independent learning. Pupils across the stages were working well in pairs, small groups and individually.
Work had also started at the school to address the final point for action - improving the effectiveness of the school's approaches for continuing improvement including self-evaluation and improvement planning, involving all the school's stakeholders.
Senior managers and staff now had remits which clearly identified their contribution to quality improvement. Staff from the Council continued to help the school strengthen its processes for self-evaluation.
Lifelong Learning Convener, Councillor Liz Grant said: "This interim report concludes that productive action has been taken, both by education authority and school staff, to improve the school's performance, and that the new headteacher has a clear understanding of the priorities for continued improvement.
"There will be a full follow-through report published a year from now. This is the 'half-way point' in the follow-through procedure, but Goodlyburn has made a very good start in addressing some of the issues raised during the inspection.
"The new report says that Goodlyburn Primary now has a sound foundation for continuing improvement. I welcome this report and I would like to congratulate staff and pupils at the school for all their hard work over the last year."
