HMIe REPORT- Fountainhall Primary School
Wednesday, January 30 2008
Fountainhall Primary School was inspected in October 2007 as part of a national sample of primary and nursery education.
The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages including the nursery. These included pupils’ learning experiences and achievements, pupil attainment, the learning environment and the school’s capacity for self evaluation. The views of pupils, parents and staff were also collected.
The key strengths of the school identified by HMIe are:
- Leadership of the acting headteacher
- Quality of children’s experiences in the nursery class
- Opportunities for all pupils to engage in energetic physical activity
- The provision for pupils to develop their wider achievements
- The quality of pastoral care and the positive relationships among staff, parents and pupils
- Effective joint working with linked Stow Primary School.
Recently appointed Acting Headteacher Helen Lumsden said: “We are delighted HMIe have recognised important strengths of the school such as the high quality of children’s experiences in the nursery, the opportunities all pupils have to engage in energetic physical activity and to develop their wider achievements. The high quality of pastoral care and positive relationships amongst staff, pupils and parents was also highlighted. We recognise that there are areas in which we can improve and are confident in our capacity to deal with the priorities identified for development in the report. Indeed we have already begun addressing the recommendations and are implementing them as part of the School’s Quality Improvement Plan.”
Audrey Flockhart, Chair of the Parent Council, said: ‘We welcome the HMIe inspection, as it gives us clear direction in which to move the school forward. Many of the areas in which we need to improve, namely English language and mathematics, had been addressed by our acting headteacher, who had implemented a clear approach to pace and challenge.”
The main points for action outlined in the report were:
- To improve the curriculum
- Improve the quality of attainment in English language and mathematics
- Ensure appropriate pace and challenge in learning to meet pupils’ needs and
- Develop pupils’ skills as responsible and independent learners.
The school and the education authority will now prepare an action plan and will work together to address the main points for action within the report.
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