Abronhill primary HMI follow up report

March 2005

HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) published a report on standards and quality in Abronhill Primary School in February 2003. In May 2003 North Lanarkshire Council, in collaboration with the school, prepared and published an action plan indicating how they would address the main points for action in the HMIE report within a two-year period.

A North Lanarkshire Council Quality Improvement Officer assessed the extent to which the school was continuing to improve the quality of its work, and evaluated progress made in responding to the main points for action in the original report.

The headteacher, depute headteacher and staff had worked effectively to take forward the recommendations contained in the report. The school had raised attainment by introducing improvements to programmes. Pupils' experience in information and communications technology (ICT) had been improved, including an increase in the pace of learning. Pupils had responded well to being given greater responsibility for their own learning and more opportunities to work collaboratively. The monitoring undertaken by the headteacher and depute headteacher had ensured improvements in learning and teaching and in pupils' progress at all stages. Parents were fully involved at all stages in implementing new developments and were fully committed to the improvements in the school.

The school was now well placed to sustain and build on its achievements.

3.  Progress towards the main points for action

The initial inspection report published in February 2003 identified four points for action. This section evaluates the progress made with each of these action points and the resulting improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.

3.1 In taking steps to raise pupils' attainment further, the school should continue to improve its programmes for English language, mathematics and ICT.

The school had met this recommendation.

• In English language, the school, with support from development officers in North Lanarkshire's literacy base, had devised a programme for pupils' listening and talking skills that addressed the needs of all pupils. Pupils had good opportunities to work collaboratively and use their skills in different areas of the curriculum. Pupils' self-esteem and confidence in using language skills had improved. In mathematics, pupils were achieving higher standards in problem solving skills through improvements in the programme. Staff had improved their skills in teaching problem-solving and enquiry by attending training from the education authority, visiting other schools and sharing good practice with colleagues in the school. The mathematics policy had been improved to include helpful guidance on the assessment of pupils' learning, helping staff to identify next steps in pupils' learning. Teachers' plans indicated evaluations and next steps in pupils' learning. Pupils were developing skills in self-assessment and had been involved in setting targets for their own achievements. Staff had used national guidelines well to support a structured, progressive programme in mathematics. These improvements had resulted in pupils attaining higher standards in mathematics at all stages. The school had achieved a number of important improvements in provision for ICT. Teachers had made increased use of ICT in mathematics and in English language. Staff training had resulted in increased, more effective use of resources and classroom assistants supported pupils increasingly well. Staff had taken steps to ensure that ICT permeated the curriculum. Teachers' plans included targets for assessment. Pupils had been engaged in self-assessment. An ICT suite had been established and was fully used. Additional hardware and software had been purchased. Pupils at P1-P3 had access to ICT in structured play activities. An ICT programme was used to support learning for more able pupils and for those who were experiencing difficulties in mathematics. Pupils' independent research skills had improved through the use of the Internet.

3.2 The school should develop its assessment procedures for ICT and make more effective use of assessment information.

The school had made very good progress towards meeting this point for action.

• The school had developed an effective framework for assessing pupils' progress. Teachers' approaches to assessment had been improved and assessment informed next steps in pupils' learning in ICT and across a range of curricular areas. The assessment procedures for ICT were comprehensive and informative and were having a positive impact on pupils' learning. Clear guidance had been given to staff who were now confident and able to embed ICT across the curriculum. Opportunities had been taken for using ICT in home learning. Teachers planned assessment of pupils' learning carefully and their evaluations of learning and teaching had improved the quality of lessons. The senior management team monitored developments closely and provided good support for staff. Effective assessment was in place for all areas of the curriculum. Staff had been trained in formative assessment and regularly gave written and oral feedback to pupils. A number of teachers had been trained in co-operative learning and were using these techniques to develop pupils' skills in self- and peer-assessment. Teachers shared the intended learning outcomes with pupils. They predicted pupils' attainments and set realistic targets for groups and individual pupils. Assessment information was carefully shared when pupils were moving to the next stage or to secondary school.

3.3 Teachers should provide more pace and challenge for some pupils. They should give pupils more opportunities to work collaboratively and take more responsibility for aspects of their learning.

The school had made very good progress towards meeting this point for action.

• Staff had made effective use of guidelines on target setting and the planning to evaluate the pace of learning and pupils' progress. Improvements in coursework included appropriate challenges for all pupils. Effective professional development opportunities, guidance and support had supported staff in ensuring a good pace of learning at all stages and in providing opportunities for collaborative work. The support for learning policy had been revised and included the needs of high achieving pupils. Challenging and stimulating targets were set by teachers in close discussion with pupils. The school had provided clear guidance and helpful resources for teachers on thinking skills. Pupils had been given more responsibility for their own learning. Staff had taken part in training provided by the education authority to encourage pupils' skills in co-operative learning, and were using their new skills to develop collaborative learning and increase the pace of learning. There had been an improvement in National Test results across all stages in the school.

3.4 The headteacher should monitor and evaluate learning and teaching more directly and pupils' progress and attainment more systematically.

The school had made very good progress towards meeting this point for action.

• The headteacher had monitored the quality of learning and teaching effectively, using national performance indicators. Classroom visits by the headteacher and the depute were a feature of increasingly rigorous monitoring and evaluating procedures. Feedback to staff had resulted in productive discussions on learning and teaching, with a positive impact on pupils' experience and achievements. All teachers had a clearer understanding of how to use national performance indicators to improve learning and teaching. Teachers' evaluations of pupils' progress had been very effective in helping to improve the pace of learning at all stages. Senior managers and teachers had used their evaluations well to identify future developments and improvements. The school had used assessment information well to share with pupils a clear understanding of high expectations of their attainment and achievement.

With effective support from North Lanarkshire Council, staff had responded very well to the recommendations of HMIE and had improved planning, assessment and evaluation in all areas of the curriculum. They had succeeded in improving learning and teaching and in raising pupils' attainment. All staff had been fully involved in the development of the action plan and had supported the headteacher in undertaking the recommendations within the agreed timescale. The school was well placed to continue the improvements achieved to date. North Lanarkshire Council will not publish further reports in relation to the 2003 HMIE report.

Michael O'Neill, Director of Education
Cllr Charles Gray, Convenor of Education

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