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1. The Inspection
HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) published a report on standards and quality in St Augustine's primary school in August 2004. In November 2004 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.
North Lanarkshire Council Quality Improvement Officers 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.
2. Continuous Improvement
The headteacher, supported by the senior management team and all staff had worked effectively to take forward the recommendations contained in the report. Good practice had been shared and there was a more consistent approach to learning and teaching, self-evaluation and supporting pupils across the school. 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 August 2004 identified three points for action. This section evaluates the progress made with each of these action points and the resulting improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.
The school and education authority should take action to ensure further improvement in the work of the school and to raise achievement for all its pupils. In doing so, they should take account of the need to:
3.1 build on existing good practice to further ensure a more consistent approach to learning and teaching and to ensuring pace of learning;
The school had made very good progress towards meeting this point for action.
The school had put into place a variety of approaches to ensure a more consistent approach to learning and teaching through sharing best practice in a planned, systematic way. A number of curricular areas had been reviewed and improved through quality staff training, clear guidance from management and the modelling of lessons by good practitioners. The good practice of the principal teachers and other staff had been shared and this had raised expectations and improved practice across the school.
Training in formative assessment strategies and in co-operative learning had improved approaches to learning and teaching and had helped staff reflect on their practice. Changes in teachers' planning had increased the pace of learning and all staff were aware of their responsibility in increasing the pace of learning for pupils.
3.2 further develop procedures for self-evaluation and tracking pupils' progress, including setting firmer targets for raising pupils' attainment;
The school had made good progress towards meeting this point for action.
The school had improved procedures for self-evaluation and had involved all staff and pupils appropriately. Senior managers had tracked pupils' progress and shared the information with staff. Staff were now able to track pupils' progress and make informed decisions about pace of learning and pupils' attainments. Targets had been set for all pupils and the procedures for national assessments had been reviewed. Timings for assessments were more appropriate and challenging. Pupils had been involved in setting targets for their own learning and some had used personal learning plans to set and review their learning targets. Targets had been set with staff to ensure that pupils were meeting the appropriate levels of attainment and that the pace of learning was challenging and brisk.
3.3 provide better opportunities for staff supporting pupils with identified additional support needs to plan and share best practice.
The school had met this recommendation.
The school had reviewed the procedures for supporting pupils with additional support needs. There was now effective use of support staff across the school ensuring that pupils' needs were met and there was a consistent approach. Teamwork had been improved and teachers and support staff worked together in an effective manner, achieving improvements in the provision of learning support. All agencies involved in supporting pupils contributed to planning for pupils' learning. Careful records were monitored by the senior management team, allowing for the identification and sharing of best practice. Teachers' liaison files recorded programmes of work, evaluations and comments that informed next steps in learning. The learning support consultation file recorded all consultations involving learning support. Planning had been improved and information was clearer and more purposeful through the evaluation of progress and identification of next steps in learning and teaching. Both depute headteachers had responsibility for aspects of pupil support and they assisted in the identification and sharing of best practice.
4. Conclusion
With effective support from North Lanarkshire Council, the headteacher and staff had responded very well to the recommendations of HMIE. The school is well placed to continue the improvements achieved to date. North Lanarkshire Council will not publish further reports in relation to the 2004 HMIE report.
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