Thornlie Primary HMI follow up report

December 2003

HM Inspectors (HMIe) published a report on standards and quality in Thornlie Primary School in April 2002.  In August 2002, 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 2-year period.

A North Lanarkshire Council Quality Improvement Officer visited the school in November 2003, 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.

Programmes in English language, mathematics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) had been amended and improved resulting in an improvement in authority ranking.  Planning had been reviewed and improved to concentrate on pupils' knowledge and skills and to evaluate the progress they were making.  There was now more systematic monitoring of the work of the school in relation to learning, teaching and attainment.

The staff had worked effectively as a team strongly led by the headteacher and then the acting headteacher to take forward the recommendations contained in the report.  The school was now well placed to sustain and build on the effective developments achieved.

The initial inspection report published in April 2002 identified 6 points for action.  This section evaluates the progress made with each of the action points and the resulting improvements for pupils and other stakeholders.

3.1  Staff should continue to work with the headteacher and parents to establish a shared vision for the education of pupils.  The school should take forward its plans to extend the opportunities given to pupils to take responsibility for aspects of the school's work.

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

• The staff had worked effectively as a team led by the headteacher and then the acting headteacher to create opportunities to promote the work of the school in the community.  Parental newsletters had been reviewed and amended and now included information to parents on school developments.  Story sacks were used in the early stages of the school very successfully.  Extensive work had been carried out with the parents of primary one.  The induction programme had been extended for parents and children and curricular workshops had taken place throughout the year.  Healthy living and eating had been extended to include parents and there was input from the school nurse.  An interim progress report had been completed for each child and curricular information leaflets had been produced and distributed to all parents.  A small number of parent helpers provided strong support for the school.  A Pupil Council had been established and had extended its role into fundraising and out of hours learning.  Good extra curricular activities including designing a school web site, art and keep fit were on offer to pupils, although uptake by all stages could be better.

3.2  Staff should take steps to raise standards of pupils' attainment in English language and aspects of mathematics

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

• A new reading scheme had been purchased and the learning support teacher supported the implementation.  Group Education Plans (GEP's) had been written for some groups of pupils to allow them closer involvement in their own learning and target improvement resulting in those pupils moving more quickly to working with the whole class resource.  New planners had been introduced and the policy in English language amended.  Attainment in reading had improved.  Pupils involved in additional reading support were making very good progress.  Individual Education Programmes had been written for a number of P1 pupils based on the assessment results in literacy.  Pupils' confidence in writing had improved and attainment had improved as a result of the developments undertaken by the school.  Staff had taken additional training in mathematics especially in interactive lessons and mental calculations. Forward plans in mathematics had improved to reflect mental calculations and a balance across all components of mathematics.  The headteacher monitored progress, planning and the targets set by staff for pupils.  The school policy on mathematics had been amended to reflect the changes that had taken place.  Attainment and pace of learning had improved.

3.3  The school should improve its programme of study in Information and communications technology and ensure that pupils have opportunities to apply ICT skills in English language and mathematics

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

• Additional materials had been purchased to support ICT.  All staff undertook training in this area of the curriculum leading to improvements in staff confidence and skills.  An Information Technology skills based scheme had been purchased and effectively implemented ensuring continuity and progression.  Forward plans had been amended to reflect opportunities for Information Technology across the curriculum.  Software linked to numeracy and literacy had been purchased and was being used in all classes.  The computers had been time-tabled to allow fair access to all classes.  ICT materials for literacy had been implemented across the school.  A web site was planned.

3.4  Teachers should make better use of assessment information to ensure that tasks are consistently well matched to the needs of pupils

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

• School approaches to assessment had been reviewed and strengths and areas for development identified.  Planners had been amended and indicated assessment opportunities and review of teaching to inform next steps.  Opportunities for dialogue with pupils had been increased.  Teachers now predicted attainment in mathematics and identified next steps involving pupils in discussion of learning and assessment of progress.  The writing programme had been reviewed and formative assessment statements had identified next steps in learning.  New materials for reading ensured that assessment informed next steps and that the needs of pupils were being met.  The school is now well placed to take this progress further.

3.5  Teachers should revise their approaches to planning to set out the knowledge and skills pupils are to achieve and to evaluate the progress made.

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

• With assistance from authority development officers the school had reviewed its planning in English language and this had been revised to indicate the target within 5-14 guidelines.  Evaluations were now a feature of planning. New mathematics planners had been implemented and these indicated the aim of the lesson, assessment opportunities and evaluation of teaching.  Planning in other curricular areas now reflected the skills and knowledge pupils are to achieve and the evaluation of progress.  Additional materials had been purchased to assist with assessment of 5-14 mathematics.  Teachers identified pupils who needed support from the learning support teacher and their progress was monitored.

3.6  The headteacher, working with staff, should monitor and evaluate the work of the school more rigorously and systematically, particularly in relation to learning, teaching and attainment.

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

• A calendar for monitoring had been agreed with staff.  The headteacher and working party had written a draft monitoring policy.  The staff had agreed a format of classroom visits and there was a discussion focus and next steps were identified.  Better use was made of national quality indicators when looking at the work of the school.  It had helped the school to identify next steps in development.  Timetables in the school had been revised and now followed the guidance in the Balance of the Curriculum guidelines.  These were monitored by the headteacher. Individual Education Programmes (IEP's) had been reviewed and all staff were now involved in writing these.  The school now made better use of data on attainment to identify progress and areas for concern.  The achievement of groups and individual pupils were targeted.

With effective support from North Lanarkshire Council, Quality Development Service, Thornlie Primary School had responded well to the recommendations of HMIe and had improved pupil attainment in some areas.  Staff had been fully involved in the development of the action plan and had worked to support the headteacher and then the acting headteacher to undertake the recommendations within the agreed timescale.  The school is well placed to continue the improvements achieved to date.  North Lanarkshire Council will not publish further reports in relation to the 2002 HMIe report.

Michael O'Neill, Director of Education  

Cllr Charles Gray, Convener (Education Committee

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