School earns praise from inspectors
JONATHAN GEDDES
A Castlemilk school has received a boost from a recent strong educational report.
John Paul II Primary, on Dunagoil Road, received praise in a number of categories following a visit from education inspectors earlier this year.
The school, which has a roll of 290, was found to be an inclusive place of learning, and well led by its headteacher.
The report stated that there was: “Very strong leadership of the headteacher in creating a culture of success and opportunity for children.
“This is based on an ethos of care and respect for children and their families and underpinned by a commitment to Gospel values.”
The work of staff was also praised across the board.
The report continued: “Dedicated staff are leading significant aspects of the school’s work and engaging in focused collaborative professional learning.
“This is enabling them to provide a breadth of very high quality opportunities for children to achieve. A few of these opportunities have led to children engaging in activities which have gained national recognition.”
And the youngsters themselves earned high marks.
The report found that the pupils were “kind and courteous children who support each other well. Children are enthusiastic, independent and resilient learners who enjoy responding to challenge.
“They are motivated well in their learning through the creative and innovative use of digital technologies.”
Lastly, there were warm words for the nature of the school.
The inspection found that: “Staff are skilled in ensuring that almost all children feel included and have a strong sense of belonging in classrooms and the nurture bases.
“Almost all children feel their views are welcomed and valued.”
However there were some areas in need of some attention too.
The school was told it must: “Continue to develop consistency in learning, teaching and assessment across the school, including in the unit for children with additional learning needs.
“Staff should make more effective use of learning pathways across all curricular areas to improve attainment.”
And it was also found that the school should: “Strengthen tracking and monitoring arrangements to ensure that children’s progress across the school is recorded consistently over time.
“This will help children, staff and families to develop a better understanding of children’s progress and provide timely interventions as required.”
The school was marked as “very good” in every criteria, and Education Scotland will not carry out any follow-up inspections.