Primary awarded gold star
Inspectors have given a glowing report of St Ninians Primary School and Nursery Class following a recent visit.
Quality indicators for the 388-pupil school showed learning, teaching and assessment was very good, as was raising attainment and achievment.
For the nursery - which accommodates a total of 59 children in morning, afternoon and full day sessions - learning, teaching and assessment and securing children’s progress were rated as good.
The nursery was also graded very good for quality of care and support and quality of environment, and good for staffing and management and leadership.
As well as very good attainment in literacy and numeracy, inspectors were impressed with the wider life of the school including a wide range of clubs for children including Scottish country dancing, cricket, badminton, singing, knitting, chess, yoga and coding.
There was said to be a nurturing and inclusive ethos throughout the school with very positive relationships across all stages and a high standard of behaviour, with reeforcement of respect, determination, ambition, kindness and integrity both in class and at assemblies.
Almost all the children were found to be highly motivated, eager and active participants in learning.
The Education Scotland report added: “The inspection team found key strengths in the school’s work such as the outstanding leadership of positive change led by the headteacher, who is enabling high quality professional learning and leadership opportunities for staff and children across the school. As a result, the effective pace of change is leading to improved outcomes for children.
“There are very strong relationships and inclusive, nurturing approaches across the primary school which have resulted in wellbehaved, highly-motivated and engaged children who are progressing very well in their learning.
“High importance is placed on developing children’s health and wellbeing to enable all children to feel included and engage with learning effectively.”
The inspectors, who visited the school in October, also praised the school’s highly effective approach to planning, tracking and monitoring children’s attainment across the primary stages, which they said accurately informed targeted interventions to meet the children’s needs.
The nursery environment was said to be “enriched by very positive relationships with children and their families” with the children described as enthusiastic, confident and making good progress in their learning.
Areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Stirling Council.
These included continuing to develop high-quality learning and teaching by sharing “the very good practice which is evident across the school”, and continued development of the strategic leadership of the nursery to ensure learning progress across early levels.