Inspectors find strength but room for improvement at Lochnell
Lochnell Primary School and pre-five nursery unit needs additional support and time to carry out improvements, according to an Education Scotland inspection.
The check-up, which took place on September 9, also found a number of key strengths.
The school recently appointed a new head teacher, who was due to start on Monday November 11.
The key strengths of the school outlined in the report are: ‘The positive and caring relationships between children, their peers and all staff. Children are proud of their school and are confident talking about their experiences.
‘The strong teamwork and dedication of staff in the school and nursery. This has helped create a welcoming, nurturing and calm environment where children are happy and motivated to learn.
‘The effective partnership works between staff, parents and the wider community to enhance children’s learning experiences. This is con- tributing to good levels of attainment and achievement for children in the school.’
The following areas that would benefit from improvements were: ‘The need for clear strategic direction and improved approaches to leadership at all levels across the school and nursery.
‘Develop robust approaches to evaluating the work of the school and nursery supported by effective planning, tracking and monitoring.
‘Develop approaches to learning and teaching to ensure that all children are suitably challenged and make the best possible progress, leading to continued improvements in attainment.
‘Continue to develop the curriculum, including health and wellbeing, to ensure relevance to the unique context of Lochnell Primary School.’
The report concluded: ‘As a result of our inspection findings, we think the school and nursery needs additional support and more time to make necessary improvements. We will liaise with Argyll and Bute Council regarding the school’s capacity to improve. We will return to carry out a further inspection of the school within one year.’