STRATHMARTINE PRIMARY

SCHOOL

Standards and Quality Report

JULY 2007

CONTENTS

Background Information

Context for School Development

Priorities and targets from previous report.

Current School Development priorities.

Gathering evidence

Overview of key aspects in the School Evaluation and Reporting

procedures.

Reports on key areas – Curriculum

Reports on key areas – Standards of Attainment

5-14 Attainment Summary

Reports on key areas – Quality of Learning and Teaching

Reports on key areas – Support for Pupils

Reports on key areas – Ethos

Reports on key areas – Resources

Reports on key areas – Management, leadership and quality

assurance

Targets for the coming session

School achievements

National Priority-Related HGIOS Ratings

Summary

BACKGROUND INFORMATION Strathmartine Primary School is a relatively new School, and is situated within the villages of Bridgefoot and Strathmartine, approximately one mile from the Dundee City boundary. The delineated area is north to the boundary of Auchterhouse Parish at Balkello Farm, south to the Dundee city boundary, east to the boundary of Tealing Parish including Emmock Road and west to the boundary of Auchterhouse Parish including the Rosemill area. The school consists of two classrooms, a general purpose room, a games hall, a kitchen and an administration block. Strathmartine Primary School is a member of the Forfar Academy Cluster and links closely with other Cluster Primary Schools e.g., Tealing, Inverarity, Aberlemno, Pitkennedy, Langlands, Wellbrae, Chapelpark and Kirkriggs. FACTUAL INFORMATION School Name Strathmartine Primary School Address Strathmartine, Angus DD3 0PH Telephone 01382 832041 Fax 01382 832041 E-Mail strathmartine@strathmartine.angus.sch.uk

STAFFING Head Teacher Jane Mahon Class Teacher Leanne Mitchell Class Teacher Donna Abbott Learning Support Pat Mills Nursery Teacher Vacancy Nursery Nurse Vacancy Primary School Assistant Helen Ross THIS SCHOOL IS NON-DENOMINATIONAL

ANGUS COUNCIL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES AND CONTEXT FOR SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT Angus Council Education Department’s vision statement states: ‘We are committed to realising the potential of all children, young people, communities and staff by: � putting people at the heart of all we do � nurturing an ethos of achievement � striving for sustainable improvement � working co-operatively The Angus Council Education Service Plan provides the context in which the school promotes its development priorities for the forthcoming year. The Service Plan also takes account of the Scottish Executive’s National Priorities. Our own priorities are identified through the self-evaluation process using ‘How Good Is Our School? 2’. This is a 3-year programme of ‘School’ self-evaluations, which are reported on yearly and provide the framework for the innovation and improvement reflected in the School Development Plan.

SCHOOL AIMS

At Strathmartine Primary School our aims are to:

• create a positive ethos where everyone’s contributions are valued and where learning and teaching are effective

• provide opportunities for all children to develop their abilities to their full potential

• have a clear commitment to raising standards through target setting and monitoring and evaluating learning and teaching

• provide a broad, balanced curriculum

• establish good relationships with parents and the wider local community

The STANDARDS AND QUALITY REPORT is a summary of the areas within ‘How Good Is Our School? 2’ over this session and highlights the many developments which have taken place and those that are planned for the future.

STRATHMARTINE PRIORITIES AND TARGETS FROM PREVIOUS REPORT.

The Homework Policy will be reviewed in consultation with parents and pupils.

Parents completed a Questionnaire regarding Homework and were invited to a meeting with staff to

make improvements as highlighted from the survey. The parents came forward with suggestions and

changes have been put in place. Pupils have been asked for their opinions and the majority of pupils are

enjoying the homework now being set.

A Web-site is planned to improve school-home communication. It is hoped to hold an ICT curriculum evening to launch the site and to raise awareness of ICT across the curriculum. Progress has been made with the structure of a web site for the School. Parents have made suggestions as to what the site could contain and the ICT team is involved in supporting us with the structure. The process is taking longer than was at first envisaged; therefore the launch will be in session 2007-8.

Policies will be developed and will be offered for consultation to parents and pupils as appropriate. A policy for ‘Homework’ and ‘Mobile Phones in School’ have been developed through consultation with groups of parents and have been offered for consultation to all parents. These are now adopted Policies.

An audit of English Language 5-14 ‘Talking and Listening.’ will be carried out with staff and pupils then development will take place to make this area of language a higher focus both for teaching and for learning.

Following the audit changes have been made to ensure a structured approach to listening and talking through the use of Listen and Do for P1-2, Oracy for P3-5 and Fast Forward in P6-7. Other opportunities for listening and talking are planned through other areas of the curriculum.

Increase school storage by providing access to the kitchen cupboard from the hall and provide storage within the kitchen for Catering resources. Storage has been increased by the change of entry to the cupboard previously accessed from within the Kitchen. This is now the Maths and Language resources cupboard. A freestanding cupboard was provided for the kitchen staff to store their items.

The current School Development Priorities are:

English Language

This session the staff will plan writing experiences for pupils within the

context of topics studied and linked to the reading programme for early

years pupils. We also plan to focus on higher order reading skills.

Personal Learning Plans

Pupils will have a record book to share with parents showing the

mathematics and writing targets they are currently working to achieve.

Pre-School and P1&2 – Active Learning.

Pupils in P1 and P2 will benefit from an activity approach to learning with a

structure linked to the approach our nursery colleagues adopt.

Enterprise

Pupils will develop thinking skills and co-operative learning skills through

the use of ‘Young Enterprise’.

Art and Culture

Work with the Arts Team to provide a curriculum of Arts to meet the needs

of our pupils.

Positive Discipline

Investigate techniques designed to promote positive behaviour in school.

Working with parents

Involve parents in the school self-assessment process.

Provide parents with leaflets designed to give information as to how they

can support their child’s learning and evaluate the benefit of these to parents

GATHERING EVIDENCE

A number of techniques and procedures are used to gather evidence. The

Head Teacher monitors and observes classroom activities, scrutinises

forward plans in discussion with staff and records and reports on attainment

and pupil performance.

� The work of the school is measured in reference to the Performance

Indicators in How Good Is Our School? 2.

� Surveys and questionnaires are issued to parents, pupils and staff

concerning a range of issues.

� Assessment information from diagnostic and National Tests is gathered

and analysed, and the data is used to inform classroom organisation.

� Currently, electronic means are being used to record and report on pupil

progress.

� Use of National Priorities Website.

� The Pupil Council and previously the School Board provided a source of

information for improvements.

This report should be read in conjunction with the School Development Plan.

Overview of key aspects in the School Evaluation and Reporting

procedures.

HGIOS? – Complete

audit every 3 years.

Specific Audits when

needed e.g. Attainment.

Pupil, parent, staff

surveys.

Standards and Quality

Statements. Selection

completed every year

– all, over a 3-year

cycle. Action points

carried forward

annually to S. D. P.

School Development

Plan – updated

annually.

Standards and Quality

report- reviewed every

year.

School Information

Booklet- updated

annually.

Progress reports and

other information sent

to parents as necessary.

Reports on Key Areas

CURRICULUM

Quality Indicators 1.1-1.2

Overall the quality of the curriculum is Good.

Evaluation Summary

Most areas of the curriculum have policy statements and there are separate

policies for correction, planning and assessment, recording and reporting.

The parents have been helpful in reviewing the Parents’ Meetings Policy and

the Homework Policy making these areas more profitable for both parents

and pupils.

There are Angus Programmes of Study in School. Some are used to plan

work to give the children a balance of experiences and a wide range of

learning activities. The areas of Religious and Moral Education, Citizenship

and Health have been reviewed and links across these areas have been

identified.

Teachers’ planning files contain weekly timetables, plans for groups, class

and individuals and I.E.P.’s where appropriate.

Teachers use a variety of teaching styles effectively.

Pupils’ experiences cover all learning styles.

Pupils are involved in setting their own targets for learning in Writing.

Teachers use the Angus AMPS system to record pupils’ progress and this

information is transferred to the child’s next teacher.

Development Areas

Continue to review the Policies of the Curriculum.

Action Points Curriculum policies will continue to be up-dated and review dates will be

set.

STANDARDS OF ATTAINMENT

Quality Indicator 2.1

Overall quality of attainment is Good.

Evaluation Summary

Pupils’ progress in learning is very good in Reading, Mathematics and good

in Writing as can be seen from the 5-14 Attainment Summary over-leaf.

Jotters are neatly laid out and labelled. Suitable routines are in place to

manage storage, distribution and return of jotters. Teachers are very good at

managing the pupils’ day and learning environment. Day by day assessment

of pupils’ progress from a variety of sources is used to inform next steps in

learning and kept as evidence where possible. Pupils are involved in setting

their own targets for writing. Teachers are good at providing positive

feedback, recording progress and writing reports for parents and others.

Pupils are well motivated to learn and many attain appropriate levels in

course work and in 5-14 levels.

The Classroom assistant is involved in supporting learning in I.C.T.

Class teachers and have been involving pupils in Library activities to

promote reading and to extend the pupils knowledge of Genre.

An audit of Listening and Talking has led to changes to ensure a structured

approach to listening and talking through the use of Listen and Do for P1-2,

Oracy for P3-5 and Fast Forward in P6-7. Other opportunities for listening

and talking are planned through other areas of the curriculum.

Development Areas

Active Learning and Co operative Learning strategies will be introduced

throughout session 2007-8.

Action Points

Staff will attend training courses for Co operative Learning.

Early Years Staff will attend Training courses in Development of Active

Learning Strategies.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 2.1 Overall Quality of Attainment.

Strathmartine Primary School in comparison to benchmarked schools

with equivalent Free Meal Entitlement is reported as good.

The table below shows a 5-14 Attainment Summary.

5-14 Attainment Levels for Strathmartine Primary School

% of pupils who have achieved or exceeded the

appropriate level in READING

0

20

40

60

80

100

Perc

en

tag

e

P3 100 100 86 88 33

P4 100 100 100 67 88

P6 100 79 100 100 100

P7 75 50 79 86 100

Total 90 80 88 83 86

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

% of pupils who have achieved or exceeded the

appropriate level in WRITING

0

20

40

60

80

100

Pe

rce

nta

ge

P3 100 100 100 88 67

P4 100 100 80 78 63

P6 100 79 75 80 100

P7 58 67 64 57 80

Tot al 83 83 76 76 77

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

% of pupils who have achieved or exceeded the

appropriate level in MATHEMATICS

0

20

40

60

80

100

Perc

en

tag

e

P3 100 100 100 100 100

P4 72 100 80 89 100

P6 100 64 100 100 100

P7 83 100 79 43 100

Total 86 83 88 83 100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

QUALITY OF LEARNING AND TEACHING

Quality Indicators 3.1-3.6

Overall quality of learning and teaching is Good.

Evaluation Summary

Teachers use a range of teaching styles, give clear and concise explanations

and instructions and check for understanding.

Forward planning for reading is more detailed

Homework is expected and is given and returned daily for younger pupils or

weekly, carrying on class work.

The School has a positive ethos allowing pupils to work in an atmosphere

where they are respected and motivated to learn.

Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child’s education through

homework, meetings, reports and opportunities to visit the class during the

school day.

Teachers are always prepared to discuss issues with parents.

Some staff have recently been trained in the Critical Skills Programme and

in Science through Authority and Cluster Development.

Pupils are involved in their own target setting for writing and mathematics.

Pupils need to be involved in setting their own targets in mathematics.

Teachers are sharing learning targets and success criteria with pupils before

lessons and checking for understanding afterwards.

Development Areas

All teachers will develop Co-operative Learning with the pupils.

Early Years teachers will develop Active Learning strategies with pupils.

Action Points

The remaining 2 teachers will attend courses and access literature on Co-

operative Teaching.

Early Years staff will attend courses on Active Learning.

Early Years staff will introduce this method of learning to P1 and 2 pupils.

Teachers will make links with Critical skills and Co-operative Teaching

strategies.

Pupils will be introduced to these methods of learning.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 3.3 Pupils’ Learning Experiences.

Reported as good.

SUPPORT FOR PUPILS

Quality Indicators 4.1-4.8

Overall quality of support for pupils is Good.

Evaluation Summary

Staff show a sensitive awareness and approach to meeting pupils’ needs.

Pupils’ feel they can talk to staff and have their concerns dealt with fairly.

Pupils set their own targets for learning in Writing and Mathematics.

Positive attitudes are developed through strategies from Circle Time, Class

and School rules which pupils devise, through assemblies and the 5-14

Personal, Social and Health Education programmes.

The Learning Support Teacher works effectively with class teachers to set

targets and discuss resources to help pupils. A system of sharing information

has been devised to ensure learning support strategies and classroom

activities are linked more effectively. The Educational Psychologist is

consulted when necessary and parents are fully involved.

Where Individual Learning Programmes are required for children with a

Record of Needs then parents are involved.

Pupils receiving support are making good progress.

Citizenship forms part of the Personal and Social Development curriculum.

There are facilities for disabled children in Strathmartine Primary School.

There are Support for Learning and Racial Awareness Policies.

Development Areas

Investigate the development of personal learning targets with pupils

receiving Support for Learning.

Action Points

Staff and Support for Learning staff will work with identified pupils to

produce short-term achievable targets in areas where they have individual

needs.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.2 Personal and Social Development.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.5 Learning Support. Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.6 Implementation of S.E.N. Legislation.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.7 Placement of pupils with special needs

and disabilities. Reported as very good.

ETHOS

Quality Indicators 5.1-5.4

Overall quality of Ethos is good.

Evaluation Summary

Staff and pupils are proud to identify themselves with the School and parents

are very supportive. There are good links with the Community. The standard

of behaviour and discipline are very high and there is a positive relationship

between staff and pupils leading to a happy, industrious working atmosphere

for learning and teaching. Staff work well together as a team and are very

supportive of each other and the head teacher. The Awards system is

displayed with winning pupils’ names in each classroom. A Celebrating

Success wall displays achievements out of School. Pupils take part in the

Pupil Council, football tournaments, the School Dance Group, fundraising,

concerts and visits.

Parents are involved in the work of the school, through a Parent Teachers

Association, School Board and School Travel Plan. Parent helpers who have

been cleared are involved in classes on a weekly basis and one parent runs

Library activities each week. Parents have been helpful in developing a

Homework Policy and in the procedures for Open Afternoons and Parent

Interviews.

The School has good working relationships with the Educational Psychology

Service, Health Services and Community Police.

Development Areas

Circulate leaflets for parents to help them be more aware of the School

curriculum and how they can support their children at home.

Parent Council change over from School Board and PTA.

Action Points

Parents will be asked if the leaflets have helped them be more aware of their

child’s learning and if they feel more able to help their child at home.

Support parents in the Parent Council and the election of Office Bearers.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.1 Climate and Relationships. Reported

as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.2 Expectations and Improving

Achievement. Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.3 Equality and fairness. Reported as

good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.4 Partnership with parents and the

Community. Reported as good.

RESOURCES

Overall quality of Resources is good.

Quality Indicators 6.1-6.7

Evaluation Summary

The School has 2 classrooms, a nursery/infant classroom, an office, a Head

Teacher’s office, a staffroom, a serving kitchen and a large gym, which is

also used as the dining room.

The playground has both grassed and tarred areas. These provide safe and

stimulating work and play environments for pupils. There are toys for break

times

The Nursery, P1and 2-4 rooms has been modernised and the furniture has

been replaced to brighten the learning environment. All other rooms have

been fitted with bright vertical blinds. One classroom has had a new carpet

and a wet area, both classrooms have new chairs and new tables and

computer stations fitted. The P2-4 and 5-7 rooms have new computers and

we now have a wall-mounted interactive whiteboard. The lighting in the hall

has been improved.

Storage has been improved through the change of use of a cupboard

formally used by the School Meals Service. Staffing levels are in line with

Angus Staffing Standard. Ancillary staff work extremely hard and are

valuable team members.

The School is well resourced. There are new programmes in listening and

talking, spelling, handwriting, dictionary, reading and Mathematics.

Finances are managed well and spending is linked to priorities identified in

the School Development Plan. Staff Development is linked to the School

Development Plan and Personal Action Plans are produced by staff through

C.P.D. On-line.

The Head Teacher, teaching staff and APT&C have been reviewed in line

with Angus Council Procedures.

Development Areas

Form a plan for improvements to the flooring of the remaining classroom

Action Points

Replace the carpet in the left-hand room as budget allows.

I shall continue the Review programme for staff.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 6.1 Accommodation and Facilities.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 6.6 Staff Development and Review.

Reported as very good.

MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Overall quality of Management, Leadership and Quality Assurance is

good.

Quality Indicators 7.1-7.5

Evaluation Summary

All staff are familiar with How Good Is Our School? 2 and the self-

evaluation process. These have informed the School Development Plan and

C.P.D. for teachers.

A cycle of School Policies needing to be reviewed in light of recent changes

to the curriculum and resources in use in the school has been developed and

Parents have been involved both in the development and in consultation of

the draft.

The Head Teacher is also a class teacher, which means she works closely

with the staff. A timetable for planning, recording, monitoring and

evaluating pupils’ work has been developed and reviewed to include written

records.

All teachers and ancillary staff are valued for their contributions to the team.

The Head Teacher has instigated changes in resources, classroom

environments and ethos with staff and also with pupils through the Pupil

Council.

A meeting for reviewing policies has been held with Cluster schools.

Development Areas Introduce How Good Is Our School? 3

Further a whole school approach to Learning and Teaching through working

collaboratively.

Action Points

Introduce a new cycle of School Self-assessment using How Good Is Our

School? 3

Include visits to other Schools and to other classrooms during McCrone

time.

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SCHOOL and BUILDING

• Storage has been increased by the change of use of a cupboard, which

used to be used by the School Meals Service.

• Some new PE resources have been bought with a grant from Active

Schools.

• Bright new furniture meeting the height requirements for older pupils has

enhanced the learning environment for P4-7 pupils.

• The interactive whiteboard has now been wall mounted ready for use.

TARGETS FOR THE COMING SESSION

TARGETS

� Attainment target for reading 96%

� Attainment target for writing 96%

� Attainment target for mathematics 100%

� Maintain present very good level of pupil attendance.

SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS

The Football Team took part in two tournaments this session and played

well.

All pupils were involved in maintaining the turning circle; a visit from SCRI

and P.1-3 was also involved in ‘The Potato Project’.

Pupils raised money for ‘Wear it Pink’–Breast Cancer Charity.

Some pupils took part in the ‘The Scottish Mathematical Council’ –

Mathematical Challenge.

The School has a School Board and a P.T.A. Both groups have met regularly

and organised events for parents and pupils including a Bingo Night,

Christmas Fair and a Football Tournament and Fun Day.

Educational Outings this year were to the theatre in Perth to see Cinderella

and to the Caird Hall to see ‘Joseph’, and a summer visit to The Falkirk

Wheel.

P.7 pupils had a residential week in York.

The whole school was involved in a Health Promotion Week.

Pupils from P.5-7 took part in the St. Andrew’s Day of Dance in Montrose

and P.7 went to Dudhope Castle for ‘Curious about Chemistry’ and to Forfar

Academy for an Enterprise Activity.

P.4-7 pupils were given swimming instruction at Forfar Swimming Pool and

achieved well.

The School has been awarded the Bronze Eco-School Award.

The School has a Travel Plan. P.7 pupils took part in Cycling Proficiency.

All pupils performed ‘Hoodwinked’.

NATIONAL PRIORITY-RELATED HGIOS RATINGS

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 2.1 Overall Quality of Attainment.

Strathmartine Primary School in comparison to benchmarked schools

with equivalent Free Meal Entitlement is reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 3.3 Pupils’ Learning Experiences.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.2 Personal and Social Development.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.5 Learning Support. Reported as very

good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.6 Implementation of S.E.N. Legislation.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 4.7 Placement of pupils with special needs

and disabilities. Reported as very good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.1 Climate and Relationships. Reported

as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.2 Expectations and Improving

Achievement. Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.3 Equality and fairness. Reported as

good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 5.4 Partnership with parents and the

Community. Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 6.1 Accommodation and Facilities.

Reported as good.

NATIONAL PRIORITY QI. 6.6 Staff Development and Review.

Reported as very good.

In Summary this has been a changing year for Strathmartine Primary

School with new members of staff in P.1-3, and in the nursery with our

Nursery Teacher leaving us mid-year.

All staff demonstrate high levels of professionalism and commitment to the

school, pupils and parents.

The Pupil Council has represented the other pupils in selecting the Charity to

be supported in 2006-7, in Healthy Eating initiatives and in attending a

training day with other schools.

Pupils continue to attain well and to represent the School in football, dance

and numerous other activities. They are a great credit to themselves, their

families and the school.

The school has had some further refurbishment namely the cupboard

opposite the disabled toilet, which has increased the storage capacity and

new furniture for the older class.

Thank you for reading this report.

J. M. Mahon

(Head Teacher)