Children at Sgoil an Rubha and Sgoil Àraich are ‘happy, confident and very keen to learn’ notes inspection report

An inspection report on Sgoil an Rubha and Sgoil Àraich has concluded that while ‘quality indicators’ for the primary school were rated as good, those for Sgoil Àraich were ‘satisfactory’, and has praised the schools’ work in Gaelic medium education.

Inspectors found that children at both schools were ‘happy, confident and very keen to learn’ and were ‘very proud’ of their schools, and that staff worked well together ‘to create a school and Sgoil Àraich that are ‘warm, welcoming’ and which provide a ‘caring ethos’.

Specific mention was made in the report of both schools’ attainments in Gaelic education with participation at the local mod and an increase in enrolment in the P1 Gaelic class singled out for praise along along with performances staged to commemorate the Iolaire.

The inspection, completed by Education Scotland (ES) in June and with a report published last week, identified a need for the schools ‘to continue to develop the strategic leadership of change’ so that: ‘improvements are more timely and in line with national expectations’, and recommended that all staff, ‘as leaders of change, should have clear roles connected to planning for continuous improvement’.

‘As a high priority’, the report stated, the schools should ‘continue to increase the pace of developing the curriculum so that children’s progress is clearly defined across all areas of learning. In taking this forward, planning should take account of raising attainment, improving approaches for early learning and play, and having an agreed approach to immersion’.

The ES report also stated that the schools should ‘develop a more strategic approach to assessment and moderation.

‘Staff should ensure that at key points there is robust and reliable evidence on which to report children’s progress’.

The report concluded that for the quality indicators for ‘learning, teaching and assessment’ Sgoil an Rubha was ‘good’ and gave the same assessment for its work in ‘raising attainment and achievement’.

But quality indicators for Sgoil Àraich were rated as ‘satisfactory’ in the assessment of ‘learning and teaching’ and in ‘securing children’s progress’.

ES’s inspector concluded: “We are confident that Sgoil an Rubha and Sgoil Àraich have the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will inform parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.”

Comhairle nan Eilean was approached for comment.