Inspectors praise continual improvement at Cradlehall Primary in Inverness
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The Scottish Government agency’s staff team paid an October visit to Cradlehall Primary and connected nursery class, on the outskirts of the city, to evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
While there was some room for improvement, the report found evidence that the school had “the capacity to continue to improve” and needed no further visits in connection with the inspection.
Three key strengths were highlighted in a report summary.
It found that Cradlehall had “an inclusive, nurturing ethos across the school and nursery”, with children feeling valued, supported and happy.
Secondly, staff across the school and nursery were undertaking professional learning and leading change in order to improve what children experience and achieve.
And thirdly, there was a range of “leadership opportunities and enriching experiences available to children” to develop their skills and confidence.
Two main areas for improvement were identified and discussed with head teacher Vivienne Goodall.
The first was to continue to improve the quality and consistency of learning and teaching across the school and nursery.
That included making better use of digital technology and outdoor learning spaces for all children, as well as improving the indoor environment and facilities for the nursery class.
Senior staff were also advised to develop a clearer way to track children’s progress so that the information could be used to identify more accurately the next steps in learning needed at an individual, class and whole school level
“We are delighted that the inspection team highlighted the inclusive, nurturing ethos across the school and nursery where children and their families feel valued, supported and happy, while also recognising the range of leadership opportunities and enriching experiences available to children developing their skills and confidence,” Ms Goodall said.
“As a school community, we look forward to working together to address any areas for development that have been highlighted as part of the inspection processes and continue to be ambitious to achieve the very best for all our pupils.”
Cradlehall is a Culloden Academy feeder school with 273 children across 10 class age groups.
For primary school classes the evaluation was classed as “good” for leadership of change, learning, teaching and assessment, and raising attainment and achievement.
Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion was rated as “satisfactory”.
For the nursery class, leadership of change and learning, teaching and assessment was “satisfactory”, while wellbeing, equality and inclusion and securing children’s progress was “good”.
