Press Release
HM Inspectorate of Education Report: Hamnavoe Primary School
Hamnavoe Primary School was inspected in November 2010. The inspection team identified a number of particular strengths of the school. These were:
- Children’s wider achievement and experiences in expressive arts.
- Support provided for children who need help with their learning.
- The leadership of the Head Teacher in promoting the school in the community and in building an inclusive ethos in the school.
In their report, the inspection team commented among other things on the fact that the children in Hamnavoe Primary School work well together and show good cooperation skills. They noted that, through the school’s good work on health promotion, children have a clear understanding of what it means to be healthy. They found that most children were achieving national standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. They commented that the school had been working successfully to improve children’s writing.
The inspection team also commented on the fact that the school has a clear sense of direction which is recognised by staff, pupils and their parents. They attributed this to the clear lead given by the Head Teacher to school improvement.
The inspection team also agreed with the school and the authority on a number of areas of improvement which should be carried out this year. These are to:
- Improve the curriculum to ensure progress in learning.
- Ensure tasks and activities are at a suitable level of difficulty to help children make suitable progress in their learning.
- Improve aspects of learning and teaching and extend opportunities for children take more responsibility for their learning.
- Involve all staff, children and their parents more effectively in self-evaluation to increase its impact on learning.
The inspectors declared themselves confident that the school would be able to make the necessary improvements in light of the inspection findings. HMIe will therefore make no further visits to the school in relation to this inspection and the education authority will inform parents about the school’s progress in improving the quality of education.
Councillor Bill Manson, Spokesperson for Education, Children and Young People, commented that the report overall was very pleasing and there were many positive comments within it which underlined the high quality of education being provided in Hamnavoe Primary School. He added that he knew the points for action were already being addressed and was sure that, through this, the school would go from strength to strength.