The inspection report for Mid Yell Junior High School and Nursery Class has been published this week by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).
In March 2026, an inspection team visited Mid Yell Junior High School and Nursery Class and inspectors talked to parents/carers and children, and worked closely with the headteacher and staff.
The inspection team found the following strengths in the school’s work:
- The headteacher has created a culture where staff, children and partners have developed a highly supportive and nurturing ethos for learning across the school and nursery. All staff and partners respond promptly and effectively to the needs of children and young people to improve their individual learning and wellbeing outcomes.
- Staff in the nursery and lower primary have created highly engaging, rich learning environments which support children’s learning needs well.
- Senior leaders and staff have a very strong knowledge of all children and young people’s progress in learning. As a result, learners are effectively supported to attain and achieve well in the nursery and in the school.
The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Children’s Services.
- Senior leaders and staff should work together to develop a clearer focus on school improvement planning. This should include improving consultation with all stakeholders about decision making on key school improvement priorities.
- Senior leaders, children, young people and staff in the school should work together to refine further their shared understanding of the key features of high-quality learning and teaching.
- Senior leaders and staff across the nursery and the school departments should continue as planned, to review and develop programmes of learning. This will help to ensure children and young people access their full entitlements to all aspects of their learning.
HMIE’s evaluations for Mid Yell Junior High School are as follows:
- Leadership of change - Satisfactory
- Learning, teaching and assessment - Good
- Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion - Good
- Raising attainment and achievement - Good
HMIE’s evaluations for the Nursery Class are:
- Curriculum - Good
- Learning, teaching and assessment – Very Good
- Wellbeing, inclusion and equality - Very Good
Inspectors are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Parents/carers have been informed about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.
Mid Yell Junior High School in the island of Yell has a current school roll of 79 pupils, across Early Years, Primary and Secondary One to Four.
Davie Sandison, Chair of the Council’s Education and Families Committee said: “This is a good inspection report for Mid Yell Junior High School and Nursery Class, and I am really pleased to see the school’s work being recognised so positively. I thank the headteacher and all the staff in the school for creating such a supportive and nurturing environment for learning, and trust that they will deliver on the areas for improvement that have been identified by inspectors.”
The full inspection report is available on the website of HMIE