HMIE publishes inspection report for Lunnasting Primary School and Nursery Class

In May 2026, a team of HM Inspectors of Education visited Lunnasting Primary School and nursery class, and 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 – 
 

1. Children across the nursery and school are articulate, polite, welcoming and proud to be part of their school community. They demonstrate well the school values and have a positive attitude to learning. 
2. The headteacher demonstrates compassionate leadership. She encourages all staff, children and families to achieve their best. She has involved staff and children successfully in making positive change and is building successfully the school’s capacity for continuous improvement. 
3. In the nursery children who are motivated and excited by the rich experiences on offer to them. They are curious and confidently ask questions to further their learning. 
4. In the nursery a highly skilled staff team who work very well together and value positive relationships with each other, with children and with their families. They are highly motivated and committed to ongoing professional learning to ensure a deep understanding of how young children learn. 
5. The effective teamwork amongst the headteacher and school staff. They have a deep knowledge of children and their families. Their nurturing and supportive approaches create an inclusive and positive learning environment for children. 

 
The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Children’s Services –  
 

1. The headteacher should continue to develop approaches to school improvement planning. As a next step she should use all available information to focus on what will make the most difference to children’s learning and progress. 
2. The headteacher and teachers should refine their approaches to planning and assessment to ensure children are provided with coherent, progressive learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum. In doing so, they should continue to develop approaches to the use of assessment data to help children make the best possible progress. 

 
HMIE’s evaluations for Lunnasting Primary School are as follows: 
 

• Leadership of change - Good
• Learning, teaching and assessment – Good 
• Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion - Good
• Raising attainment and achievement – Good

 
HMIE’s evaluations for the Nursery Class are as follows: 
 

• Curriculum - Very 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 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.
 
Lunnasting Primary School is located in the village of Vidlin and has a total school roll of 48 pupils, including 14 pupils in Early Years and 34 pupils in Primary. 
 
Davie Sandison, Chair of the Council’s Education and Families Committee said: “I’m really pleased to read such a positive inspection report for Lunnasting Primary School and Nursery Class.  My thanks especially to the headteacher for her leadership and to all the staff for their continued work to support children in the school.  I am sure that they will satisfy the inspectors by addressing the areas for improvement that have been identified.”  
  
The full inspection report is available on the HMIE website