Dalrymple Primary graded ‘good’ across the board

Inspectors gathered evidence from a range of factors to evaluate the school on four main areas of quality:

• Leadership of change (Good)
• Learning, teaching and assessment (Good)
• Raising attainment and achievement (Good)
• Ensuring wellbeing (Good).

In particular, the report highlighted the school’s leadership in relation to change management and how, under the head teacher’s direction, successful and effective team working was evident across the whole school.

Additionally, the inspectors remarked on how staff took on positions of responsibility linked to their skills and the school’s priorities for improvement, with a warm and welcoming ethos noticeable in the school.

Further comment referred to the positive, caring and respectful relationships across the school and how well staff worked together to support children, successfully motivating them in their studies through effective communications, target setting and positive feedback.

It recommended that current momentum and progress is maintained, suggesting further work to encourage pupils to take more of a leading role in their own learning.

The school’s senior management team was also encouraged to continue with plans to make further use of tracking and monitoring processes, to identify and address potential barriers to a child’s learning, long before they became a possible problem.

Councillor Fiona Campbell, East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Skills and Learning said: “I was really heartened to read the inspector’s findings and especially pleased to note her comments on both the school’s leadership and the positive atmosphere experienced in the school.

“We want every child to fulfil their potential and work hard to offer a blend of experiences, skills and education, giving each child the opportunity to succeed in school, work and life.

“It’s welcome to read the inspector’s comments on our commitment to this aim and how well our staff work to deliver a high quality education in keeping with these ambitions.

“I’m especially proud of the ongoing and flourishing relationships staff have with pupils and families and how this is reflected in the positive and supportive ethos in school.

“It’s a real testament to all the hard work being undertaken there and a great report for the school.”