Breadalbane Academy

Overview

The inspection found that Breadalbane Academy benefits from “highly motivating and energising leadership” and a strong, inclusive ethos. Staff are successfully improving the consistency of learning and teaching, resulting in motivated pupils with a “strong sense of belonging.” The report concludes that the school has the capacity to continue improving without further visits.

Strengths

• Leadership is praised for being “highly motivating and energising,” fostering “positive and respectful relations” across the school community.
• Staff are developing “greater consistency and quality of learning, teaching and assessment,” which keeps children “motivated to learn.”
• Wellbeing needs are met thoughtfully, ensuring pupils display a “strong sense of belonging” and achieve positive outcomes.
• Data is used effectively to identify attainment gaps, leading to targeted improvements that increase the number of pupils attaining well.
• The nursery provides a “nurturing and inclusive culture ethos” where children are “confident, happy and enjoy their nursery experiences.”
• There is keen support for Gàidhlig language and culture, increasing pupils’ sense of identity and the numbers learning the language.

Areas to improve

• Staff should embed approaches to learning, teaching, and assessment, focusing on using assessment data to plan appropriate “pace and challenge.”
• Nursery staff need to refine procedures for assessing progress and review experiences for children under three.
• Leaders should develop a strategic approach to increasing high-quality fluency in Gàidhlig Medium Education and provide a full range of resources.
• The curriculum should be developed further to ensure pupils understand wellbeing and have greater opportunities to learn about equality.
• Staff should continue to raise attainment by addressing remaining identified gaps in achievement.

Safeguarding

The report states that children’s and young people’s wellbeing and learning needs are met thoughtfully by staff and partners who know them well, promoting a strong sense of belonging.