Cockburnspath Primary School

Overview

The inspection highlights a clear contrast between the primary school and the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) provision. While the ELC is praised for its high-quality experiences and staff leadership, the primary school requires additional support and time to address weaknesses in leadership and attainment. The report notes that inspectors will return within 12 months to monitor progress.

Strengths

• Children are described as "polite, friendly" and "eager to learn and experience success."
• Staff demonstrate "effective teamwork" to promote positive relationships and support wellbeing, creating a "nurturing, inclusive learning environment."
• The ELC benefits from strong leadership, with children making "very good progress" and appearing "happy, confident, curious and engaged in their play."

Areas to improve

• Improve "approaches to leadership of change within the school" to create a stronger culture of self-evaluation.
• Enhance "approaches to planning and assessment" to ensure reliable evidence of progress is gathered and used effectively.
• Improve children’s attainment in literacy and numeracy, specifically by "targeting gaps in children’s learning."

Safeguarding

The report states that staff work effectively to "support children’s wellbeing" and create an "inclusive learning environment," with evaluations for ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion rated as satisfactory for the primary stages and very good for the ELC.