Heathryburn School

Overview

The inspection found that the headteacher’s leadership is providing stability and direction for the primary school following recent challenges, with staff fostering positive relationships. However, the nursery class requires significant improvement, with inspectors noting it needs additional support and time to address serious concerns regarding care, learning, and leadership.

Strengths

• The headteacher’s leadership is "providing much needed stability and direction" and has supported recovery post-pandemic.
• Staff are committed to "fostering positive, nurturing relationships," resulting in children who are "respectful, welcoming and proud."
• Senior leaders’ monitoring approaches "record accurately children’s progress and levels of attainment" in the primary school.

Areas to improve

• Staff must improve the "quality and consistency of learning and teaching" across the school and nursery to boost literacy and numeracy.
• The headteacher needs to make "significant improvement to the leadership of change in the nursery," including better evaluation and tracking.
• Senior leaders and practitioners should improve nursery curriculum planning to ensure a "broad range of learning experiences" for all children.

Safeguarding

The Care Inspectorate issued a requirement for the provider to "make the proper provision for the health and wellbeing of children" by ensuring personal plans are effective and staff consistently act on agreed strategies.