Laurencekirk School

Overview

The inspection team found a school with a "welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive ethos" where children are "articulate, inquisitive and proud." Leadership is described as positive and ambitious, with staff working collaboratively to establish a strong sense of community. The report confirms the school has the capacity to continue to improve without further visits.

Strengths

• A "highly visible headteacher and leadership team" who provide "positive leadership" and have a "clear vision for improvement."
• Children who are "keen to share their learning" and develop leadership skills through enthusiastic engagement in clubs and committees.
• A "strong sense of community" where children "feel happy, achieve and are supportive of each other."
• "Enjoyable, well-organised and well-matched learning activities" in the enhanced provision, helping children make "positive progress against their individual targets."

Areas to improve

• Strengthen approaches to "evaluating the quality of the work" to better evidence what is working well and how to improve.
• Develop "consistently high-quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment" to ensure all children are "challenged appropriately" to raise attainment in literacy and numeracy.
• Nursery staff should "identify appropriate learning targets for all children" to ensure the right level of support and challenge.

Safeguarding

The report states that the school’s work in "Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion" is evaluated as "very good," underpinned by a "welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive ethos."