Positive report for Crossroads Primary

A primary school in rural Moray has been given a positive report by inspectors.

Crossroads Primary, which serves the Grange area, near Keith, was inspected in January, only one week after head teacher Elizabeth Beattie took up her post.

Prior to her appointment, acting head teacher Sheena Mearns had been in charge of the school for several months and both won praise in the inspection report for their efforts.

The inspectors found that Crossroads provided a safe and caring environment for learning and that almost all pupils were confident and developing positive attitudes towards themselves and others, although too many were not sufficiently challenged.

Staff, parents and pupils were very proud of their school and staff worked very well as a team and showed commitment to improving pupils’ education.

The report, published today, said that during a period of staffing disruption Mrs Mearns, supported by the education authority, had managed the life and work of the school well.

It continued: “In the very short time since taking up post, the head teacher had identified accurately areas for improvement.

“She valued the good levels of teamwork and very good relationships which existed between staff and parents.”

Mrs Beattie had begun the process of involving staff in developing a vision for the school and, with continued and focused support from the education authority, was well placed to build the school’s capacity to improve.

The inspectors found that the key strengths of the 24-pupil school were pupils’ achievement in physical education and music, the successful promotion by staff of health and wellbeing, productive partnerships with parents and the local community and positive relationships between staff and a strong sense of teamwork.

Main points for action identified in the report include improving the curriculum, improving attainment in listening, talking and maths and improving consistency of teaching approaches.

The school and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report and the inspectors will return within two years to carry out a follow-through inspection.

Councillor Jeff Hamilton, joint chairman of Moray Council’s education and social services committee, said it was a positive inspection report which identified many strengths.