Education Scotland have praised Kirkhill Nursery and Primary School following a recent routine inspection.
During their visit, they talked to parents/carers and children, and worked closely with the headteacher and staff.
Headteacher Kirsty McLaren said: "We are very pleased to receive a good report and I'd like to thank the entire school and nursery community for their support and hard work. I'm delighted that both our children and our team have been singled out for praise. We have done very well in our inspection and we will continue to focus on improving and caring for the children."
The inspection team found the following strengths in the school's work.
• Children who are polite, friendly and motivated to learn. They work well together, support one another, and demonstrate the school values well. They feel happy, safe, and included in decisions about school life.
• The highly effective and motivational leadership of the headteacher. She inspires and supports the staff team to create a warm and welcoming climate for learning. The headteacher and staff ensure that high quality learning and teaching is leading to better outcomes for children.
• Staff who work together very well as a team. They engage enthusiastically in professional learning and support each other to learn and reflect effectively on their practice. They focus their work on raising attainment in literacy and numeracy.
• Staff have established highly effective approaches to promote equity for all. Children across the school are provided with very good opportunities to achieve success. They develop a wide range of skills through a variety of leadership roles, committees and clubs.
The inspection team found the following strengths in the nursery's work.
• Senior leaders and practitioners ensure children benefit from positive, supportive and caring relationships. Children are secure and confident in the setting, showing independence when following their interests, indoors and outdoors.
• Practitioners plan appropriate experiences and have developed a well-considered environment to meet the different needs of children. As a result, children engage well and make good progress in their learning.
• Practitioners use symbols, visual prompts and a communication system based on British Sign Language across the setting. This literacy-rich approach supports children to develop well their communication skills.
A few areas for improvement were identified and discussion between the headteacher and a representative from West Lothian Council have taken place to take improvements forward.
To view the full report, please click on pdfs below.
