A PRIMARY school and nursery have been encouraged to keep taking steps in the right direction.

Inspectors from Education Scotland visited Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School and nursery class towards the end of last year.

A report, released on Tuesday morning, highlighted that there were positives while also identifying steps to be taken to further improve matters.

Lynsey Blair, headteacher of the Tranent school, joined the school in November 2017.

She said: “I am very pleased that Education Scotland were able to come and validate our self-evaluation process and our next steps.

“I am proud of the way the whole school community engaged with the inspection team and we will use the findings to further inform our improvement journey and will continue to work closely with the local authority to do so.”

The primary school, which is home to more than 320 children, is also home to The Hub, which is for children with autism spectrum disorders and severe and complex additional support needs.

Throughout HM inspector Marion Carlton’s report, the school and nursery are graded as satisfactory in all categories: learning, teaching and assessment; raising attainment and achievement; and securing children’s progress in the nursery.

The report notes: “The headteacher and staff are committed to creating a learning environment where all children are valued, respected and included.

“Over the last two years, they have taken significant steps to create an environment where all children feel valued, included, respected and safe.

“The positive relationship policy has been updated to ensure any incidents of misbehaviour are dealt with appropriately.

“The headteacher should continue to work with parents and children to ensure the whole school community has a shared understanding of the school’s positive relationships policy and approaches to supporting children.”

Areas for improvement have been discussed by Education Scotland, the school’s headteacher and East Lothian Council.

Staff have been tasked with improving children’s attainment in literacy, English, numeracy and mathematics.

Secondly, the quality of learning and teaching across the nursery and school is to be improved to ensure all children are suitably challenged across all curriculum areas.

Councillor Shamin Akhtar, the local authority’s spokeswoman for education and children’s wellbeing, was pleased with the report.

She said: “Inspections are an important part of school life, providing independent evaluation and guidance for schools, and reassurance for parents and carers.

“I am especially pleased to see inspectors’ positive comments for the support and learning provided to children attending The Hub, and recognising the benefits that this specialist provision offers for the whole Sanderson’s Wynd community.

“The school’s commitment to inclusion and respect for all children is inspiring and key to its welcoming, nurturing environment.

“I would like to pass on my thanks to Lynsey Blair for her leadership and to her staff team, who are creating a great environment for children to thrive at the school.”