IMPROVEMENTS have been called for at Campie Primary School and nursery class in Musselburgh following a visit from a team of inspectors.

Evaluation of the nursery class was described as "weak" in: leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion; and securing children’s progress.

The primary school was deemed "satisfactory" in: leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion; and raising attainment and achievement.

Senior leaders in the school, with support from East Lothian Council, must ensure that they understand and comply with all statutory duties and responsibilities that are applicable to their role in managing the nursery, a report from Education Scotland said.

They must also improve the strategic leadership of the school and nursery by implementing "rigorous and consistent quality assurance processes". This will help them to improve the quality of children’s learning and experiences across the school and nursery, the education watchdog highlighted.

Senior leaders, teachers and practitioners need to develop further their approaches to "improving the overall quality of children’s learning experiences" across the school and nursery. This will help to ensure that all children make the "best possible progress" in their learning, the report said.

Teachers and practitioners need to "improve how they plan and assess children’s learning". This will help them to make more "reliable judgements" on children’s progress in the school and nursery, based on national standards.

'Warm and welcoming'

Senior leaders need to ensure that additional funding is used "more effectively" and that the impact of interventions is "monitored more closely". This will help to close the attainment gaps and accelerate children’s progress in learning, the report explained.

The key strengths of the school – which has 359 children in the primary stages across 14 classes, and 54 at the nursery – were also highlighted by inspectors, who visited in April.

Across the school and nursery, there is a "warm and welcoming ethos", with staff and children "proud" to be members of the school community.

Children in the school and nursery were "friendly, polite and articulate", the report said. At the primary stages, they knew their school values well and could relate them to real-life experiences.

The report added: "Senior leaders and teachers have worked together effectively to improve approaches to teaching writing at the primary stages. As a result, writing outcomes for children are improving."

A further inspection is planned within one year.

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We are pleased that inspectors recognise Campie Primary School’s warm and welcoming ethos, and the pride that the staff and children have in their school community.

"Improving writing has been an important area of focus for the school and, led by our central education team, Campie has been participating in the National Writing Improvement programme, which is raising attainment in this important area.

“We recognise that there are areas for improvement identified to make sure that all children consistently receive a high-quality learning experience.

"The senior leadership team are working closely with colleagues in Education and Early Years to take forward actions that will address these points and benefit all children.”