Moray schools Hopeman Primary School and Hopeman Primary Nursery School praised by inspector
Hopeman Primary’s confident pupils, along with the leadership and dedication of staff, have been praised by inspectors.
A new report from Education Scotland graded the 142-pupil school as “good”, the fourth-best grade out of six, for both learning, teaching and assessment and for raising attainment and achievement.
Inspectors praised the leadership of the acting Head Teacher, and school staff for being “willing to take forward new ways of working” to benefit pupils.
Current Head Teacher Lacey MacDonald has been in post for 10 months, having previously been principal teacher, and has spent a total of 17 years at the school.
Praise from the inspector came despite “a number of staff changes over the past year”.
The report also praised the outdoor learning curriculum.
However, the inspection also identified a need to “continue developing strategies to raise attainment in literacy”, as well as implementing a system to record student achievements more effectively.
Hopeman Primary’s Acting Head Teacher, Lacey MacDonald, said: “We’re delighted that the report has highlighted many of the strengths of our school.
“Our staff work incredibly hard to create a positive learning environment for all pupils, and we’ll continue to build on this success by focusing on the areas of improvement to ensure every pupil reaches their full potential.”
Moray Council’s Chief Education Officer, Vivienne Cross, added: “It’s fantastic to see the positive outcomes of Hopeman Primary’s inspection report.
“The leadership, teamwork, and innovative teaching approaches are clearly having a significant impact on pupils’ educational experience. I look forward to seeing the school continue to go from strength to strength.”
The full report can be found on Education Scotland’s website.
Hopeman Primary Nursery School was also praised in its inspection.
Education Scotland rated the nursery, which can host up to 20 children at a time, as “very good” for both learning teaching and assessment and for securing children’s progress, the third-best grade out of six.
Inspectors said children were “enthusiastic, motivated and very engaged in their nursery experiences”, leading to “very good progress in their learning”.
The report also praised the commitment of the “passionate” nursery team.
However, the report also highlighted that the nursery could improve by building on “existing links in the local community” as a way to offer children more experiences.