Summarised

inspection findings
St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School

The City of Edinburgh Council

SEED No: 5529328

27 June 2017
 1.3 Leadership of change very good

This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision
for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the
school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be
evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the
need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure
the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:

 Developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
 Strategic planning for continuous improvement
 Implementing improvement and change

 Overall, leadership of change is a major strength in ensuring the school’s continuous

improvement. The strengths in leadership have a significant, positive impact on the
school’s supportive ethos and what it wants to achieve for children. The headteacher is
effective and confident in her role in leading change and school improvement. She is clear
about her vision for the school and sets high standards. Staff contribute generously to the
achievements, wellbeing and inclusion of children.

 The school’s values are based on the Catholic faith. This is a strong feature of the school
which is valued by parents and the wider community. The headteacher and promoted staff
are committed in their roles and ensure continuous improvement is sustained. They know
the school and its community well and have fostered positive links over a period of several
years. The headteacher continues to be responsive to the changing demographics of the
local population and has a strong focus on achieving the best for all children. This leads to
a vision that is continually evolving and building on the strengths of the school while also
recognising the challenges to be overcome and the identified next steps taken forward.
The headteacher has judged the pace of change well and has started the process of
refreshing the school’s vision to more accurately reflect its now diverse and multi-cultural
context. The school is widening its approaches to consult with parents and community
partners in developing its strategic vision and sharing this more widely. This links well to
the school’s developments in its rationale for the curriculum and as a ‘Rights Respecting’
school.

 The leadership team, including the recently appointed acting DHT and PT have clearly
defined roles and remits and work effectively together in motivating staff in self-evaluation.
The impact on improvement is evident in high levels of attendance and the strong
emphasis placed on inclusion. The leadership team is becoming systematic in gathering
evidence about the school and changes leading to improvement. Children are increasingly
aware of what they need to do to be successful, have a voice in improving the school and
take pride in their achievements. Very good progress is being made in raising awareness
of children’s rights and the school’s values. Children are actively involved in making
decisions about their school and are successful in leading a growing range of
responsibilities.

 Improvement planning and priorities are evaluated regularly and progress tracked
systematically. Self-evaluation is based on a growing range of robust evidence. The
headteacher regularly reviews learning and teaching and curriculum plans. This has led to
positive professional relationships founded on mutual respect and a staff team committed

1 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 to self-improvement. The headteacher and staff should continue to develop rigorous self-
evaluation using national benchmarks across curriculum areas and continue to look
outwards to learn from and share good practice. Staff take active leadership roles that
have led to improvements in the wide range of clubs children participate in, children’s
awareness as global citizens and the use of digital technologies to support learning. Staff
and partners in the community promote and support innovation. Collaborations have been
particularly successful through the Pope Francis Awards supported by the Parish Priest,
John Muir and JASS Awards supported through Forest Schools and creation of new clubs
such as Parkour led by parents and the Active School’s Coordinator. Staff should continue
to take forward the school’s plans for excellence and equity and evaluate the impact of
teacher led initiatives on outcomes for children through developing professional enquiry.
The headteacher and staff have a well-established cycle of improvement planning and
evaluation of standards which is well placed to be aligned to the National Improvement
Framework and to involve children and parents in this.

2 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and
young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children,
young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use
of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their
successes and achievements. The themes are:

 Learning and engagement

 Quality of teaching
 Effective use of assessment
 Planning, tracking and monitoring

 The school has a very positive ethos for learning. This is supported by a nurturing and
caring environment where all staff show a clear commitment to children’s welfare and
development. This is underpinned by values of the Catholic faith. Almost all children enjoy
learning at school and feel their teachers are supporting them well in their learning. They
are happy in class and show confidence in themselves. Children are highly-motivated and
readily participate in their learning experiences. They work well individually, as pairs and in
groups and enjoy their tasks. In most classes, lessons are well matched to learners’ needs.
There is scope however to further develop the level of challenge experienced by children in
numeracy and mathematics. Children, who require additional help with their learning,
including those with English as an additional language, are very well supported in their
learning.

 Children’s views are sought through a range of planned activities, including the pupil
council, eco committee and the Rights Respecting Schools group. Most children say that
the school listens to their views and takes them into account.

 Overall, the quality of teaching is good, and in the best lessons very good. Staff know the
children very well and have achieved an inclusive and supportive learning environment
founded on their strong values. All staff manage classes well and use a range of positive
strategies to support the wide-range of learners’ needs. In all lessons, teachers consistently
share the purpose of learning with children and discuss with them how they know when they
have been successful. Children are actively involved in developing the success criteria for
lessons. Almost all lessons observed were well organised and the content of tasks relevant
for learners. In almost all classes, a wide variety of teaching approaches are used including
active learning, outdoor learning, group tasks and the use of games. Good use is made of
digital technology to enhance learners’ experiences at all stages across the curriculum.
Children make skilled use of tablets for research and to strengthen their understanding of
key concepts in numeracy at all stages in the school. All staff provide clear explanations
and instructions. There is scope for staff to develop their questioning techniques to promote
higher-order thinking skills and to increase challenge in problem solving activities.

 Children talk confidently about their learning and are well involved in assessing their own
progress through regularly setting targets to improve aspects of their learning. There is
scope to develop this so that children are fully involved planning their learning, making
choices and leading their learning. Staff provide helpful oral feedback to children on their
performance. Overall the effectiveness of written feedback to children could be more
consistent across all classes to help inform them of their next steps.

3 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 Most teachers use a range of assessment strategies, including peer and self-assessment,
to monitor children’s progress. In addition, the school uses a variety of assessment
information, including standardised tests, to provide summative assessment of children
achieving a level. However, the school’s approaches to assessment need further
development. Staff should develop consistency in using assessment data when planning
the next steps for learning and teaching. The staff are aware of the need to develop a
framework of assessment.

 Staff plan key aspects of the curriculum effectively and make good use of national advice
and local progression frameworks when planning learning. The school should continue to
develop collaborative approaches to planning across and within levels. Children’s progress
is monitored regularly and the headteacher and staff engage in professional dialogue about
children’s progress. The main focus of tracking and monitoring approaches is attainment in
literacy and numeracy. The school is aware of the need to have clear information on
children’s attainment for all aspects of the curriculum.

4 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 Quality of provision of the language and communication classes (contributes to
school evaluations)

Context
The school has a specialist unit of two classes for children identified by The City of Edinburgh
Council as having additional language and communication support needs.

Leadership of change
 Staff are committed to ensuring success for all learners and provide opportunities for
success across the whole school community. Staff should develop further and share the
vision for change and improvement linked to its context as part of the whole school.

 Staff value and engage in regular professional dialogue, collegiate learning and
self-evaluation and contribute to plans for continuous improvement. This has a positive
impact on approaches to learning, teaching and assessment.

 Staff have identified next steps for improvement and should now gather robust evidence to
measure progress.

Learning, teaching and assessment

 There is a positive ethos and culture that reflects a commitment to children’s rights and
positive relationships. Each class has clear routines that support children to feel secure, be
independent and exercise choice. Staff explanations and instructions are clear and are
well supported by the use of visual timetables and prompts. Staff use skilled questioning
that engages children and promotes their thinking. The views of children are valued and
acted upon and this is having a positive impact on their engagement in learning.

 Staff use a range of methods to differentiate learning and support a brisk pace to routines
and learning. Almost all children show a consistent interest in their learning and most are
able to discuss what they are learning with others.

 All children work independently on tasks supported by a high level of direct staff
intervention. Children should build on a growing range of opportunities that help them to
take an increasing responsibility for leading their own learning. Staff should develop
children’s resilience within a wider range of contexts and increase the focus on developing
children’s skills for learning, life and work. More opportunities for learners to apply
particular skills across a wider range of settings will help ensure children’s skills are built
upon systematically.

 Staff make good use of digital technology and specialist resources to support literacy and
help children to understand and manage their emotions. They use a range of assessment
approaches that allow children to demonstrate learning and support decisions about next
steps.

 Staff know all of the children very well and monitor and evaluate children’s individual
progress. They use the wellbeing indicators to evidence children’s achievement and there
is scope to use this to involve children further in reviewing their progress. Systems to track
learner’s progress should be developed further.

5 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
 There is clear evidence that approaches used to promote wellbeing are resulting in positive
outcomes for children. Staff work closely as a team and communicate well together.
Children demonstrate respect for each other and an awareness of each other’s needs. Staff
work collaboratively to create an environment where children feel listened to and able to
discuss personal and sensitive aspects of their lives because they feel cared about. Staff
use outdoors to provide additional space for learning and this helps to maintain positive
relationships and wellbeing.

 The school has appropriate arrangements in place to meet its statutory requirements

 Children share the dining hall and playground with children in mainstream classes.
Opportunities for inclusion are relevant and successful. There are examples of children
achieving success in swimming and art. There is scope for staff to develop these
opportunities further as part of planned learning.

Raising attainment and achievement

 Most children make good progress from their prior levels of attainment in literacy and
numeracy. Support for learning is clearly outlined in individual profiles. Achievements are
linked appropriately to wellbeing indicators. Staff should now introduce increased
aspirations to some learning targets.

 Staff use assessments effectively to make confident professional judgements about how
well children are learning and progressing. A more robust tracking system will help to
ensure all children make continuous progress.

 Staff have systems in place to promote equity of success and achievement for children.
Inclusion opportunities are carefully planned and children have the opportunity to build on
these based on individual strengths and needs. Staff should continue to develop this further
to ensure the best level of challenge for each learner.

 Children are becoming confident in taking responsibility for their learning tasks. Staff should
now focus on developing children’s awareness of themselves as learners and their learning
journey.

Other information
 The school selected QI 2.4, Personalised Support, as its focus for the inspection team.

 Staff in the unit identify children's needs well and focus on supporting children to establish
positive relationships as the basis for all learning. Children benefit from this universal
support that helps them to restore positive interactions and to feel safe and ready to learn.
Staff’s use of assessment and in-depth knowledge of children helps them to identify relevant
strategies that are specific and support children to engage in and enjoy learning.

 Targeted support builds on the strong ethos and climate of mutual respect and is timely and
relevant. Children have appropriate long and short-term targets in literacy, numeracy and
health and wellbeing. Overall, targeted support is having a positive impact on engagement
with learning, and personal and social development. Staff know children’s needs very well
and barriers to learning such as communication, low self-esteem and resilience are tackled
in a proactive manner to ensure they are minimised.

6 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 Staff work effectively in partnership with parents and partners in meeting the needs of
children with additional support needs. Parents and partners speak very positively about
the language and communication classes.

7 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 2.2 Curriculum: theme 2: Learning Pathways

 Staff are effective in developing literacy, health and wellbeing and digital literacy across the
curriculum.

 Staff refer to and make good use of the experiences and outcomes when planning across
all areas of the curriculum. They make very good use of The City of Edinburgh Council
progression framework for literacy which is supporting continuity in the development of
children’s reading skills.

 There are very good examples of children developing and applying their literacy skills
across their learning. In the best examples, these are developed in real-life and meaningful
contexts. There are fewer examples of numeracy and mathematics being developed
across the curriculum. However, children are regularly experiencing quality learning in
numeracy and mathematics outdoors. Children have many opportunities to apply their
skills in the four capacities through participation in a wide range of clubs. This is clearly
demonstrated through their success in wider achievements.

 Staff are aware of the importance of children applying their learning in different contexts.
There is scope to give children a stronger voice in informing and shaping the direction of
this learning through interdisciplinary learning.

 The school provides two hours of physical education and two and a half hours of religious
education each week.

 Staff should implement fully the recently devised progression framework for mathematics
and numeracy and simplify the planning process to ensure progression pathways
development key skills while also reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

8 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 2.7 Partnerships: theme 3: Impact on learners – Parental Engagement

 Overall parents are very happy with the communication from the school and the ways in
which they are involved. Staff communicate with parents in a range of ways to ensure
they are informed of school news and events. Information of what and how children are
learning is available on the website, through social media and by regular newsletters. The
school, together with the Parent Council, should continue with its plans to further develop
ways of engaging parents in their children’s learning.

 Parents are very positive about the range of after-school clubs available for their children.
Parents, staff and partners lead the clubs and all are very well attended. The strong links
the school has fostered with parents and partners in the community have a positive impact
on children’s achievement and awareness of skills for work and life.

 In most classes parents are invited to comment on children’s progress towards their
learning targets. The school should take forward ways to involve all parents more in
setting and reviewing these targets with the children.

9 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 2.1: Safeguarding

 The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and

safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and where
appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding
documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the
education authority

10 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion very good
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school’s approach to wellbeing which
underpins children and young people’s ability to achieve success. It highlights the need
for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared
understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing
entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their
successes and achievements. The themes are:

 Wellbeing
 Fulfilment of statutory duties
 Inclusion and equality

 Ensuring children’s wellbeing is a major strength of the school’s provision. In recent

times, the focus on initiatives such as restorative practices and ‘Rights Respecting
Schools’ are impacting positively on children’s wellbeing overall. The school places high
importance on shared understanding of the value of every individual. Generosity
underpins the school’s approaches to pastoral care and contributes to a very warm and
welcoming environment where children feel valued, respected and included. Staff and
children understand and use wellbeing indictors with confidence. The strong positive
ethos founded on Gospel values is a key feature of the school and it is held in high
esteem within its community. Children are actively involved in the life and work of the
school. Staff set high standards of care and respect and are proactive in promoting
positive relationships in classrooms, the playground and in wider learning activities.
They should consider ways in which they can build on the very positive partnerships and
continue to find creative ways to consult with and engage parents in their children’s
learning.

 The emphasis placed on health and wellbeing leads to the clear understanding children
have of fitness and healthy lifestyles. They are developing leadership skills and
contribute confidently to the leadership of the school through their involvement in a
variety of committees. Children enjoy the range of experiences they have to learn
outdoors which has developed as a result of their views being sought and acted upon.
The school makes very good use of the local environment to make learning relevant and
motivating and linked to wellbeing. Children are proud of their development of the school
grounds which offer a stimulating environment for learning.

 The school has effective strategies in place to help children overcome any barriers to
their learning. Those who have additional support needs are supported effectively
through meaningful individualised learning plans. All staff promote positive relationships
and know the children and their families very well. The individual needs of learners are
identified early and support and interventions targeted effectively. Systems to monitor,
track and plan for individual learners are managed thoroughly and sensitively.

 A strong emphasis is placed upon inclusion and support for pupils. Children with English
as an additional language are included well and making good progress overall. Children
are supportive of one another and understand the needs of those who have additional
learning needs. They understand well that the school aims to involve all children equally
in the life of the school. They value their involvement in committees and the influence
they have. The staff and children have a very clear understanding of equalities and what
this means in terms of relationships, race, disability and gender. They are very

11 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 welcoming and inclusive towards new children and families. They have a good
awareness of diversity and other cultures. The school provides children and young
people with opportunities to explore diversity and multi-faith issues. The school runs
events to celebrate different cultures and these are well attended by parents and
children. The school’s well implemented policy on equalities is regularly updated.

12 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement very good
This indicator focuses on the school’s success in achieving the best possible outcomes
for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum
and through the school’s ability to demonstrate learners’ achievements in relation to
skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a
key feature of this indicator. The themes are:

 Attainment in literacy and numeracy

 Attainment over time
 Overall quality of learners’ achievement
 Equity for all learners

Overall attainment in literacy and numeracy:

 Assessment data provided by the school is based on teachers’ professional judgements
and on-going school assessments. This is supported by standardised testing and by
regular professional dialogue with the school leadership team (SLT). Most children achieve
expected levels in literacy across the school with some exceeding these expectations.
Overall, most children achieve appropriate levels of attainment in numeracy and
mathematics. Teachers are developing confidence in making robust professional
judgements.

Attainment in literacy and English:

 Overall, attainment in literacy and English is very good. Most children across the school
are making very good progress in literacy. Almost all children at P1 and P4 achieve
expected national levels. Most children across the school achieve expected levels in
listening and talking, reading and writing. The school’s attainment data correctly identifies
that almost all children at P2 and P3 are making very good progress towards achieving first
level. Most children in P5 and P6 are expected to achieve the second level by the end of
P7 or before.

Listening and Talking:

 Across the school children identify the skills required for effective listening and talking.
Most children listen attentively to adults and one another. They work effectively in pairs
and groups. They present their ideas confidently and share learning with others. At the
Curriculum for Excellence early level, children politely take turns to talk about their feelings
and experiences and listen respectfully to others. They are developing skills in listening to
stories and re-telling them in sequence. Most children working towards achieving first level,
select texts and talk clearly about their preferences. They demonstrate the attributes of a
good audience. Almost all children at second level work well in collaborative situations
showing respect and patience for others. They contribute well to class discussions and are
developing skills in persuasive debate. They discuss features of effective speaking such as
use of language, facial expression and tone.

Reading:
 Most children read well with fluency and expression. At Curriculum for Excellence early
level, almost all children are aware of environmental print and correctly identify initial
sounds and recall and repeat parts of a story or song. Most children working towards
achieving first level distinguish between fiction and non-fiction texts and accurately explain
the difference. They confidently discuss their favourite books and authors. At second
level, almost all children know the features of different genres. They make informed

13 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 choices about what they read and give reasons. They are developing the skills of
skimming and predicting texts.

Writing:
 At the early level, most children are developing early writing skills and form letters legibly.
They identify initial sounds and use their understanding of phonics to write simple
sentences. At first level, almost all children use story maps well to plan their writing. They
retell and write simple stories in sequence. They are developing grammatical structures
and use vocabulary well to enhance extended writing. Children working at second level,
make effective use of digital and visual media to support their writing. They are developing
skills in editing and re-drafting to refine and improve their writing.

Attainment in numeracy and mathematics:

 Overall children’s attainment in mathematics and numeracy is good. By the end of P1 and
P4, most children achieve the expected level of attainment. The majority achieve second
level by the end of P7 in 2016 and most should achieve this during the current session.
The school is focused appropriately on improving attainment from P5 to P7. The school’s
attainment data correctly identifies that most children at P2 and P3 are making good
progress towards achieving first level. Most children in P5 and P6 are expected to achieve
the second level by the end of P7 or before.

Number, money, measure:

 Across the school most children show strength in number. Most children working at P1
work with confidence on addition skills within 20. They are developing their understanding
of doubling. Most children at P4 round numbers to the nearest 10 with confidence and
partition numbers to aid addition. Most children in P7 accurately find fractions of an amount
and identify factors and square numbers.

 Almost all children in P1 recognise most coins. By P4, children use a variety of coins to
create simple amounts. By P7, most children plan a range of activities to find costs using a
variety of sources including digital technologies.

 Children in P1 accurately show o’clock times on an analogue clock face. Children in P7

convert decimals of metres to centimetres and kilograms to grams. They convert 12 hour
times to 24 hour digital time with confidence. There is scope to develop children’s
understanding of rounding numbers to a given number of decimal places.

Shape, position and movement:

 Children across the school identify a range of 3D objects. Children in P4 identify lines of
symmetry with confidence. Children in P6 are confident in using perimeter and area in real
life contexts. By P7, children have a secure knowledge of angles.

Information handling:
 Children at all stages regularly explore a range of statistical diagrams. At P4, children
understand probability and chance appropriately. However, they are not yet familiar with the
language relating to probability and chance. By P7, a few children are confident in finding
simple probabilities of an event occurring. This is an aspect which could be developed
further for all children.

Attainment over time:

14 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 There is an improving pattern of attainment in literacy and numeracy over time. Staff
participate in moderation activities within the school and at cluster level. There is scope to
build on the very good outcomes in literacy and English to ensure children make similarly
improved progress in numeracy and mathematics.

 The school tracks pupils’ attainment over time in literacy and numeracy. Staff engage in
termly tracking meetings with senior managers and at regular, informal intervals throughout
the year. These have a focus on individual children’s progress and build on data from
standardised tests and teacher judgements from both formative and summative
assessments. Children identified as having barriers to their learning are making appropriate
progress.

Overall quality of learners’ achievement:

 Children’s wider achievements are a major strength. Across the school children are skilled in
the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence. Their achievements are valued and shared
well through assemblies, wall displays and awards. Children are proud of their school and
their successes. They are very enthusiastic about gaining the Green Eco flag and
developing the school grounds. P6 children are working towards the Pope Francis Award
and learning about caring for others. The wide range of extra-curricular opportunities are well
attended. Many children continue to build on their skills in sporting and cultural activities as
they move on to St Augustine’s High School. The school monitors participation to ensure
that any barriers to participation are minimised.

Equity:
 The school has a very good focus on promoting equality and achieving equity of success for
all learners. All staff are aware of the demographic context of the school and how to support
children and their families. As a result, staff know the children very well and are aware of any
potential barriers to learning. They actively intervene to ensure that they minimise any issues
related to equity through a supportive and nurturing ethos. They provide a range of support
to children and their families to help them actively engage with their learning. There is no
identifiable pattern to underachievement attributed to disadvantage. The headteacher is at
an early stage of targeting the use of the recently allocated Pupil Equity Funds.

15 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
 2.4 Personalised support

 Theme 1- Universal support

 Theme 2- Targeted support
 Theme 3- Removal of barriers to learning

 The school provides high quality support that enables all children to achieve success. Staff
encourage children to do their best and provide quality learning experiences overall. In most
lessons, teachers plan tasks and activities that meet the needs of most children well. Staff
work effectively together to plan for groups and individuals. They should now look at ways to
raise expectations for those individuals and groups who are capable of increased challenge
in their learning. Most children talk confidently about their learning and know what they need
to do to be successful. Children are at the centre of planning and staff talk regularly with
them about their progress. Staff know and respond well to individual needs and promote
and support their wellbeing. There is scope to build upon the established personal learning
plans and increase opportunities for children across the school to be more actively involved
in setting targets and evaluating their progress. All staff place a high value on support for
children’s wellbeing and are committed to professional learning to increase their skills to
meet the significantly diverse needs of children. Professional knowledge is augmented
through effective partnership working with a range of specialist resources.

 The provision of targeted support is a key feature of the school’s provision. Targeted
intervention is well planned and delivered effectively within the authority’s pathways of
intervention framework. Across the various stages of intervention, concerns raised by class
teachers are shared and acted upon timeously. Targets within individualised plans are clear
and address children’s main barriers to learning. These are reviewed regularly with input
from parents and partners. The school works well with a range of partners to deliver very
well targeted support. Class teachers seek out and follow advice provided by specialist
support staff in respect of individual children. The skilled learning assistants work effectively
alongside class teachers to support individuals and groups. They liaise closely with class
teachers to focus their input and maximise their impact on learning. Relevant information is
recorded and shared appropriately.

 The staff team works effectively to ensure barriers to learning are minimised. All staff take
great pride in their work to support all children and are unrelenting in their quest for children
to be successful. The strong inclusive environment is a hallmark of the school’s success.

16 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
Particular strengths of the school

 The effectiveness of the headteacher’s leadership and her success in continuously

improving outcomes for children.

 Shared leadership amongst the staff team and their skills in motivating children in their
learning. The children are enthusiastic, polite and confident and take pride in their
achievements.

 The focus on inclusion and positive relationships founded on mutual respect and shared
values.

 The quality of children’s attainment in literacy and English and their wider achievements.

 The personalised support provided to children enabling them all to succeed.

Agreed areas for improvement for the school

 Develop a framework of assessment to support teacher’s professional judgements.

 Continue to develop the rigour in the school’s approaches to self-evaluation leading to

raising attainment further.

What happens at the end of the inspection?

We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make
no more visits in connection with this inspection. City of Edinburgh Council will inform
parents/carers about the school’s progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the
quality of its schools.

17 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
Explanation of terms of quantity

The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:

All 100%
Almost all 91% – 99%
Most 75% – 90%
Majority 50% – 74%
Minority/Less than half 15 – 49%
A few less than 15%

Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English
usage.

18 | Summarised inspection findings – St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School – The City of Edinburgh Council
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