Glasgow primary praised in positive inspection report

Children at St Bartholomew’s Primary delivered their verdict after a positive report from the HMIE in Scotland team.

Primary seven pupils Georgia Wilson, Lilu-Rita Chen and Sophia Whelan were happy with the result.

“I am proud to be a pupil in a school where everyone is friendly and welcoming,” said Georgia. “Children are respected and their opinions count.”

“All children and staff are nice, friendly and approachable,” added Sophia.

Children at St Bartholomew's Primary hard at work. (Image: St Bartholomew's Primary)

Lilu-Rita said she wanted the inspectors to know that “it is a school where everyone works hard.”

She added: “Everyone is friendly and welcoming. We know there are always adults around the school we can talk to if we are feeling upset or angry.”

Primary two pupil Eve Kerr said: “The teachers in this school make me proud I come here. I like what the teachers do here.”

Jacob Wilson, who is in primary three, said he hoped the inspectors learned “how kind we all are in this school and saw the lovely manners that we have.”

The report, which is available in full on the His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) in Scotland website, said teachers and other staff at the school “create a welcoming, nurturing, and inclusive ethos.”

It added: “They work collaboratively with children to establish positive relationships and a strong sense of community within the school. This supports children to feel secure, safe and ready to learn.

“Children are polite, happy and respectful. They engage well with visitors and are keen to share their experiences. They are proud of their school and their achievements.”

Staff in the early years were praised for providing effective approaches to play-based learning for younger children.

The inspectors added: “Children benefit from rich and engaging learning environments and experiences which support them to be creative and independent as they learn.”

As areas for improvement, the inspectors said senior leaders and staff should work more closely with parents and partners to improve children’s school attendance, and teachers should continue to develop high-quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment, ensuring all children experience appropriate levels of challenge during lessons.

The report added: “Children are ready for more opportunities to lead their own learning.”

Peter La Combre, acting headteacher at St Bartholomew’s, said: “We are delighted that inspectors noted how positively our children engage with their learning and benefit fully from the wide range of opportunities available to them.

“We recognise that, for a small number of children, there can be challenges which affect regular attendance and we are committed to working closely with families and partners to improve this.”

He added: “Our aim to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive in their learning, provide targeted support where needed, and continue to make positive progress.”

Councillor Elaine McSporran, Glasgow City Council's convener for education and early years, said: “It is encouraging to hear that pupils at St Bartholomew’s feel safe, happy and eager to learn thanks to the nurturing and welcoming ethos created by the staff and school community.

“I am glad that inspectors highlighted how proud pupils are of their school and their achievements, as they should be.”