As we continue to look ahead to our inspection from HMIe, which is likely to take place between now and the summer holidays, this week’s Friday Focus is on self evaluation and quality assurance.

Rigorous self-evaluation and quality assurance are fundamental to the effectiveness and success of Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary School & Nursery Class.  Cathedral views self-evaluation and quality assurance as an opportunity rather than a requirement: a chance to reflect on our vision, values and aims and to take an honest look at where we are now, where we want to be, how we know we will have arrived and how we are going to get there.

Quality Assurance includes the Leadership Team monitoring teachers’ planning and pupils’ jotters as well as conducting lesson observations. The Education Scotland document ‘How Good is our School? 4’ is used to evaluated Cathedral’s current performance across a range of Quality Indicators and set our next steps. Teaching staff also collaborate in small groups called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to reflect on and improve their day-to-day practice.

An important part of Cathedral’s ongoing self-evaluation is our annual pupil, staff and parent/carer questionnaires which gather feedback and views on a number of areas. This information is used to identify and address issues which may have gone unnoticed as well as inform improvement priorities.

ALL self-evaluation and quality assurance is about improving outcomes for our young learners. Cathedral continually endeavours to be the best it can be so that, in turn, each and every Cathedral pupil gets the very best learning experiences and reaches their full potential.