Mixed report for Mid Yell school

SHETLAND’S education department has pledged to work with the islands’ newest school to bring about improvements after a mixed report from inspectors.

Following a visit earlier this year, HMIe inspectors reported on Tuesday that Mid Yell junior high school needed additional support from the council.

Inspectors found pupils were not all achieving what they were capable of and their written work was “too variable in quality”.

Nursery children spent too little time playing outdoors, primary school teachers needed to plan courses better and secondary pupils were not being taught literacy and numeracy in a consistent fashion.

Inspectors also found that senior staff did not monitor learning effectively enough, making the learning experience “too variable”.

Mechanisms for learning from and improving exam performance were also inconsistent.

However special needs children were well supported and staff were described as “very caring”.

Inspectors identified several strengths, including the learning experience in nursery, well behaved and welcoming children, caring staff and good partnership working with other agencies.

However council staff will be working with the school to provide more consistent and challenging learning experiences, an improved curriculum and better monitoring.

Childrens services director Helen Budge said: “”We will work closely with the Mid Yell school community and HMIe to bring the quality of learning at Mid Yell junior high school up to the highest standards, which is what we demand from all our schools.

“We are working closely with staff at the school to deal with the issues raised by the report and to build upon the examples of positive practice in the school.”

The council this year voted to close neighbouring Burravoe primary school and send its pupils to Mid Yell, which was rebuilt and opened last year.

The Mid Yell HMIe report can be read at 

http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/inspection/Mid%20Yell%20JHS%20FINAL.html