External Education Establishment Inspection Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 5 March 2026
Back to Community Services Committee — 5 March 2026 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE EDUCATION SERVICE 5 MARCH 2026 EXTERNAL EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT INSPECTION REPORT 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report provides details of all external education establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during the period December 2025 to March 2026. 1.2 It is recommended that the Community Services Committee notes: a) The contents of this report; b) This quarterly report will be presented on an ongoing basis to the Community Services Committee detailing all establishment inspections conducted and published by Education Scotland within that period, and c) That Ward members will receive copies of school inspection reports for schools within their area as published by Education Scotland.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE EDUCATION 5 MARCH 2026 EXTERNAL EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT INSPECTION REPORT 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report provides details of all external education establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during December 2025 to March 2026. 2.2 As required for the National Improvement Framework, HMIE report on and provide grades for the following Quality Indicators (QIs) as part of full model inspections (which typically take place over a full school week): QI 1.3 – leadership of change; QI 2.3 – learning, teaching and assessment; QI 3.1 – ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion; and QI 3.2 – raising attainment and achievement In addition, they include a focus on the following themes from other QIs: QI 2.2 curriculum: learning pathways QI 2.7 partnerships: parental engagement 2.3 Short model inspections (typically over two and a half days) focus on two QIs: QI 2.3 – learning, teaching and assessment; and QI 3.2 – raising attainment and achievement HMIE continue to have a focus on safeguarding in every inspection. An inspection advice note issued in January 2024 advised that Inspectors intended to strengthen the evidence they gather about relationships and behaviour in schools and settings during inspections notified from week beginning 15 January 2024. This evidence is being gathered in a range of ways, including through an updated child protection and safeguarding evaluation form. In addition to the inspection advice note, schools have been provided with supporting local authority guidance.
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2.4 From September 2025, in inspections of early learning and childcare settings, HMIE use the QIs from the new ‘Quality Improvement Framework for the Early Learning and Childcare Sectors’1. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the Community Services Committee notes: a) The contents of this report; b) This quarterly report will be presented on an ongoing basis to the Community Services Committee detailing all establishment inspections conducted and published by Education Scotland within that period, and c) That Ward members will receive copies of school inspection reports for schools within their area as published by Education Scotland. 4.0 DETAIL – School Inspections 4.1 Tighnabruaich Primary School and ELC was inspected the week beginning 17th November using a short model inspection. The school received positive feedback from the Managing Inspector with specific reference to: The acting senior leaders are making a positive difference to the life of the school. They work well with the enthusiastic, caring and motivated staff team. Together, they have created a supportive and positive learning environment. As a result, children are encouraged to do their best and aim high in their learning. Children are articulate, polite and welcoming to visitors. They are proud of their school and their achievements in learning about children’s rights. They have creative ideas to help their school to continue to improve. Children demonstrate empathy for others. They have a strong awareness of a range of global issues and are compelled to take action to help. They are developing important citizenship and leadership skills through their work to raise funds for humanitarian charities. The ELC was inspected jointly by HMIe and the Care Inspectorate using the new Quality Improvement framework for the Early Learning and Childcare sectors. The ELC received positive feedback with specific reference to: Staff know children and families well. They demonstrate positive, warm and kind relationships with all children. As a result, children and families feel welcome in the setting. Acting senior leaders and staff need to develop an appropriate planning and assessment cycle to ensure breadth, depth, challenge and progress across the curriculum. This needs to be a balanced approach, linked to children’s interests and ideas. The acting headteacher and acting depute headteacher had both made a positive impact on the service through their focus on the service’s vision, values and aims, and their commitment to delivering the 1 Quality Improvement Framework for the Early Learning and Childcare Sectors
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best outcomes for children, families and staff. Staff remained committed to getting it right for every child and worked collaboratively to ensure children's needs were met as consistently as possible. The team had considered all children’s needs through developing an inclusive environment to support children to feel safe, secure, and included. Due to the ‘weak’ evaluations in two of the seven areas inspected for the ELC, the ELC only will receive a return visit to monitor progress made in these areas (see Appendix 1). The published letter and Summary of Inspection Findings (SIF) are available on HMIE’s Website using the following link: Tighnabruaich Primary School | Inspection Report | His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland 4.2 A summary of all external school inspection audit reports published by Education Scotland across Argyll and Bute Education Service establishments during the period October 2025 to January 2026 is provided in Appendix 1. 4.3 A summary of the inspection outcomes per establishment detailing strengths and areas for improvement is provided in Appendix 2. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 In summary, currently one published report is available from the inspection detailed above at 4.1 which took place during the period of October 2025 to January 2026. 5.2 The Education Service will continue to use the outcomes of establishment inspections to work collaboratively with our Head Teachers to target support and challenge to secure improvement for our children and young people. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – The Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 places a duty on Education Authorities to provide children and young people with school education and (in terms of raising standards) requires Authorities to endeavor to secure improvement in the quality of that school education. 6.2 Financial – None 6.3 Legal – None 6.4 HR – None 6.5 Customer Service – The outcome of establishment inspections of the Education
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Service of Argyll and Bute Council may significantly enhance or detract from the Council’s reputation and attractiveness as an area to work and live in. 6.6 Risk – Reputational risk to the Education Service following a weak elements in ELC report. 6.7 Climate Change - None 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty: – None 6.9 Equalities - protected characteristics – None 6.10 Consumer Duty – None 6.11 Island Communities - None 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Article 28 – I have the right to an education Article 29 – I have the right to an education which develops my personality, talents and abilities Douglas Hendry - Executive Director with responsibility for Education Kieron Green - Policy Lead for Education Jennifer Crocket Chief Education Officer Head of Education: Wellbeing, Inclusion and Achievement Jennifer.Crocket@argyll-bute.gov.uk Wendy Brownlie Head of Education: Performance and Improvement Wendy.Brownlie@argyll-bute.gov.uk For further information please contact:- Marianne Docherty, Education Officer – Quality Improvement and Scrutiny Marianne.Docherty2@argyll-bute.gov.uk January 2026 Appendices Appendix 1 - Overview of Inspection Outcomes Appendix 2 - Summary of Inspection Outcomes
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Appendix 1 - Overview of Inspection Outcomes Leadership of Change Learning, Teaching and Assessment Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion Raising Attainment and Achievement Establishment Sector Date of Inspection 1.3 2.3 3.1 3.2 Tighnabruaich Primary School November 2025 Satisfactory Satisfactory Shared Framework – Quality Indicators Establishment Leadership and management of staff and resources Staff skills, knowledge, values and deployment Learning, teaching and assessment Nurturing, care and support Children’s progress Playing, learning, and developing Children thrive and develop in quality spaces Tighnabruaich ELC Good Satisfactory/Adequate Weak Satisfactory/Adequate Weak Satisfactory/Adequate Good The Six-point Scale for Inspection Grading Excellent 6 Very Good 5 Good 4 Satisfactory 3 Weak 2 Unsatisfactory 1
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Appendix 2 - Summary of Inspection Outcomes Report Title: Tighnabruaich Primary School and Pre-5 Unit Inspection Agency: Education Scotland Key Findings: • The acting senior leaders are making a positive difference to the life of the school. They work well with the enthusiastic, caring and motivated staff team. Together, they have created a supportive and positive learning environment. As a result, children are encouraged to do their best and aim high in their learning. • Children are articulate, polite and welcoming to visitors. They are proud of their school and their achievements in learning about children’s rights. They have creative ideas to help their school to continue to improve. • Children demonstrate empathy for others. They have a strong awareness of a range of global issues and are compelled to take action to help. They are developing important citizenship and leadership skills through their work to raise funds for humanitarian charities. The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the acting headteacher and a representative from Argyll and Bute Council: • Continue with plans to develop high quality approaches to learning, teaching and assessment, setting lessons and activities at the right level to challenge and support all children. • Continue to raise attainment in literacy and numeracy to ensure that all children can reach their potential. • Continue with plans to give children responsibility to lead their own learning and to be even more involved in improving their school. Date of Inspection: November 2025 Lead Officer to take forward improvement: Jodie Blincow – Acting Headteacher Central Officer to support improvement: Susan Galloway – Education Manager