St Patrick’s Primary School is a denominational school with a nursery class which serves the town of Shotts. Following the closure of a local nursery school, a nursery class had been established within St Patrick’s Primary School a short time prior to the inspection. The roll was 275 in the primary school and 38 in the nursery class when the inspection was carried out in September 2009. Children’s attendance was in line with the national average in 2007/2008.

Particular strengths of the school

• Polite, well-behaved and hard-working children who actively support their school and community.
• Effective partnerships with parents and the local community.
• The friendly and welcoming ethos in the school.
• The commitment of the headteacher and staff to the care and welfare of children.

Example of good practice

• Supporting vulnerable children.