Education inspectors praise Carstairs Primary School
Published: Friday 25 September 2026
Very good attainment, equity, and attendance were highlighted by inspectors during a recent visit to Carstairs Primary School.
HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) also found that strong, consistent support for children’s wellbeing and the delivery of targeted literacy and numeracy interventions are helping children make clear progress and develop key skills.
Under the leadership of “highly regarded headteacher” Angela Sneddon and her staff, it was also highlighted that “a strong rights-based culture has been established.”
The school’s 95 pupils and their families, according to the report, published earlier this month, are “well-supported, nurtured and engaged and, as a result, feel safe and respected.”
The report, which rated the school Very Good overall, also highlighted:
- high expectations and high standards of behaviour across the school
- a modern, stimulating learning environment across classrooms and shared learning spaces
- use of a range of high-quality digital tools effectively to support and extend pupils’ learning
- a robust and strategic approach to tracking and monitoring children’s attainment
- use of the Pupil Equity Fund to provide high-quality interventions for targeted groups of children, with clear evidence of improving outcomes

Councillor Lynsey Hamilton, Chair of the Education Resources Committee, said: “This is a fantastic report and review of Carstairs Primary School, of which everyone can be extremely proud.
“It highlights a culture of positivity, nurture and a consistent approach to making sure that staff not only know each pupil well, but act on their needs and voices.
“Many of our more rural schools also benefit from direct access to the countryside, and it’s great that the report notes that teachers use the local natural environment creatively to support children’s motivation and engagement in their learning. (Pictured above).
“Along with a confident and regular use of digital technology (below) – which recently resulted in a national coding award – it’s clear to see that this is a modern school adapted to the needs and demands of the community it serves.”

Attendance across the school is currently 95.2%, which is above the national average, and to which inspectors attribute the Head Teacher’s “sensitive and bespoke approach,” which is “focused on the particular needs of each child”.
Parents welcome this approach and feel well supported to increase their children’s attendance.
Ms Sneddon said: “We are a strong and united team here at Carstairs Primary, with the best interests of every pupil and the community we serve central to all our actions and decision-making.
“We are proud of the consistently high standards that we achieve, and we look forward to continuing to support all pupils to be safe, to be happy and to be all that they can be.”
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