St Serf’s Primary School is a denominational school with a nursery class. It serves the Holehills, Rawyards and Thrashbush areas of Airdrie. The roll was 206, including 40 in the nursery, when the inspection was carried out in March 2010. Children’s attendance was well below the national average in 2008/2009.

Particular strengths of the school

• The improvement in children’s learning experiences in the nursery class.
• Staff’s determination to improve the school and their involvement in providing after-school clubs to encourage children’s wider achievement.
• The work of the home-school parent support worker.

The following areas for improvement with the school and education authority.

• Develop children’s personal and social skills and improve their achievements.
• Develop children’s active participation in improving the school and take urgent steps to improve the school’s approaches to anti-bullying.
• Raise attainment in English language and mathematics.
• Develop approaches to self-evaluation and act on findings to improve learners’ experiences.
• Improve the learning and teaching environment to raise staff morale and ensure that children feel happy, safe and secure.