Sir E Scott School in Harris has been sharply criticised after a further inspection from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education, who said the school has made “insufficient progress” since its inspection last year.

Inspectors have said they will return for a second further inspection within a year.

The findings were published in a letter to parents, published today (29 September) following a recent further inspection at Sgoil an Tairbeirt.

This was a follow-up to the inspection of August 2025 where inspectors made a number of findings and recommendations.

In today’s letter, inspectors concluded: “The school has made insufficient progress since the original inspection. We will liaise with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar regarding the school’s capacity to improve.

“We will return to carry out a further inspection of the school within 12 months of the publication of this letter. We will discuss with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar the details of this inspection.

“When we return to inspect the school/setting we will write to you as parents informing you of the progress the school/setting has made.

“As a matter of priority, senior leaders and local authority should continue their joint working to implement an action plan that address areas for improving in safeguarding requiring urgent action.”

Inspectors were reviewing progress in five areas during their follow-up.

The first area for review was: “Senior leaders should take prompt action to improve the strategic and collective leadership of the sgoil – school. In doing so, they should strengthen their skills in identifying what is working well and what needs to improve across the sgoil. Leadership at all levels should be developed further to achieve a brisk pace of change.”

The further inspection found: “There has been some progress in improving the sgoil, with very important areas still to be addressed.”

Inspectors noted the Comhairle was providing additional temporary resources to support the school, which was beginning to have a positive impact, but “ongoing staffing challenges” continued to affect the pace of improvement.

The Comhairle was also credited for continuing to make evaluative visits to the school and for identifying priorities for improvement.

Inspectors advised that senior and middle leaders needed clearer remits to work well together to lead improvements.

The second area for review was: “Senior and middle leaders, along with staff, should develop further high-quality learning, teaching, assessment and moderation.

“Teachers should ensure they have accurate data and use it more effectively to enhance children’s and young people’s progress and attainment from P1 to S3.”

Inspectors concluded: “There has been some progress in this area, although important aspects still require improved. This is to ensure consistently high-quality experiences for all children and young people.”

Across English and Gàidhlig, the report noted most children and young people were confident and interacted positively with others and were beginning to understand their rights.

However, it noted they were “not always sufficiently active and challenged in their learning”, and that tasks in a minority of lessons did not always meet the needs of all learners well enough. Teachers were told to use assessment information more consistently to inform planning.

The third area for review was: “Senior leaders should be supported by the local authority to extend Gàidhlig Medium and Learner Education at the secondary stages. The current achievements offer through Gàidhlig should be outlined clearly, ensuring young people know how to develop their fluency both in class and beyond, year by year.”

Inspectors found there had been “some progress” across the school but “there remain important areas to improve”.

Inspectors called on senior leaders to continue enhancing work to “increase the proportion of the curriculum delivered through Gàidhlig at the secondary stages”.

The fourth area for review was: “All staff should ensure they refresh regularly and apply professional learning in equalities and inclusion. Senior leaders should ensure all children and young people, requiring targeted support for their learning and development, have immediate and thorough support plans and process in place.”

Inspectors found in their follow-up: “The school has made some progress in improving equalities, inclusion and support for children and young people. However, very important work remains a high priority to ensure a fully inclusive environment where all learners are consistently supported effectively to succeed.”

Inspectors detailed that planning for additional support was “not yet consistent or timely for all learners” and stated: “The pace of change is still too slow”.

They called for clear and effective plans to be put in place that have been agreed with parents and partners. These should include specific, measurable targets.

Also, senior leaders were criticised over the pace of their consideration of a programme for personal and social education (PSE) at secondary level.

“This is still to be taken forward,” said inspectors.

“At pace, senior leaders should ensure that PSE is a progressive and quality feature of young people’s learning.

“Senior leaders and staff should ensure that young people learn regularly about equality, diversity and other personal and social matters related to their situations.”

The fifth area for review was: “Senior leaders and staff should establish a clear strategy to enhance children’s and young people’s progress, attainment and achievement.

“This strategy should build on recent developments in S4, ensuring a broad curriculum that integrates digital technology and contributions from partners to strengthen what teachers offer.

“The curriculum for young people in S6 requires further development.”

Inspectors noted “a few improvements” to the curriculum but said senior leaders should ensure all learners, particularly in S6, continue taking the maximum number of awards and qualifications.

To access the HMIE reports on Sgoil an Tairbeirt, click here.