The Education Sub-Committee of Scottish Borders Council met on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The meeting focused on the HMIE report for Trinity Primary School, which was evaluated as good in learning, teaching, and assessment, and in raising attainment and achievement. The committee also discussed the Standards and Quality Report and the Education Service Improvement Plan for 2026-27, and the Education Attainment 2025-26 report.

HMIE Report - Trinity Primary School

The Education Sub-Committee received a report on the HMIE inspection of Trinity Primary School in Hawick. The inspection, which took place from 8-10 June 2026, evaluated the school's primary provision. The HMIE report rated both Learning, teaching and assessment and Raising attainment and achievement as good.

Key strengths identified by the inspectors included:

• Positive Relationships and School Values: Children were described as friendly, polite, and demonstrating the school values of kindness, inspiration, teamwork, and effort. They showed respect, compassion, and kindness towards each other and were keen to learn.
• Inclusive Learning Environment: Senior leaders and staff had worked collaboratively to create a learning environment where all children felt included, valued, and cared for. Children were well-supported, motivated, and participated enthusiastically in their learning.
• Skilful Use of Digital Technologies: Staff effectively used digital technologies to enhance children's learning, with children demonstrating confidence in their creative use of technology across the school.
• Effective Partnership Working: Collaboration with external partners ensured children received timely support, leading to success and achievement.

Two areas for improvement were identified:

• Assessment of Progress: Staff and senior leaders need to develop their approaches to assessing children's progress and ensure the information gathered is used more effectively to plan learning experiences that meet the needs of all children.
• Raising Attainment in Reading and Writing: Staff were encouraged to continue efforts to raise attainment, particularly in reading and writing, for all children.

Lynne Hodgson, Headteacher of Trinity Primary School, presented the findings and highlighted the school's wellbeing first approach, which underpins their efforts to support children and families. She noted that while the inspection did not focus on wellbeing, equality, and inclusion, these remain significant strengths of the school. The committee agreed to accept the recommendations and the school's improvement plan.

Standards and Quality Report and Improvement Plan

Scott Watson presented the Standards and Quality Report for 2025-26 and the Education Service Improvement Plan for 2026-27. The Standards and Quality Report evaluates the performance of schools and the Education Service, drawing on attainment data, inspection outcomes, and self-evaluation. The Improvement Plan outlines the priorities for the upcoming academic year, aligning with national priorities such as raising attainment and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

Key highlights from the Standards and Quality Report included:

• Improving Attainment: Attainment was reported as improving across the Broad General Education, with particular strengths in Primary 1 and S3.
• Increased Attendance: Overall attendance rates had improved significantly since 2021, with primary attendance rising to 94.3% and secondary attendance to 91.6%. Persistent absence had also decreased substantially.
• Positive Destinations: School leavers were achieving high rates of positive destinations, with 97.02% progressing to further education, employment, or training.

The Education Service Improvement Plan for 2026-27 focuses on four key priorities:

1. Raising Attainment: Ensuring consistently high-quality learning, teaching, and assessment, supported by data-informed decision-making.
2. Relevant and Inclusive Curriculum: Delivering a curriculum from 3-18 years that prepares young people for the future and supports diverse learning pathways.
3. Safety, Support, and Inclusion: Strengthening proactive, relational, and integrated approaches to ensure all learners feel safe, supported, and included.
4. Confident, Collaborative Leadership: Developing leadership capacity to drive sustainable improvement, innovation, and equity across schools and clusters.

Due to a technical issue with the publication of the full report and appendices, item 7 was adjourned and will be rescheduled for a future meeting.

Education Attainment 2025-26

Scott Watson also presented the Education Attainment 2025-26 report, which detailed the progress in both the Broad General Education (P1-S3) and the Senior Phase (S4-S6) qualifications.

Broad General Education:

• Primary Attainment: Attainment had improved across all organisers in Primary 1. Primary 4 showed strengths in reading and writing, while Primary 7 saw improvements in listening and talking, and writing, though reading required further attention. S3 attainment was particularly positive.
• Attainment Gaps: While national standard measures had improved over several years, some gaps widened, particularly in literacy and Primary 1 writing. The report highlighted that improvement is not always linear, and targeted work is underway to address these disparities. The deprivation gap, measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), showed meaningful reductions over the longer term.

Senior Phase National Qualifications:

• Overall Attainment: Pass rates (A-C grades) at National 5 and Higher showed a modest decline compared to the previous year, while Advanced Higher saw an improvement.
• Literacy and Numeracy: Performance in core skills areas was broadly in line with or above virtual comparators, though some areas required focused analysis and improvement.
• Subject Success: The report highlighted strong performance in specific subjects, with many exceeding national averages for A-C grades. The breadth of the curriculum offer was also emphasised, with a wide range of National Qualifications and other accredited awards available.

Attendance:

• Overall attendance remained positive, with increases in both primary and secondary attendance rates compared to previous years.
• Persistent absence had decreased significantly.
• While attendance compared favourably with the Scottish average, the report noted a slight decrease in secondary attendance from the previous year.
• Attainment gaps related to disadvantage and care experience were discussed, with efforts ongoing to narrow these disparities.

The committee noted the attainment report and agreed to the recommendations.