Friday June 19th 2026
Whinhill Primary HMIE Chief Inspector visit June 2026. Interim director of education, Michael Roach, head teacher, Liz Ruddy, HM Chief Inspector Ruth Binks, Councillor Jim Clocherty, and depute head teacher Andrea Hunter with pupils from Whinhill Primary.
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The chief inspector of education in Scotland visited an Inverclyde school after it was rated the best in the country in a recent report.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland, Ruth Binks, stopped off at Whinhill Primary in Greenock which received an unprecedented four ‘excellent’ ratings in an inspection report published in April 2026.
It is the first time a school has received top marks under the current inspection framework.
The chief inspector is no stranger to the area having served as Inverclyde Council’s director of education until March 2026 when she left to take up the top job at His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education (HMIE) in Scotland.
Ms Binks said: “As HM Chief Inspector, part of my role is to share good practice and that includes visiting schools where HM Inspectors have identified sector-leading practice.
“I was especially pleased to be returning to a school and meeting with colleagues I worked with as corporate director in Inverclyde.”
Whinhill Primary, which also teaches Gaelic, was inspected in January 2026 with the inspection report published in April 2026.
The school received the highest ‘excellent’ grading across all four of the key assessment areas.
Whinhill was praised for its leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion; and raising attainment and achievement.
Inspectors commented on the ‘well behaved and articulate’ pupils who are ‘highly motivated, engaged in their learning and experience success’.
Head teacher, Liz Ruddy, was singled out for praised and described as ‘outstanding and inspirational’, supported by a ‘highly effective’ senior leadership team and wider staff.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, said: “The Whinhill Primary inspection report is truly remarkable and Liz, the school staff, pupils, parents and wider community deserve all the plaudits for the first-class learning environment they have created.
“It’s also recognition for Inverclyde and the quality education our young people receive because we’re committed to ensuring our young people get the best start in life.
“I was delighted to welcome Ruth back to Inverclyde in her new role as the chief inspector of education in Scotland to celebrate Whinhill’s success.”
Other highlights of the HMIE report were the school’s ‘highly effective approaches to celebrating the diverse backgrounds and cultures’.
Inspectors also praised staff for delivering ‘an extensive range of opportunities for children relating to culture, sport and citizenship’ and for the way the whole school makes ‘meaningful use’ of Gaelic.
They commented that the staff have ‘created an aspirational culture, underpinned by the school vision’ which meant that ‘children, parents and partners are empowered to lead and secure school-wide improvement and positive change’.
Another key theme of the glowing report was how the pupils themselves are involved in leading their learning and school improvement, to create the highly inclusive and innovate school they attend.
The inspection report is available on the HMIE website at Inspection reports | His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland.
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