Ballykeel Primary School

Overview

This Sustaining Improvement Inspection was conducted in January 2019, following a 2015 evaluation that identified a "high level of capacity for sustained improvement." Due to industrial action involving "non-co-operation with the Education and Training Inspectorate," the inspection was severely limited, with only the principal and vice-principal participating. Consequently, the report states the ETI is "unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children."

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils reported they "enjoy participating in a wide range of after-school clubs" and shared education activities.
• Children demonstrated an "excellent understanding of fairness" regarding council elections and articulated their role in decision-making well.
• The school’s development planning is underpinned by "appropriate consultation with staff, children, parents and governors."
• "Rigorous analysis of qualitative and quantitative data" is used to track trends and identify priorities for improvement.
• Processes for self-evaluation in literacy and numeracy are described as "well developed."

Areas to improve

• The report states the ETI was "unable to evaluate... the quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms" due to staff non-cooperation.
• The inspection could not focus on evaluating the school's capacity to effect improvement through self-evaluation and effective school planning.

Safeguarding

The report notes that safeguarding arrangements "reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education" and children spoke confidently about staying safe, but the ETI was "unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school" owing to the industrial action.