Belfast Model School For Girls

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure” parents of the quality of education and could not fully evaluate teaching, learning, or specific subject provisions.

Strengths

• Pupils are described as “courteous, well-mannered” with a “positive disposition to school life.”
• Student leaders are “confident, articulate and motivated role models.”
• Progression to higher education is “well above the NI average.”
• Support for pupils requiring additional help includes “early identification and intervention” and “highly effective liaison with parents.”
• A “safe and inviting nurture centre” provides a “calm and highly supportive environment” for at-risk pupils.
• The senior leadership team demonstrates “highly effective leadership” with a “collegial ethos.”

Areas to improve

• Provision for post-16 pupils repeating English or mathematics is “inconsistent and needs to be strengthened.”
• Governors need to “develop further their capacity to provide appropriate accountability and challenge” regarding variable pupil outcomes.
• The school must address the inability to assure quality due to the industrial action, which will be reflected in future inspections.

Safeguarding

The report states that “satisfactory arrangements are in place for safeguarding learners” and pupils feel “safe and secure,” though the ETI was unable to fully evaluate the outworking of these arrangements due to the strike action.