Carrickfergus Academy

Overview

This Baseline Monitoring Inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with the process. Consequently, the ETI was “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the pupils.” The report notes that the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Pupils acknowledged “opportunities for extra-curricular activities” and that teachers help them know “how to improve their work.”
• Younger pupils spoke positively about the “support they receive from their teachers.”
• Older pupils reported that “lunchtime arrangements have been improved” and spoke positively about their leadership roles.
• Parents indicated the school has informed them “how to report a complaint, safeguarding issue or other concern.”
• Staff confirmed they have participated in training and are aware of procedures relating to “child protection and safeguarding.”

Areas to improve

• Provision for all pupils, including interventions, “needs to be monitored robustly to ensure that it impacts effectively on the pupils’ learning and progress.”
• A minority of pupils expressed concern about the “management of behaviour.”
• Parents raised concerns regarding the amalgamation process, including “consistency of behaviour management” and travel costs.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” and pupils reported they “feel safe in school,” though the ETI was unable to fully evaluate the outworking of these arrangements due to industrial action.