Carrickfergus Model Primary School

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) states it is “unable to assure... of the quality of education being provided.” The report notes that “no performance level” is available for outcomes, provision, or leadership.

Strengths

• Internal data indicates a “majority of the children... achieve as expected in English” and “most... achieve as expected in mathematics.”
• Sampled children demonstrated “fluency, expression and understanding” in reading and were “confident and accurate in their mental calculations.”
• Children spoke positively about “approachable supportive teachers” and a new reading initiative that increased their enjoyment.
• Opportunities exist to promote “responsibility and leadership skills” through roles such as school council and ‘playground buddies.’
• A new “secure, inner courtyard” provides improved space for play-based learning and outdoor classrooms.

Areas to improve

• School development plans “lack the full range of qualitative and quantitative data... to identify their key priorities for improvement” and measure impact.
• Governors need to be “more involved with the school improvement process” and better informed about data analysis.
• Toilet facilities in the foundation stage are “not conducive to the supervision and independence of the children.”

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education” and children feel safe, but the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements” due to the industrial action.