Coleraine College

Overview

The report describes Coleraine College as a school demonstrating the "capacity to identify and bring about improvement in the interest of all the learners." It highlights that "significant improvements have been achieved" through a strategic agenda led by a "committed and credible senior leadership team," with pupil outcomes improving significantly since the original 2014 inspection.

Strengths

• Leadership is praised as being "extremely well" executed, fostering a "collegial learning culture" and effective accountability arrangements.
• Learning and teaching quality has improved significantly, with "90% of the observed lessons evaluated as good or better."
• Provision for mathematics and English is now "good," with GCSE outcomes in these subjects rising above averages for similar schools.
• The school provides "attentive, responsive and effective care and support," particularly for pupils with low prior attainment or pastoral challenges.
• Staff commitment is high, with questionnaire responses highlighting the "impact of the leadership" and dedication to pupil education.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies one area for improvement: "to continue to raise the outcomes attained by the pupils."
• Pupil absence rates and suspensions for poor behaviour "remain higher than they should be."
• Outcomes for pupils entitled to free school meals "need to be improved further," although the attainment gap is closing.

Safeguarding

The report states that "arrangements for the care, welfare and support of the pupils remain a strength of the provision," noting that the school supports well those at risk of marginalisation.