Hamiltonsbawn Primary School

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, with staff refusing to cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was “unable to assure... of the quality of education being provided” and could not evaluate key areas such as outcomes, provision, or leadership. The school is designated a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education.”
• A small number of children spoke with “enthusiasm about their learning experiences.”
• Pupils reported that they “feel safe and happy in school” and know how to raise concerns.
• The school holds a “green flag award as an Eco-school.”

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to evaluate outcomes, quality of provision, or leadership due to non-cooperation.
• Current arrangements for dropping off and picking up children require improvement to ensure additional safety, as insufficient parking creates congestion.

Safeguarding

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