Hazelwood Integrated College

Overview

The report describes a Sustaining Improvement Inspection conducted in February 2019, noting that industrial action prevented full evaluation of teaching quality. Despite this limitation, the school demonstrated significant improvements in student attainment and a strong commitment to pupil welfare and community values.

Strengths

• Academic results have improved markedly, with A-level passes rising to 68% and GCSE passes to 47%, both "well above the corresponding Northern Ireland average."
• The school community is characterised by "openness, acceptance of others and mutual understanding," with pupils demonstrating "empathy, initiative, maturity and highly effective communication skills."
• Staff show a "strong commitment to the welfare and learning of the pupils," particularly regarding additional educational needs, supported by "very well-conceived and collaborative professional learning opportunities."
• A wide range of support professionals plays an "essential role in supporting the emotional well-being and health of the pupils."

Areas to improve

• The school needs to "review the security and access arrangements to the campus and school buildings."
• The ETI was unable to fully evaluate the impact of actions to address variation in standards across subject departments due to industrial action.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements "reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education" and pupils feel safe, though full evaluation was prevented by industrial action.