Hollybush Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted in May 2017, following a previous evaluation of the school as “outstanding”. However, because staff participated in industrial action involving “action short of strike” and refused to cooperate with inspectors, the ETI could not evaluate the quality of education or the school’s capacity for improvement. Consequently, the report states the inspectorate is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• The report notes that the school was previously evaluated as “outstanding” in November 2013.
• Children reported that they “feel safe in school” and know who to talk to if concerned about their safety.
• The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements are “satisfactory” and reflect relevant departmental guidance.

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to evaluate the quality of learning and teaching or the school’s self-evaluation processes due to staff non-cooperation.
• The school is designated as a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice” because the current inspection could not provide assurance of educational quality.

Safeguarding

The report states that while arrangements appear satisfactory and children feel safe, the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding” due to the industrial action.