Maguiresbridge Primary School

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, with staff refusing to cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure” parents of the quality of education provided. The report notes that most evaluation areas could not be fully assessed due to this lack of cooperation.

Strengths

• The most able children in year 7 read with “fluency, expression and good levels of understanding” and spoke with “confidence and enthusiasm” about reading.
• There is evidence of a “well-planned approach to the preventative curriculum,” including work through the shared education programme.
• Children described leadership roles, such as School- and Eco- Councils, which allow them to “contribute to the improvement of their school and community.”
• The school development plan is devised in consultation with the community and uses internal data to “guide well the improvement process.”

Areas to improve

• The report does not list specific areas for improvement; instead, it states the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully” outcomes, provision, and leadership due to the industrial action.
• The ETI notes it is “unable to assure” the quality of education, indicating a significant gap in verified standards.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” and children reported feeling safe, though the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements.”