Newry High School

Overview

This monitoring inspection evaluated how leadership uses self-evaluation to drive improvement, focusing on curriculum development and teaching quality. However, the report concludes that due to widespread industrial action involving non-cooperation by staff, the ETI was unable to fully evaluate the school’s performance or assure parents of the quality of education provided.

Strengths

• The report notes "evidence of ongoing improvement work" which is informed to "good effect through an appropriate self-evaluation process."
• The school has developed a "more flexible curriculum at key stages 3 and 4" to better meet pupil aspirations and career interests.
• Teachers have developed a "shared understanding of high quality teaching and learning" through the dissemination of good practice at departmental level.

Areas to improve

• The report states that "curriculum provision at post-16 needs to be reviewed and modified accordingly" to advance current work.
• The ETI was unable to evaluate the impact of teaching improvements or safeguarding arrangements due to staff non-cooperation, meaning these areas could not be assessed.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that "satisfactory arrangements for safeguarding pupils are in place," though the ETI was unable to evaluate fully the outworking of these arrangements due to the industrial action.