Oakgrove Integrated College

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning only the principal cooperated with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure the quality of education” and could not fully evaluate teaching, learning, or leadership. The report highlights declining GCSE attainment and a curriculum that is “not sufficiently broad, balanced or responsive.”

Strengths

• Post-16 outcomes are strong, with 100% of pupils attaining grades A* to E in at least two A levels, “above the corresponding NI average.”
• Pupils expressed “appreciation of the support provided by their teachers” and valued extra-curricular opportunities.
• The new leadership has “accurately identified” key areas for improvement and is revising planning to include “measurable targets.”
• The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals achieving five GCSEs at grades A* to C was “above the corresponding NI average” in two of the past three years.

Areas to improve

• GCSE attainment “requires improvement at all levels,” with outcomes “well below the Northern Ireland average.”
• The Key Stage 4 curriculum needs to be more responsive to pupil needs, alongside closer tracking of progression and leavers’ destinations.
• Governors must develop their role in “supporting, challenging, monitoring and evaluating more rigorously” the improvement agenda.

Safeguarding

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