Omagh County Primary School

Overview

This report details a Sustaining Improvement Inspection conducted in January 2018, which was significantly limited by industrial action. Because staff, including the principal, refused to cooperate with inspectors, the ETI could not evaluate key aspects of the school’s performance. Consequently, the inspectorate states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• The previous 2014 inspection had evaluated the school’s overall effectiveness as “good.”
• Year 6 pupils described the environment as “caring and supportive” and reported feeling “very safe and secure.”
• Children demonstrated they understand “what to do and who to talk to if they are concerned about their safety or well-being.”
• Pupils contribute to school life through the school council and by “taking responsibility for themselves and others.”

Areas to improve

• The report states the ETI was “unable to evaluate” the quality of learning and teaching within classrooms.
• The inspection could not assess the school’s capacity for improvement through self-evaluation or effective planning.
• The school is designated a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Safeguarding

The report notes that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” though some policies awaited ratification and the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school.”