Rathmore Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted in May 2017, following a previous evaluation of the school as “very good”. Due to industrial action involving “action short of strike”, teachers did not cooperate with inspectors, significantly limiting the evidence available for evaluation. Consequently, the report states the ETI is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the overall quality of education being provided for the children”.

Strengths

• The “strategic development of personalised staff development programmes” is described as “well-informed, reflective and focused on improving the provision for the children”.
• The school collects a “wide range of performance data” to set individual targets and monitor progress, demonstrating how new approaches have “impacted positively and improved outcomes”.
• Arrangements for safeguarding “reflect the guidance issued by the relevant Departments”.
• Children report that they “feel safe in school” and are aware of whom to contact regarding safety or welfare concerns.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no specific areas for improvement, as the ETI was “unable to evaluate” the quality of teaching, learning, or pupil work due to the lack of cooperation.

Safeguarding

The report confirms that safeguarding arrangements “reflect the guidance issued by the relevant Departments” and that children feel safe and know how to raise concerns.