St Bernard's Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with the inspection team. Consequently, the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully” the quality of learning and teaching or the school’s capacity for improvement. The report concludes that the inspectorate is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils reported enjoying a “wide range of extra-curricular sporting and musical opportunities” and participation in external competitions.
• Children stated they “feel safe in the school” and are aware of procedures for raising safety or welfare concerns.
• Pupils demonstrated they are “very secure in their knowledge of how to stay safe online.”
• The senior leadership team cooperated with inspectors regarding their safeguarding responsibilities.

Areas to improve

• The school must “continue to review and update a small number of child protection and safeguarding policies.”
• The school needs to “ensure that members of the board of governors avail of relevant child protection training.”

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” though the ETI was unable to fully evaluate their outworking due to the industrial action.