St Caolan's Primary School

Overview

The inspection was significantly limited by industrial action, as teachers refused to cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.” The report notes the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils “talked positively about school life” and their engagement in extra-curricular activities.
• Children “welcomed their engagement in the shared education partnership” with a neighbouring school.
• Safeguarding arrangements were found to “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education.”
• Pupils demonstrated a “good understanding of how to stay safe online” and reported they “feel safe in school.”

Areas to improve

• The school must update training for the chair, governors, principal, and designated teacher regarding “initial Child Protection Awareness and Child Protection courses” and “recruitment, selection and vetting.”
• The employing authority, governors, and staff need to “plan for, and manage, issues related to the sustainability of the school provision and school budget.”

Safeguarding

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