St Colmcille's Primary School

Overview

The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was “unable to assure the quality of education” at St Colmcille’s Primary School due to industrial action by staff. Because teachers did not cooperate with inspectors, the ETI could not evaluate key aspects of the school’s performance, resulting in “no performance level available” for all major categories.

Strengths

• The report notes that the school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education.”
• Contextual data shows steady enrolment growth and attendance rates above the Northern Ireland primary school average.
• The school is involved in a shared education programme with other local primary schools.

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to evaluate outcomes for learners, including progression and wider skills.
• The quality of provision, including curriculum, teaching, and care, could not be assessed.
• Leadership and management effectiveness, including strategic governance and self-evaluation, could not be evaluated.

Safeguarding

The report states that while arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school, including speaking with the children.”