St Joseph's College

Overview

The inspection was conducted during industrial action involving "action short of strike," resulting in teacher non-cooperation. Consequently, the ETI states it is "unable to assure... of the quality of education being provided" and could not fully evaluate key areas such as teaching quality or leadership effectiveness. The report relies on available documentation and pupil feedback rather than direct classroom observation.

Strengths

• Pupils are described as "friendly, well-mannered" and "respectful of one another," with older pupils demonstrating "maturity" in leadership roles.
• GCSE outcomes remain "well above the Northern Ireland average," particularly for pupils entitled to free school meals, whose attainment has "increased significantly."
• Governors are "committed," "informed, insightful and highly supportive," and make "very good use of their analysis to plan strategically."
• The register for additional support is "maintained well" and interventions are "tracked effectively."
• Parents and staff reported "high levels of satisfaction" with the school’s "welcoming and pupil-centred ethos."

Areas to improve

• Senior leadership must address the sharp decline in A-level results, which are now "considerably below the NI average," as a "key priority for improvement."
• An "inclusive and detailed review of the curriculum offer" is required to meet the needs of all pupils and raise outcomes.
• Middle managers need further development to establish "more effective processes for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the improvement plans."

Safeguarding

The report states that "satisfactory arrangements are in place for safeguarding learners" and pupils feel "safe and secure," though the ETI was unable to fully evaluate the outworking of these arrangements due to the industrial action.