St Joseph's Primary School

Overview

This report details a Sustaining Improvement Inspection conducted in January 2017, following a previous evaluation of the school as “good”. Due to industrial action involving “action short of strike” by all teaching staff, including the principal, who refused to cooperate with inspectors, the evaluation was severely limited. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• The report notes that the learning environment had been “extended and enhanced through a minor works programme” since the previous inspection.
• Governors provided documentation and information regarding school improvement and safeguarding.
• Children reported that they “feel safe in the school” and are aware of procedures if they have safety concerns.
• Safeguarding arrangements were found to “reflect broadly the guidance issued by the relevant Departments.”

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no specific areas for improvement because the ETI was “unable to evaluate an area for improvement which the school needed to address from the original inspection in 2014.”
• The inspection could not assess the school’s capacity for self-evaluation or development planning due to staff non-cooperation.

Safeguarding

The report states that while the ETI could not fully evaluate safeguarding arrangements due to staff non-cooperation, the school provided evidence that arrangements were satisfactory and children reported feeling safe.