St Malachy's Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was significantly limited by industrial action, as teachers refused to cooperate with inspectors. 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 senior leadership team led “appropriate, ongoing child-centred improvement work” informed by “high quality self-evaluation.”
• Year 6 pupils spoke positively about their “enjoyment of learning” and the “extensive opportunities” for activities beyond the classroom.
• Year 7 pupils demonstrated they can “read for inference” and spoke with enthusiasm about “practical activities” in mathematics.
• Children are developing as “independent learners,” with internal data showing most perform at or above expected levels in literacy and numeracy.

Areas to improve

• The report identifies no specific areas for improvement, as the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully” the lines of inquiry or the “quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms.”

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance issued by the Department of Education,” and pupils reported feeling safe, though the ETI could not fully evaluate the outworking of these arrangements due to the industrial action.