St Mary'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) could not fully evaluate the quality of learning and teaching or the school’s capacity for improvement. The report concludes that the ETI is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils spoke positively about their learning, noting they were “challenged and encouraged to approach problem solving using differing methodologies.”
• Children reported opportunities to influence their own learning and develop leadership skills through roles such as “transition buddies” for younger pupils.
• The school’s safeguarding policy “complies with all statutory guidance” and has been ratified by the board of governors.
• Pupils unanimously stated they feel “happy and safe in school” and know who to contact if concerned about their well-being.

Areas to improve

• The school must address the impact of industrial action which prevented the evaluation of classroom teaching and self-evaluation processes.
• The school has identified the need for a “review of the anti-bullying policy” in preparation for impending changes to statutory requirements.

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements reflect Department of Education guidance and are compliant, though the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school” due to the industrial action.