St Mary's Primary School

Overview

This report details a Sustaining Improvement Inspection conducted in November 2017, noting that the previous inspection in 2014 evaluated the school as “very good”. However, because teachers participated in industrial action and refused to cooperate with inspectors, the ETI was “unable to evaluate” key aspects of the school’s performance. Consequently, the inspectorate states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children”.

Strengths

• The previous inspection in October 2014 evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school as “very good”.
• The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education”.
• Children met by inspectors reported that they “feel safe in school” and know what to do if they have concerns about their safety or wellbeing.

Areas to improve

• The report states the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice” due to the inability to assess current educational quality.
• The inspection was unable to evaluate the school’s capacity to effect improvement through self-evaluation and effective school planning.
• The quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms could not be assessed.

Safeguarding

The report states that while arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education” and children feel safe, the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully, the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school” owing to the industrial action.