St Patrick's Primary School

Overview

The inspection occurred during industrial action, meaning teachers did not cooperate with inspectors. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.” The report states that “no performance level available” for outcomes, provision, or leadership, and the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Year 6 children spoke “confidently and with enthusiasm” about their learning and the support they receive.
• Pupils highlighted their enjoyment of “group activities” and using “information and communication technology (ICT)” to enhance learning.
• Children valued opportunities to take on “meaningful leadership roles and responsibilities” and participation in after-school activities.
• Children reported that staff are “kind,” they “felt safe in school,” and knew what to do if they had concerns about their well-being.

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to evaluate the quality of education, curriculum, or leadership due to non-cooperation; therefore, specific areas for improvement could not be identified.
• The school must address health and safety issues, including that “there are no fire escape routes from the first-floor classrooms” and “there is no secure access system to the main building.”

Safeguarding

The report states that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” though the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements” due to the industrial action.