St Therese Primary School

Overview

The report details a sustaining improvement inspection conducted in May 2019, noting that the previous inspection in 2016 had evaluated the school as having “capacity for sustained improvement.” However, due to industrial action involving “action short of strike,” the inspection was severely limited. Consequently, the ETI states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• The principal and vice-principal “co-operated with the inspection team in relation to safeguarding responsibilities.”
• The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education.”
• Year 6 pupils reported that they are “happy and safe at school” and know what to do if they have concerns.

Areas to improve

• The report states the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice” due to the inability to evaluate educational quality.
• The inspection was unable to evaluate “the lines of inquiry” or “the quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms.”
• The ETI could not assess the extent to which the school demonstrates “capacity to effect improvement through self-evaluation and effective school planning.”

Safeguarding

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