Strabane Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was significantly limited because teaching staff participated in industrial action and 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.” The school is designated a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Year six pupils spoke “confidently and enthusiastically” about their learning experiences and the support they receive from staff.
• Children valued opportunities to discuss school life through the “School- and Eco-Councils.”
• Pupils reported feeling “safe and happy in school” and knew who to contact regarding safety concerns.
• Children could “explain clearly how to stay safe online.”
• The principal cooperated with the inspection team regarding safeguarding responsibilities.

Areas to improve

• The lack of a “secure front perimeter fence” remains unaddressed, despite previous urgent recommendations.
• Access arrangements to the community playgroup, currently via the school playground, require review by the education authority and school.
• The ETI was unable to evaluate the quality of learning, teaching, or the school’s capacity for self-evaluation due to staff non-cooperation.

Safeguarding

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