The Diamond Primary School

Overview

This report details a Sustaining Improvement Inspection conducted in December 2018, which was significantly limited by industrial action. Because teachers refused to cooperate with inspectors, the ETI could not fully evaluate the quality of education or the school’s capacity for improvement. Consequently, the inspectorate states it is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education being provided for the children.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils reported “very good opportunities to develop a range of skills” through extensive extra-curricular activities, including language, science, and technology classes.
• Children indicated that school resources, particularly information and communication technology (ICT), “motivates them and they enjoy their learning.”
• Pupils stated they feel “safe and happy in school” and are aware of procedures to report safety concerns.

Areas to improve

• The report does not list specific pedagogical improvements because the inspection was unable to evaluate “the quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms” or the school’s self-evaluation processes.
• The school is designated as a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice” due to the inability to verify educational standards.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” and while pupils reported feeling safe, the ETI was “unable to evaluate fully the outworking of the arrangements for safeguarding in the school” due to the industrial action.