Tonagh Primary School

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was significantly limited because teaching staff participated in industrial action and refused to cooperate with the inspection team. Consequently, the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) could not fully evaluate the quality of education or assure stakeholders of its standard. The report concludes that the school is a “high priority for future inspection with no further notice.”

Strengths

• Year 6 pupils report “very good opportunities to develop their leadership capabilities” and to express opinions through the school council.
• Children enjoy the “range of play equipment available” and opportunities to participate in sporting activities during and after school.
• Pupils spoke positively about experiences working with children from another school through the “shared education programme.”
• Senior leadership cooperated with the inspection team regarding safeguarding responsibilities.

Areas to improve

• The ETI was unable to evaluate the “quality of learning and teaching within the classrooms” due to staff non-cooperation.
• The inspection could not assess the school’s capacity to effect improvement through self-evaluation or effective school planning.
• The outworking of safeguarding arrangements could not be fully evaluated owing to the industrial action.

Safeguarding

The school provided evidence that safeguarding arrangements “reflect broadly the guidance from the Department of Education,” and children report they feel safe, though the ETI could not fully evaluate the implementation of these arrangements.