Ulidia Integrated College

Overview

This sustaining improvement inspection was conducted during industrial action, meaning inspectors could not fully evaluate teaching quality or safeguarding implementation. The report notes that while the school demonstrates capacity for improvement through strategic leadership alignment and rising attainment, the ETI is “unable to assure parents/carers... of the quality of education provided” due to limited cooperation.

Strengths

• Attainment of five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, is “significantly above the Northern Ireland average” for similar schools.
• Pupils entitled to free school meals achieve results “well above the NI average” in key subjects.
• Middle leaders are engaged in a “bespoke programme of continued professional development” to drive whole-school improvement.
• Pupils speak positively about teacher support and use tracking systems to “set personal targets for improvement.”

Areas to improve

• The proportion of pupils attaining any five GCSEs at grades A* to C remains below the Northern Ireland average.
• Several safeguarding policies require review to reflect “the most recent guidance.”
• All governors must receive appropriate training to “perform fully their roles” in safeguarding.

Safeguarding

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