The focused inspection in April 2005 highlighted strengths in the work and provision of the Speech and Language Department, the leadership of the Principal, the hard-working and committed staff, and the behaviour of the children. The inspection identified the need for improvement in the following key areas:

• a sharper focus on standards and outcomes, including the need to make more effective use of information gathered to inform planning for learning and teaching; and

 

• the dissemination of the good practice within the school.

In the interval since the inspection, the following action which affects the work of the school, has taken place. For example:

• the Principal took on a teaching commitment;

 

• the Vice-principal, who was also the information and communication technology (ICT) co-ordinator, retired;

 

• a new mathematics co-ordinator was appointed;

 

• the school completed the Numeracy Strategy and became involved in the Raising Achievement in Numeracy programme; and

 

• the teachers received effective support from a South-Eastern Education and Library Board Curriculum Advisory and Support Service officer.

The Education and Training Inspectorate carried out a follow-up inspection on 15 October 2007.

The following are the most important improvements since the focused inspection:

• the development of a range of appropriate and effective strategies to promote numeracy across the school, including the provision of extended opportunities for problem-solving and data-handing, with children working effectively in pairs and groups;

 

• the good start made to the sharing of learning objectives and the summarising of these in plenary sessions at the end of lessons;

 

• the effective use made of information gathered to inform planning and to raise standards in numeracy; and

 

• the effective work of the mathematics co-ordinator in supporting the monitoring and evaluation of progress made across the school.

Good progress has been made in the areas for improvement identified during the original inspection. The educational and pastoral needs of the learners are well met. The parents and broader community can have confidence in the effectiveness of the school’s response to the findings of the inspection and its capacity for sustained self-improvement.

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2007

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Copies of this report are available on the DE website: www.deni.gov.uk or may be obtained from the Inspection Services Branch, Department of Education, Rathgael House, 43 Balloo Road, Bangor, Co Down BT19 7PR.

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