Schools pledge to turn situation round after critical inspection reports

Both Lisnagarvey High and Dunmurry High School have now been placed in a formal intervention process which currently involves just 1% of Northern Ireland’s schools, after inspectors rated the quality of education as “inadequate”.

However both schools’ Governors say they are committed to addressing the issues and they are confident improvement is already happening.

In what will be seen by many people as confusing, the schools were inspected between November 2008 and March 2009 and while several needs for improvement were highlighted, it was found at the time “in most of the areas inspected the quality of education provided in this school is satisfactory”.

But follow-up inspections at Lisnagarvey and Dunmurry, as well as St Gemma’s in Belfast, have since rated the quality of education at the schools as “inadequate”, and all three were criticised for GCSE results well below the average in Northern Ireland.

When Dunmurry High was inspected in 2009 the main strengths of the school included the quality of the teaching in the majority of the lessons observed. Yet in March this year, inspectors raised concerns about decreasing GCSE results after just 4% of pupils achieved A*-C grades in five or more GCSE subjects including English and Maths.

Strengths identified by inspectors of Lisnagarvey in November 2008 included the significant improvement in the standards reached by those pupils taking five or more GCSEs at A*-C. This contrasts with recent findings that criticised the school for just 7% of pupils obtaining grades C or above in five or more GCSE subjects.

A spokesperson for Lisnagarvey’s Board of Governors said the school is working to address areas where improvement is required.

“Lisnagarvey High School has, in recent years, risen to the challenge of the Bain report and has increased its enrolment from 280 pupils to 420 pupils, this is a 50% increase. The South Eastern Education and Library Board have made significant capital investments in the school in recent years due to its increased exam performance and enrolment.”

He continued: “The Board of Lisnagarvey High School are aware from the inspection report of the areas which we have to make significant improvement. In recent years the school’s exam results improved and the inspectorate praised the work of the staff and pupils.

“Last year, uncharacteristically, the results of five GCSEs including English and Maths were below the standard which we expect and the school has addressed this and is working to see the requisite improvement.

“The Governors are satisfied that by working closely with the South Eastern Education and Library Board the school exam performance will improve to achieve its full potential.”

He added: “The University of Durham’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring has indicated that the school’s predicted examination results will improve greatly in the very near future. As a measure of this the school expects a 51% pass rate in five GCSE’s including English and Maths for its current Year 9.

“The commitment and work ethic of the staff and pupils is to aspire and achieve their best results. This sense of purpose within the school is unquestionable.

“We would cite our Easter Revision course where, in recent weeks, our current Year 12 spent one week of their Easter Holidays working with 20 teaching staff who voluntarily assisted with pupil revision. These indicators of success have not been noted by the Inspectorate and the Governors feel that the standards and ethos of the school are going from strength to strength.”

Dunmurry High’s Board of Governors said it accepts improvements need to be made.

“The governors of this school accept the recommendations of this report that improvements must be made in the areas highlighted, all with a common goal of improving the learning experience for every pupil attending Dunmurry High School” they said.

“The governors would also emphasise that pro-active approach, already evident, from the Principal, senior leadership team, assisted by the SEELB Link Officer and Curriculum Advisory and Support Service teams in their immediate development of the required action plans needed in the development of the necessary improvements within the report.

“The Board of Governors, senior leadership team and staff of the school are committed to addressing all areas of recommendation identified for improvement in the learning experience of pupils in this school and will work tirelessly to ensure their successful outcome.”

A spokesman for The SEELB confirmed the Boards of Governors, Principals and staff of the two schools are working closely with the SEELB Curriculum Advisory and Support Service (CASS) to develop action plans for improvement in the areas identified.

“Plans, once agreed by the schools, the SEELB and Department of Education, will be implemented with appropriate support and advice within the time scale established by the Department of Education.

“The Board of Governors fully support the Principal and the vision for the schools. We have every confidence in both the professionalism and dedication of the teaching staff.”

The formal intervention process was introduced as part of the school improvement policy that the then Education Minister Caitriona Ruane published in April 2009.

The process is designed to ensure that schools receive the tailored support they need from their local education and library board, working in partnership with other support bodies, to deliver improvement.

[email protected]