Inspection Summary Report - Killen Primary School, Castlederg

Killen Primary School, Castlederg

DE Ref No 201-2641

Inspection Summary Report - June 2026

• The recently revisited school vision, values and mission underpin all aspects of the work of the school.
• The processes for self-evaluation are sufficiently robust and evidence informed, drawing on effective analysis of a range of information to identify appropriate priorities for development.
• The highly effective planning and rigorous monitoring and self-evaluation supports effective learning teaching.
• Assessment for and of learning is embedded across the school.  The children have a very good understanding of their progress and the next steps in learning.
• The children engage well in lessons; they are happy, confident and enjoy learning.
• The well-planned, relevant curriculum provides the children with rich learning experiences and opportunities across a range of practical, collaborative and cross‑curricular activities.  The school has identified the need to further develop play, particularly outdoors.
• The children can apply digital technologies to enhance their learning; they develop a secure understanding including of online safety. The well-structured and varied digital programmes build well their digital competencies in using a wide range of technologies.
• A comprehensive range of targeted interventions, underpinned by robust assessments and effective multi-agency collaboration, ensures that support for children’s learning is responsive, matched to need and impactful.
• The richness of learning experiences, coupled with adaptive teaching are contributing to very good outcomes for the children.  All the children are making progress as expected in numeracy, and almost all the children make progress as expected in literacy.
• Staff professional learning is strategically planned and aligns well with the areas prioritised in the school development plan
• The arrangements for learner participation and the partnerships with parents and external agencies enhance appropriately the children’s wellbeing and impact positively on their attainment, leadership-development and readiness for transition to post-primary level.
• The children’s attendance is high (currently 97%), reflecting the children’s positive engagement and sense of belonging within an inclusive school community.
• The children report they feel valued and well supported in school.  They are supported well through participation in impactful classroom experiences and activities that promote wellbeing, inclusion while developing important life skills.
• The school has established a highly inclusive and well-embedded culture of success for each child.
• At the time of the inspection, the evidence provided by the school demonstrates that the arrangements for child protection align to the current statutory guidance.

Next steps

Killen Primary School is an inclusive community of learning, where the shared values, positive relationships and well-established commitment to each child’s success are evident across all aspects of school life.

As identified by the school and endorsed by the inspection, the next steps for the school are to take forward the following area for action: enhance further the provision for play-based learning and utilise more fully outdoor learning opportunities across the year groups.

The District Inspector will monitor the school’s progress in addressing the area for action as part of ETI’s routine monitoring processes.