Inspection Summary Report - Mullaglass Primary School, Newry

Mullaglass Primary School, Newry

DE Ref No 501-1019

Inspection Summary Report – May 2026

• The school has a clearly defined and well‑embedded vision and values, centred on truth and endeavour, developed collaboratively with the school community. These are understood and lived out by the children, fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive environment where the children are motivated to learn, persevere and succeed.
• The children are well-mannered, confident and articulate learners who achieve very good outcomes in literacy and numeracy.
• The School Development Plan outlines appropriate development priorities, which have been informed by wide consultation with the school community.  The action plans require further refinement to better support middle leaders in evaluating the impact of the plans on the children’s outcomes.
• Teaching is most effective where learning intentions are clear and child-friendly, explanations are concise, lessons are well‑paced, and assessment for learning is used consistently.
• The school’s recent focus on improving spelling, expanding outdoor learning, and developing children’s film and animation skills has strengthened the curriculum, enhanced learning opportunities, and improved the children’s outcomes in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology.
• The children value the extra-curricular and physical education programme, where opportunities such as inter-school competitions not only foster teamwork, resilience, and pride in representing the school, but also contribute positively to the children’s overall wellbeing and physical health.
• The staff provide a highly effective and inclusive approach to special educational needs, characterised by well-planned provision, targeted interventions and adaptive teaching. This empowers the children with additional needs to access learning, make meaningful progress and experience success.
• The staff provide a range of leadership opportunities for the children, enabling them to take responsibility, contribute to decision‑making and engage actively in initiatives that are beginning to positively influence school life.
• The staff have engaged in a range of professional learning opportunities; to enhance further school improvements there should be more planned opportunities for staff development, alongside strategic sharing of learning and a stronger focus on evaluating its impact on learning and teaching.
• 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

Mullaglass Primary School’s vision ‘To be a community where respect and kindness guide our actions, and a love of learning inspires every individual to achieve their full potential’ is understood by all and lived out daily within the school.

The inspection has identified that Mullaglass Primary School should take forward the following area for action: to prioritise and strengthen staff professional learning through strategic, planned opportunities aligned with school improvement priorities, with a clear focus on evaluating the impact on the learning and teaching.

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