Inspection Summary Report - Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Ballymoney

Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Ballymoney

DE Ref No 323-0075

Inspection Summary Report - April 2026

The school’s vision statement ‘Caring, sharing, learning together to meet the future’ is integral to all aspects of school life. It is well understood by the pupils and lived out by all members of the school community.
The pupils are articulate and respectful, engage with enthusiasm in lessons and demonstrate a readiness to learn.
The school development plan and action plans at all levels are supported by extensive consultation, identify relevant targets and are reviewed robustly to measure progress and inform the next stages of planning. The well-embedded processes for self-evaluation and action‑planning at all levels are firm foundations for ongoing whole-school improvement.
Most aspects of learning and teaching are effective and underpinned by the teachers’ shared understanding of planning lessons to optimise the pupils’ learning.
The whole-school focus on prioritising emotional health and wellbeing has been successful in the creation of a calm, nurturing environment, where everyone can belong, learn, and succeed.
The school has successfully established a deeply inclusive learning community in which every pupil is valued as an individual with unique talents and abilities that are recognised, understood, encouraged and developed.
The school has identified appropriately the need to review the curriculum to provide pupils at key stage 3 equal access to music and drama throughout key stage 3, and
increase continuity and progression in the pupils’ learning. Action has already been taken to address some key areas, but further work remains to be done.
Consistently high-quality personal learning plans have been implemented successfully across the school in a relatively short time. They provide relevant, precise information, including the views of the pupils and their parents, to support teaching, intervention and ongoing reviews of the pupils’ progress.
The pupils benefit from a well-planned careers programme which provides them with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to make informed choices and explore future career pathways.
The school has a vibrant culture of celebration of the pupils’ achievements. Success is defined, not only in terms of academic achievement, but also by how well the pupils live out the school’s core values of Respect, Kindness, Teamwork, Effort.
In 2025, nearly all (94%) of the year 12 pupils attained five or more GCSE (or equivalent) qualifications at grades A* to C; for a majority (73%), this included English and mathematics and is in line with the school’s high expectations.
Staff professional learning is strategic, closely aligned to the school development plan and informed by research, consultation with staff and the views of the pupils.
Collaboration is underpinned by an inclusive, pupil-centred ethos, with a range of impactful external partnerships.
Learner participation is a significant strength of the school, underpinned by purposeful leadership roles and a strong commitment to authentic pupil voice.
At the time of the inspection, the evidence provided by the school demonstrates that the arrangements for child and adult protection align to the current statutory guidance.

Next steps

Our Lady of Lourdes High School is living out successfully the vision statement, Caring, sharing, learning together to meet the future which distils concisely the pupil-centred, communal and aspirational ethos which is at the heart of the whole school community. It is expressed practically in the mutually respectful and supportive relationships at all levels which enable the pupils to thrive, the deeply inclusive culture across the school and the priority given to every aspect of the pupils’ wellbeing. The priorities for whole-school improvement are strategic and appropriate, and the evidence of this inspection indicates that measurable progress is being made.

As set out in the school’s current development plan, the next steps for Our Lady of Lourdes High School are to take forward the following area for action: to review the curriculum to provide pupils at key stage 3 equal access to music and drama throughout key stage 3, and increase continuity and progression in the pupils’ learning.

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

Inspectors identified aspects of highly effective practice from which others may learn. The aspects of practice which should be shared more widely are:

the deeply inclusive and welcoming school community in which all of the pupils’ needs are identified and addressed, notably through the insightful and practical personal learning plans; and
the staff’s commitment to giving pupils an authentic voice, through enhanced learner participation in decision-making and purposeful leadership roles.