Report of a Primary Inspection - Holy Evangelists’ Primary School and Nursery Unit
DE Ref No 403-6702
September 2025
1. Introduction
A. Background information
Holy Evangelists’ Primary School and Nursery Unit is a large Catholic-maintained school situated in Twinbrook, on the outskirts of West Belfast. The school enrolment is 528. The school comprises a double nursery unit, an early years specialist provisions class, a nurture class, two social communication classes and 19 mainstream primary classes. Almost 70% of the children have free school meals entitlement and 27% have been identified as having special educational needs (SEN). A small number of newcomer children attend the school. The complexity of needs that the children are presenting with has risen sharply in recent years, particularly in early years, where there are increasing levels of speech, language, and communication needs. The school has an extensive staff body which includes a principal, vice principal, SEN co-ordinator (SENCO), 28 teachers and 47 classroom assistants, almost all of whom are SEN assistants.
Tomeet the increasing complexity of the children’s needs, the school has developed a range of specialist provisions and supports. The most recent addition to the provision was in September 2024 when the early years specialist provisions class opened to provide targeted support for the youngest members of the school community and to ensure the local children could attend their local school with their peers and siblings, rather than travelling distances. In 2024, Nancy, the much-loved therapy dog, also joined this vibrant school community. There are two well‑established social communication classes which support the children who have social and communication needs, with a key focus on integration and inclusion into the life of the whole school. The Little Seeds nurture class, which opened in 2010, continues to play a vital role in providing small-group nurture support.
The school has achieved several awards over recent years, including the Boxall Quality Mark*, Eco Green Flag Status* and it holds Silver ‘Rights Aware’ Status in the UNICEF Rights Respecting School Award*.
B. Views of pupils, parents and staff
The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) issued online confidential questionnaires to the children in year 7, parents and staff in advance of the inspection.
The responses to the questionnaires are referenced, where relevant, within the main body of the report. A high-level summary of the questionnaire responses, including any concerns raised, was shared with the principal and a representative of the board of governors.
C. The process of inspection
The ETI worked alongside Holy Evangelists’ Primary School and Nursery Unit to consider how well the school:
- has identified and articulates its vision;
- prioritises actions to achieve the vision;
- overcomes the main challenges it faces;
- monitors and reviews progression to define, celebrate and embed success; and
- grows and develops an inclusive community of learning.
2. Main report
A. Setting the vision
Holy Evangelists’ Primary School and Nursery Unit’s vision was revisited in 2024 in response to the changing context of the school community. As a result of robust and honest collaboration, that was integral to whole-school self-evaluation and the school development planning processes, the school community developed their unique THRIVE statement to articulate their vision of everyone working together as a team, happy, responsible, inspired, valued and encouraged to fulfil their potential. THRIVE is more than a statement to the school community. It informs all aspects of the school’s ethos and is lived out through the strong relationships, inclusive practices and high expectations for all.
The journey from amalgamation in 2015 has been led sensitively and skilfully by the strategic senior leaders and governors who are wholly committed to the school and are highly effective in challenging, empowering, encouraging and supporting the school community to achieve fully the school’s vision. Self-evaluation and whole‑school planning for improvement is collegial, comprehensive and robust. Extensive and meaningful collaboration with the whole school community, and information from a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, are used successfully to identify strengths and priorities for improvement and to monitor closely progression at whole-school, key stage, class and individual child level.
The board of governors is committed fully to the school and to ensuring the THRIVE vision is embedded in the lived experiences of all. They are well informed about all aspects of the life and work of the school and are visible and active members of the school leadership team who make high-level contributions to whole-school strategic self-evaluation and planning for development.
B. Implementing and improving to achieve the vision
There is a welcoming, safe and well-organised learning environment in each class across the school which is characterised by clear routines and positive, nurturing and encouraging interactions between the staff and the children. As a Rights Respecting School, the emphasis on developing thinking skills and personal capabilities infused into lessons contributes to the positive, calm and purposeful learning environment.
The teachers’ long- and medium-term planning for progression in learning across the school is consistent, comprehensive and detailed. In numeracy, the planning for mental mathematics sets out clear learning intentions and incorporates the teaching of explicit strategies for mental mathematics and active approaches to learning which both engage and challenge the children. In the most effective numeracy lessons, teachers make connections with previous learning and use skilful, open-ended questioning to prompt the children to think critically and solve problems. There are well-planned opportunities for the children to engage actively with their learning in pairs and in groups, supporting each other and building on each other’s ideas and thinking. Strong at-elbow support from all the adults during lessons helps the children to stay on task and engage productively with their learning. As a result, almost all of the children: use practical resources purposefully to help them learn; can think flexibly and apply their skills and understanding to new learning in their maths lessons and across the curriculum; and use high-level mathematical terminology, with increasing confidence, as they progress through the school.
Long-term planning for literacy has been enhanced through the strategic whole‑school focus on the use of high-quality texts and shared reading. As a result, shared reading lessons are used effectively to develop and broaden the children’s vocabulary and deepen their understanding of language. The explicit modelling of reading by teachers across the key stages supports the children very effectively in their reading, enjoyment and understanding of text as they can hear and emulate what a fluent and competent reader sounds like. Where these lessons are most effective, the shared reading activity is linked seamlessly to the further development of the children’s phonological awareness, high order comprehension skills and purposeful writing, successfully integrating the teaching of reading, writing, and talking and listening. This approach: supports the holistic language development of the children; makes reading more meaningful; helps the children to understand vocabulary, themes and structure; and supports the children to use evidence from the text to respond to what they have read. The school has identified appropriately the need to disseminate and embed fully the most effective practice to ensure consistency of high expectations for standards in learning and teaching across all classes.
There are good working relationships between the children, the classroom assistants and the teachers. There is also effective partnership working between the classroom assistants and the teachers. The skilful use of open-ended questioning modelled by the teachers is reflected in the questioning that the classroom assistants use with the children.
A key strength is the shared, whole-school commitment to the children’s well-being, underpinned by a deeply embedded culture of care, inclusive pastoral systems, and visible, approachable leadership, all of which enable the children to feel safe and cared for. Daily routines, such as morning greetings, restorative practices and recognition boards foster trust, emotional safety, and respectful relationships across the whole school community.
The children benefit from a wide range of well-being strategies, including therapeutic support and structured routines, while staff well-being is actively supported through participation in the Education Authority’s Being Well, Doing Well* programme. The need to strengthen the school’s approach to promoting healthy eating has been acknowledged through the school’s self-evaluation processes and is now being proactively addressed. The current school development plan also recognises the potential of the physical education (PE) curriculum to support pupil well-being. The inspection endorses the plans in place to review and expand the breadth of the PE curriculum to enable pupils to benefit further from high quality PE that promotes both physical health and emotional well-being.
Safeguarding policies are robust, co-developed with children, and reviewed regularly to ensure they remain relevant and impactful, contributing to a safe and responsive environment.
C. Building equity
The ethos of the school and actions of the staff reflect respect for each child and the school values and promotes diversity and inclusion, treating the children fairly and addressing individual needs. Across all classes, the staff are nurturing and supportive of all the children. The children with SEN are identified early in their educational journey and are supported sensitively and effectively to overcome their barriers to learning and, as a result, are making good progress in their learning.
Within the nursery unit, good use is made of a bespoke baseline assessment to support the identification of additional needs and a Talk Boost* programme is delivered in partnership with parents to those children who require additional support with their language and communication. Across the school, individual targets in the Personal Learning Plans (PLP) reflect the children’s progress in learning, are reviewed regularly and amended as necessary. The current action plan for SEN identifies appropriately the need to ensure the consistent use of measurable targets and to strengthen the voice of the parents and of the child within the PLP process.
There is good communication with the parents of the children with SEN through a communication digital application (App) and a communication notebook. As a result, the parents feel listened to, informed and supported; this was commented on positively in the parental questionnaire responses. The use of learning assistant logs within the class ensures that there is clear evidence of how well the children are meeting their weekly targets and provides a good communication tool between the classroom assistants and teachers. The children with SEN can articulate how they learn and what learning and teaching strategies work best for them.
There is a wide range of strategies in use across the school to support the children, including the effective use of calming boxes which contain fidget toys and sensory resources, and sensory rooms and spaces around the school where the children can manage their emotions and then re-integrate into whole-class learning. The children are also encouraged to use occupational therapy strategies, such as movement or brain breaks, and relaxation breaks, to help them to manage their own emotions. The teachers are sensitive in responding to the children when they use these strategies and recognise and praise where they have ‘made a good choice’ in returning to their learning.
The personal development and mutual understanding (PDMU) curriculum includes well-chosen novels which provide opportunities to explore diverse cultures, supporting the school’s ethos where diversity is valued and recognised. The small number of newcomer children are well-integrated across the school and good use is made of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)* to monitor their progress in English. All children, including those in the senior social communication class, have an opportunity to put themselves forward for election as the class representative on the school council and the eco council.
The highly effective, small group withdrawal sessions for reading support follow the Reading Recovery* approach and are impacting positively on the reading levels of the children and their confidence in reading, letter recognition and phonics. The classroom assistants have also been upskilled to consolidate the learning with individual and small groups of children.
The principles of nurture which underpin the learning and teaching within the Little Seeds nurture class are well-embedded throughout the school. There are very good opportunities for the children in the Little Seeds nurture class to integrate with their base class, and ongoing support is provided for those children who were previously in the Little Seeds class who still need to engage for short sessions with the nurture staff. Nancy, the school’s cherished therapy dog, is a highly valued member of the school community and she plays an important role in improving the children’s well‑being or if a child presents as anxious or worried. Her impact was commented upon positively within the parental questionnaire responses.
The school has identified appropriately the need to focus strategically on improving the attendance levels of a small proportion of the children and recognises the adverse impact this is having on the children’s learning. Consequently, the school has designed ‘The Road to 100’ strategy to encourage and reward regular attendance. The school is monitoring the impact of this strategy on those children whose attendance has previously been low or irregular and will continue to work on specific interventions to support those children whose attendance levels are impacting on their progress in learning.
D. Defining, celebrating and embedding success
The commitment to the vision and to the children is evidenced in the children’s overall standards and achievements in learning and in the ethos, culture and relationships for learning that underpin the success of this school. Relationships and interactions are consistently supportive, encouraging and affirming, with adults celebrating the children’s attainments as they make small steps towards their goals, and encouraging them as they move forward. The school provides a safe physical and emotional space within which the children can thrive.
The teachers, supported by skilful classroom assistants, have high expectations for the children’s behaviour, and for their contributions to, and engagement in, their learning. As a result, almost all of the children engage fully in their learning, contribute confidently to whole-class discussions, remain on task and respond very well to their teachers’ high expectations of them.
Across the school, the children write independently from the foundation stage and there is progression in writing across a range of genres, including retelling stories, writing recounts and writing reports. The children use a wider range of punctuation and more imaginative vocabulary as they progress through the school. The school has identified the development of peer- and self-evaluation as an ongoing priority and the inspection affirms this as a well-judged action to continue to raise the standards in spelling, punctuation, grammar and presentation of the children’s work.
The children benefit from a rich community of learning. Within classrooms, the children engage confidently in collaborative tasks, and the well-established strategies and approaches promote harmonious relationships. Across the school, learner participation is actively encouraged. As a Rights Respecting School, the children’s voice is highly valued. They are provided with opportunities to contribute meaningfully to school life and develop leadership roles through, for example, the eco and school councils and through participation in focus groups. Their recent involvement in the review of the anti-bullying policy has improved their understanding and use of conflict resolution strategies.
The children across the school engage confidently and purposefully with digital technologies. In discussions with inspectors, the children spoke positively about using digital devices to support research and report writing. They demonstrated a good awareness of internet safety, discussing issues such as fake accounts, the use of blocking tools, and the importance of seeking help from trusted adults.
Through the Crescendo* programme, the children have access to music tuition with specialist tutors. The children in key stage 2 told us they started their learning with miniature instruments and have progressed to larger, full-size instruments including the viola, violin and flute. They also expressed their enjoyment of performing at public events with the Ulster Orchestra and at the Peace Proms. The children told us about their enjoyment of PE and in particular swimming in years 5, 6 and 7 and after-school clubs, where they had opportunities to enjoy dance, basketball and football.
E. Growing a community of learning
The school demonstrates a strong and embedded culture of collaboration, articulated within their THRIVE vision statement as “Together we are a team”. This vision is evident across all aspects of school life and contributes significantly to the children’s well-being, engagement and achievement. The staff are committed to continuous professional learning and to the culture and ethos of collegial working that exists across the school. They work collaboratively across year groups, including nursery and specialist provisions classes, to learn from and support each other, and to ensure consistency in planning, language, and approach. This collaboration supports not only the academic and emotional development of the children but also creates a culture and a positive working environment where staff proactively learn from and support each other.
The school is very proud of their extensive links with the parish and community which foster cohesion, a sense of belonging and contribute positively to and significantly enhance the children’s learning experiences. The children in the nursery access a wide range of enrichment activities through local links, including visits from the fire service, dental hygienists, musicians, and council representatives. Their participation in music and movement programmes promote physical and language development. Across the school, wraparound care, breakfast club and after-school activities ensure inclusive access to extended learning.
Parental engagement is highly effective. The staff work in partnership with the parents. There is daily communication via a home-school communication App, informal contact opportunities, and regular newsletters which help to foster strong home-school relationships. The nursery staff provide signposting to a range of services and facilitate programmes such as the Department of Education’s Getting Ready to Learn* and Big Bedtime Read* which support effectively the development of the children’s language and communication skills. The parents are actively involved in school life through workshops and fundraising. The transition arrangements to nursery and the early years specialist provisions class are well structured and include home visits and ‘stay-and-play’ sessions.
The senior leaders have planned strategically the professional learning for staff; this is a key strength. Continuous professional learning is research-informed and professional learning opportunities in, for example, Reading Recovery, numeracy strategies and emotional well-being for all staff have impacted positively on the children’s attainment. Professional learning in numeracy, received from the Education Authority, has been cascaded to all teachers and has led to a refocus on more practical, hands-on learning experiences which provide the children with physical representations of abstract mathematical concepts. This focus has enhanced the children’s confidence, understanding and development of mathematical concepts. In addition, the school is a member of a local school cluster, Twinbrook and Colin Trust (TACT), through which they use their extended school funding to deliver a speech and language programme for the children in years 1 and 2 and to secure regular access to a school counsellor.
F. Child protection
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.
3. Next steps
The governors, senior leaders and staff of Holy Evangelists’ Primary School and Nursery Unit are wholly committed to living out their vision through providing a safe and nurturing learning environment underpinned by caring relationships, inclusive practices and high expectations which successfully support each child to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
As set out in the school’s current development plan, the next step for the school is to disseminate and embed the most effective practice to ensure consistency of high expectations for standards in learning and teaching across all classes.
In addition, inspectors identified an aspect of highly effective practice from which others may learn. The aspect of practice which should be shared more widely is:
- the strategic work of the senior leaders and governors who are highly effective in challenging, empowering, encouraging and supporting the school community to achieve fully the school’s vision.
4. Appendices
Appendix 1: Quantitative Terms
In this report, proportions may be described as percentages, common fractions and in more general quantitative terms. Where more general terms are used, they should be interpreted as follows:
Almost/nearly all - more than 90%
Most - 75% - 90%
A majority - 50% - 74%
A significant minority - 30% - 49%
A minority - 10% - 29%
Very few/a small number - less than 10
Appendix 2: Notes
Page 1
Boxall Quality Mark*
The Boxall Quality Mark is awarded to schools that meet high standards in implementing Nurture principles.
Eco Green Flag Status*
The Eco-Schools Green Flag is an internationally recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning.
UNICEF Rights Respecting Silver School*
The UNICEF (UNICEF UK) Rights Respecting School Award recognises a school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school and beyond.
Page 3
Being Well, Doing Well*
This programme aims to support schools (nursery, primary, post primary, special and EOTAS) to develop a Whole School Approach to Emotional Health and Well-being.
Page 4
Talk Boost*
Talk Boost is a targeted programme designed to enhance the speech, language and communication skills of children aged 3 to 4 years.
Page 5
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages*
A language assessment tool that includes a set of benchmarks for English language acquisition; used primarily to identify what newcomer pupils can do, monitor progress and plan for language learning.
Reading Recovery*
A short-term intervention programme designed to help children improve their literacy skills.
Page 6
Crescendo*
A project delivered by the Ulster Orchestra and run in partnership with Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Shankill Children’s Zone and the Queen’s University Innovation Zones which delivers musicianship and instrumental lessons.
Page 7
Getting Ready to Learn* and Big Bedtime Read*
The Getting Ready to Learn project, of which the Big Bedtime Read is a component, seeks to support pre-school education providers to encourage and develop parental involvement in children's early learning.