Report of a Primary Inspection - St Ninnidh’s Primary School
DE Ref No 203-1880
September 2025
1. Introduction
A. Background information
St Ninnidh’s Primary School is a catholic maintained, co-educational primary school situated in the village of Derrylin in County Fermanagh. Enrolment has remained stable over the past four years and there are currently 144 children enrolled in the school. Eleven percent of the children have free school meals entitlement. Almost one-quarter of the children have been identified as having special educational needs (SEN); 11 of whom have a statement of educational need. There are 16 newcomer children in the school.
A non-teaching principal was appointed in the school in 2022. Significant development work within the school building and in the grounds has been undertaken in the last two years. At the time of the inspection a new Third Generation (3G) pitch, fully funded by the school community, was nearing completion.
The school has attained a number of external accreditations including the Digital School of Distinction* award, the Rights Respecting Schools* bronze award, and the ECO Schools Green Flag* award. The school is a Northern Ireland Forest School* accredited school.
B. Views of pupils, parents and staff
The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) issued online confidential questionnaires to the children in year 7, and all 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 representatives of the board of governors.
C. The process of inspection
The ETI worked alongside St Ninnidh’s Primary School 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
The school vision, captured by the motto ‘Hand in hand we will achieve’, is lived out in the vibrant, inclusive learning community where all children are nurtured and supported to achieve academically and develop as caring, responsible lifelong learners. A child-friendly version of the school vision provides the children with a visual road map and successfully supports them to understand and embody the underpinning values. The children who met with us spoke confidently about how they live out the core values through their relationships with their teachers and peers. In discussions, and the written questionnaire responses, they articulated clearly their sense of belonging and how much they enjoy their learning. The school ethos is characterised by a joyful pride in the talents of the children with high aspirations for every child to grow and develop to their full potential.
Good teamwork and highly effective partnerships within the school and with the wider school community are core to the school realising successfully its vision. Through the inspirational leadership of the principal and governors, the school environment has been transformed to provide a high-quality learning environment for the children, both outside, with the development of the outdoor learning areas and 3G pitch, and inside, with the reconfiguration of the classrooms.
The wide range of robust monitoring and evaluation procedures in place informs appropriately the priorities for the school development plan. The co-ordinators are highly knowledgeable about their subjects and are successful in bringing about improvements in learning for the children and measuring the impact of their improvement actions.
The governors have an appropriately wide skill set which they put to very good use in their strategic oversight of the school. They have embraced a broad range of training courses to support them in their role, are highly involved in the school and are very knowledgeable about the key priorities. Through the detailed co-ordinator reports, they are well informed about the impact of the ongoing development work and exercise their challenge function, when necessary, to further their understanding.
B. Implementing and improving to achieve the vision
Planning, teaching and assessment for learning are driven by high expectations for the children and a shared commitment to the school’s ‘Aim high’ ethos. Learning is effective across the school and features well-paced lessons with clear learning intentions that build on the children’s prior knowledge, including the respectful and creative use of natural resources and outdoor spaces. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used meaningfully to enhance the children’s learning. The teachers and classroom assistants provide excellent support and empower the children to take risks and ‘have a go’ in their learning.
The children benefit from a broad, balanced and well-connected curriculum, including initiatives, such as, the Junior Entrepreneur Programme, which promotes the children’s creativity, enterprise, and real-world application of skills. The planning for learning is enriched by purposeful, hands-on, and “fun” experiences, such as growing and harvesting tomatoes to make bruschetta, coding tasks to develop the children’s computational thinking, and outdoor learning activities rooted in real-life contexts, which promote purposeful learning. The newly developed outdoor space is used well to provide active learning experiences and a connection with nature. The children told us that they appreciate the opportunities to: acquire important life skills, such as growing vegetables and fruit in the polytunnel; make connections in their learning; and understand the impact of local environmental issues. Through their rigorous self-evaluation processes, the staff have identified appropriately the need to review aspects of the planning.
Over the last three years, the school leaders have made significant investments in ICT hardware, ensuring that the children have access to up-to-date digital resources to support and enhance their learning. Digital storytelling and computational thinking are embedded in the curriculum. The children engage confidently in coding activities and use subject-specific language, such as algorithm and debugging. By the end of key stage 2, the children have high levels of digital competence, producing structured, engaging podcast scripts and multimedia presentations tailored to specific audiences. The sector-leading podcasting project ‘The Derrylin Diaries’, exemplifies purposeful communication, with Year 7 children developing their technical skills in scripting, editing and presenting, while gaining real-world experience through formal engagement with local role models. The children told us this integrated approach to learning is developing their confidence, creativity and broadening their understanding of career pathways.
There is a clear, strategic commitment to promoting the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of all the children. The school’s inclusive ethos summarised in the value statement, “We look after each other” is evident clearly in the culture and operational routines of the school. The children benefit from a holistic well-being programme that includes daily peer affirmation which fosters a culture of kindness, alongside a healthy eating programme and a wide range of physical activities. The installation of the 3G pitch will enhance the physical education and sport facilities for the school and also provide an additional community resource. The children told us that they enjoy participating in the school’s physical education programme and in a wide range of sporting activities and competitions. They are confident about how to stay safe online and have a secure knowledge of digital safety measures, including the use of strong passwords and parental controls.
C. Building equity
Across the school, the staff are flexible and empathetic in their approaches, adapting sensitively to the diverse educational and pastoral needs of the children and their families. Inclusive practices are embedded seamlessly throughout all aspects of the school day, within a welcoming and well-organised learning environment. A carefully considered and structured transition programme fosters a smooth transition into year one and reflects the school’s effective commitment to early intervention, ensuring that each child’s pastoral, developmental and educational needs are identified successfully and supported appropriately from the outset.
The comprehensive range of assessments tools, supported by in-class assessments and observations, enables an in-depth analysis of the progress being made by the children. These detailed insights are used very effectively by staff to identify children who have SEN and to inform the next steps for them in planning and support. A well-planned range of tailored strategies is in place to support the children. These include the deployment of the skilful classroom assistant support, the highly effective use of strategies such as visual timetables, choice boards, calm corners, and the school’s self-funded sensory room. The children are prepared well for the transition to post‑primary education through the transition programme and highly successful partnership working with a local post-primary school.
The classroom assistants play a key role in the daily monitoring of the progress and well-being of children identified as having SEN, through the completion of observation booklets. The consistent approach to observation and monitoring informs well the highly effective use of structured, bespoke and child-centred movement and sensory breaks for children with additional needs. These breaks support successfully the children to regulate their emotions, improve their focus, behaviour and emotional well-being.
The insights gained from the observation booklets, along with teacher observations and assessments, are used appropriately to inform target setting within the personal learning plans (PLPs) for children with SEN. These plans are framed in a positive and nurturing tone. Guided well by detailed feedback from the senior leadership team, the staff are working to ensure that the PLP targets are more incremental and enable the children achieve and celebrate small steps in their learning.
A creative and responsive approach to small group numeracy booster sessions allows the class teachers to deliver targeted learning support to the children who need more help with this aspect of their learning. At the time of the inspection, the school staff were at the early stages of establishing the groups and planning for learning to meet the identified needs of these children. The reading partnership programme provides an impactful intervention for children who need some extra support with their reading.
D. Defining, celebrating and embedding success
The children in St Ninnidh’s are keen and enthusiastic learners who appreciate the range of interesting and active learning experiences that their teachers provide for them. Across the school, the children who spoke with us, and those who completed the online questionnaires, articulated clearly that they find their learning fun and enjoyable. They have high expectations of themselves and work with focus and perseverance in individual and group tasks.
The children support each other thoughtfully in pairs and small groups, sharing ideas respectfully and building on one another’s contributions during science investigations, mathematical games, and writing and coding activities. They are provided with appropriate opportunities to engage in purposeful group decision‑making and reach consensus through discussion and negotiation. The children make informed predictions during scientific enquiry and problem-solving activities, using prior knowledge to justify their thinking.
The children are achieving very good standards in their literacy and numeracy; as evidenced in their work in class and their standardised test scores. They take pride in their work, and the attractive displays throughout the classrooms and public spaces showcase the children’s learning and achievements, creating a vibrant and affirming learning environment. The staff make very effective use of data, supported by their professional judgment, to monitor the children’s progress, identify children who would benefit from targeted support and plan whole school areas for improvement.
The children’s achievements, both inside and outside of school, are acknowledged and celebrated consistently through a wide range of awards which the children value. A particular highlight for the children is the regular Monday morning assembly where they share their successes with pride and are affirmed by the school community. The children speak clearly and confidently in assemblies and in class, engaging positively and with ease with adults, each other and visitors to the school. They clearly enjoy singing and perform to a very high standard. The staff make good use of photographs and share the children’s learning and achievements with the wider community on the informative and popular school website. The children in year 7 are developing their readiness for post-primary transition through the fostering of their independence, resilience and self-belief.
E. Growing a community of learning
Within St Ninnidh’s primary school, the ethos, culture and relationships for learning enhance the sense of shared purpose among the staff team. The staff and classroom assistants are child centred in their approach and their enthusiasm for their work is evident in their responses to ETI’s confidential questionnaire and in their meetings and conversations with inspectors.
The school’s extensive and ongoing partnership work with the wider community is highly effective and is rooted in: an understanding of the needs of each child; a commitment to their holistic development; and a commitment to the school’s vision, ethos and cultural traditions. It is underpinned by the common goal to broaden the children’s learning experiences and enhance the quality of the provision through meaningful external collaboration.
The highly productive partnerships with parents and the wider community enhance further the positive learning environment within the school. The talents, interests and enthusiasm of the local community are harnessed very effectively to the benefit of the children.
Through partnerships with local businesses, community groups and external agencies, the children are provided with rich, real-world opportunities to explore and learn about environmental and economic issues. Through initiatives such as the Junior Entrepreneur Programme, visits to local industries and manufacturing sites and participation in conventions focused on topics such as water quality, the children learn in meaningful and practical ways. As a result, they are curious, well-informed learners who can articulate their career aspirations at an early stage, and understand their responsibility to protect the environment, both locally and globally.
Through ambitious and proactive fundraising and successful grant applications, the school facilities have been significantly enhanced. In addition to the 3G pitch, a notable outcome is the opening of a sensory room which is used inclusively and intentionally to support the well-being of all.
The professional learning for all staff is prioritised strategically, resulting in a highly skilled and knowledgeable team. The impact of this professional learning is clearly visible in the classroom approaches and strategies used by the staff. In discussions with inspectors and the questionnaire responses, the staff identify as key strengths the open communication within the school, and the sharing of effective ideas and approaches to learning and teaching.
The staff focus on ensuring consistency in classroom practice across the school, to support a safe, structured learning environment; as a result, the children feel secure, valued and happy at school. The school has planned appropriately to embed this consistency in high-quality learning and teaching by facilitating teachers’ engagement in peer observation, allowing them to learn from each other’s practice through firsthand classroom experiences.
The highly effective strategic combination of community involvement, awareness of cultural identity, and a focus on educational ambition is driving successfully the school and its staff to achieve its vision for the children.
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
Transformative leadership, excellent working relationships, high educational ambition, and purposeful community connections which are rooted in cultural identity, underpin the success of St Ninnidh’s Primary School. Together the school community is empowered to realise the shared vision, ‘Hand in hand, we will achieve.’
As set out in the school’s current development plan, the next step for St Ninnidh’s Primary School is to take forward the development of aspects of planning, as identified through the school’s rigorous self-evaluation processes.
During the inspection, inspectors highlighted areas of highly effective practice from which other schools may learn:
- the sector-leading use of podcasting for purposeful communication and the development of children’s advanced digital skills, confidence in public speaking, and real-world understanding;
- the structured, child-centred and purposeful use of movement and sensory breaks to support both the emotional regulation of the children and their key learning and development priorities; and
- the highly strategic approaches to developing the learners’ skills, knowledge and understanding of the environment, society and economy, enriched by meaningful partnerships with the wider community.
The district inspector will continue to work with the school to disseminate these areas of highly effective practice and to monitor the school’s progress in addressing the next step as part of ETI’s normal monitoring processes.
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
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Digital School of Distinction*
A flagship awards programme which promotes, recognises and encourages best practice use of technology in primary schools.
Rights Respecting Schools*
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.
Eco Schools Green Flag*
The Eco-Schools Green Flag is an internationally recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning.
Northern Ireland Forest School*
The NI Forest School Awards have been created to encourage local primary schools to take an innovative, educational approach to outdoor play and learning, encouraging and inspiring children through positive outdoor experiences.