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An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills
Cigireacht Ábhair san Oideachas Sóisialta Pearsanta agus
Sláine (OSPS)
TUAIRISC
Ainm na scoile /
School name Coláiste Pobail Osraí
Seoladh na scoile /
School address
Bóthar Urmhumhan
Cill Chainnigh
Uimhir rolla /
Roll number 70641K
Dáta na Cigireachta: 25-04-2018
CAD IS MEASTÓIREACHT ÁBHAIR ANN? Tugann Cigireachtaí Ábhair tuairisc ar cháilíocht na hoibre i réimsí aonair curaclaim laistigh de scoil.
Dearbhaítear dea-chleachtas iontu agus tugtar moltaí iontu, de réir mar is cuí, chun cuidiú le forbairt
bhreise ar an ábhar sa scoil.
CONAS AN TUAIRISC SEO A LÉAMH
Le linn na cigireachta seo, rinne an cigire meastóireacht ar fhoghlaim agus ar theagasc san Oideachas
Sóisialta Pearsanta agus Sláinte (OSPS) faoi na ceannteidil seo a leanas:
1. Teagasc, foghlaim agus measúnú 2. Soláthar ábhair agus tacaíocht scoile uile 3. Pleanáil agus ullmhúchán
Déanann na cigirí cur síos ar an gcáilíocht a bhaineann le gach ceann de na réimsí sin agus feidhm á
baint acu as contanam cáilíochta na Cigireachta a thaispeántar ar leathanach deiridh na tuairisce seo.
Soláthraíonn an contanam cáilíochta samplaí den teanga a úsáideann cigirí agus iad ag déanamh
meastóireachta agus ag cur síos ar cháilíocht sholáthar na scoile i ngach réimse.
Tugadh deis do bhord bainistíochta na scoile a thuairim a léiriú ar thorthaí agus ar mholtaí na
tuairisce i scríbhinn; ní bhfuarthas freagra ón mbord.
Le linn na meastóireachta, rinneadh seiceáil mar a leanas ar nósanna imeachta na scoile maidir le caomhnú leanaí: 1. Tá ainm an teagmhálaí ainmnithe agus an ráiteas slánchumhdaithe leanaí ar taispeáint go
feiceálach gar do phríomhdhoras na scoile / sa limistéar fáiltithe. 2. Tá sé dearbhaithe ag gach múinteoir ar tugadh cuairt orthu go bhfuil ráiteas slánchumhdaithe
leanaí na scoile léite acu agus go bhfuil siad eolach ar a bhfreagrachtaí mar dhuine faoi shainordú.
3. Tá ráiteas slánchumhdaithe leanaí na scoile faofa ag an mbord agus áirítear ann athbhreithniú bliantúil agus measúnú riosca.
Bhí cleachtas na scoile ag teacht lena n-éilítear faoi gach ceann de na seiceálacha thuas.
This report is written in Irish. An English translation of the report is provided at the end of the report. Tá an tuairisc seo scríofa i nGaeilge. Tá aistriúchán Béarla den tuairisc ar fáil ag deireadh na tuairisce.
CIGIREACHT ÁBHAIR GNÍOMHAÍOCHTAÍ CIGREACHTA
Dáta na cigireachta 25-04-2018
Gníomhaíochtaí na cigireachta
Athbhreithniú ar cháipéisí ábhartha
Plé leis an bpríomhoide agus le príomhbhaill foirne
Caidreamh le scoláirí
Breathnú ar theagasc agus foghlaim le linn 3 thréimhse ranga
Scrúdú ar obair na scoláirí
Aiseolas don phríomhoide agus don fhoireann ábhartha
Comhthéacs na scoile
Gaelcholáiste comhoideachais is ea Coláiste Pobail Osraí faoi phátrúnacht Bhord Oideachais agus
Oiliúna Cheatharlach agus Chill Chainnigh. Tá rollúchán reatha de 234 scoláire sa scoil agus cuirtear na
cláir seo a leanas ar fáil: an tSraith Shóisearach, Idirbhliain éigeantach agus an Ardteistiméireacht
bhunaithe.
ACHOIMRE AR NA PRÍOMHCHINNTÍ AGUS MOLTAÍ CinntÍ
Bhí caighdeán an teagaisc go maith ar an iomlán le roinnt cleachtas ag leibhéal sásúil áit a raibh scóip chun feabhais.
Bhí cáilíocht na foghlama go maith ach bhí gá le tacaíocht agus scafláil teagaisc níos fearr sa Ghaeilge ó na múinteoirí chun tacú leis an bhfoghlaim.
Bhí an fhoghlaim ghníomhach ina cuid lárnach de na ceachtanna go léir ach bhí scóip chun feabhais i gceist maidir le baint amach na n-intinní foghlama.
Tá an phleanáil don fholláine go maith ar an iomlán agus is léir gur doiciméid oibre iad na pleananna curaclaim; tá polasaithe áirithe bainteach leis an OSPS in easnamh, áfach.
Tá an soláthar don OSPS agus an tacaíocht uile scoile don fholláine i gcoitinne ag leibhéal an-mhaith; ba léir gur spéis leis an mbainistíocht shinsearach cúrsaí folláine agus leagtar béim láidir inmholta ar fhorbairt phearsanta an scoláire.
Cé gur baineadh úsáid as teicneolaíocht faisnéise agus na cumarsáide (TFC) i gcásanna áirithe, bhí úsáid TFC chun tacú le foghlaim na scoláirí in easnamh i gceachtanna eile.
Moltaí
Moltar úsáid níos leithne a bhaint as an TFC chun tacú le foghlaim na scoláirí agus chun mórcheisteanna a bhaineann le OSPS a chur i gcomhthéacs laethiúl.
Ní mór do mhúinteoirí níos mó tacaíochta a thabhairt do scoláirí ó thaobh na Gaeilge de agus iad i mbun tascanna ranga.
Moltar go ndéanfadh na múinteoirí plé agus machnamh leanúnach ina measc féin ar bhaint amach na n-inntinní foghlama san OSPS ar bhealach éifeachtach cuimsitheach.
MIONCHINNTÍ AGUS MOLTAÍ
1. TEAGASC, FOGHLAIM AGUS MEASÚNÚ
Bhí cáilíocht an teagaisc go maith ar an iomlán le roinnt cleachtas múinteoireachta ag leibhéal sásúil, áit a raibh scóip chun feabhais go háirithe mar a bhain sé le tacaíocht a thabhairt do scoláirí ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. Réimse feabhais eile is ea úsáid acmhainní teagaisc oiriúnacha do na haoisghrúpaí éagsúla.
Rinneadh tagairt do litearthacht na Gaeilge i gceacht amháin agus díríodh aird na scoláirí ar cheist gramadaí chun cabhrú leo agus iad ag ullmhú do thasc ranga. Ar an iomlán, áfach, gné d’obair na scoile a bhfuil gá le feabhsúchán is ea ceist litearthacht na Gaeilge. Cailleadh deiseanna i bhformhór na gceachtanna chun réamhullmhúchán cuimsitheach a dhéanamh do thascanna ceachta, rud a chiallaigh go raibh scoláirí ag stracailt leis an téarmaíocht agus foclóir a bhí ag teastáil chun gníomhartha a chur i gcrích.
Moltar go mbeadh straitéisí litearthachta aontaithe i measc na múinteoirí agus curtha i bhfeidhm go leanúnach mar chuid de phlean feabhsúchán na scoile. Ní mór do bhaill foirne a bheith airdeallach ar chruinn úsáid na Gaeilge freisin agus iad i mbun teagaisc, mar a bhaineann sé le labhairt agus scríobh na teanga. Ní mór dóibh a bheith mar eiseamláirí scothchleachtais do na scoláirí.
Rinne múinteoirí iarrachtaí fónta a chinntiú go raibh an fhoghlaim ghníomhach mar chuid lárnach de na ceachtanna OSPS. Baineadh úsáid as obair bheirte, obair ghrúpa agus straitéisí gníomhacha eile chun na scoláirí a chur ag caint agus ag díospóireacht eatarthu féin. I gcás amháin chuir roinnt scoláirí obair d’ardchaighdeán i láthair a gcomhghleacaithe mar chuid den rang ach bhí scoláirí eile a raibh breis tacaíochta teanga de dhíth orthu chun cur i láthair éifeachtach a dhéanamh. Ní mór do mhúinteoirí aird a thabhairt ar riachtanais éagsúla na scoláirí agus an tacaíocht chuí a chur ar fáil chuige sin.
Bhí caighdean na foghlama go maith ar an iomlán sna ceachtanna a breathnaíodh ach bhí scóip chun feabhais in áiteanna maidir lena chinntiú go raibh na hacmhainní teagaisc ar baineadh úsáid astu, acmhainní TFC san áireamh, oiriúnach don aoisghrúpa a bhí i gceist. Braitheadh go raibh cuid den ábhar ró-pháistiúil agus ar an mbonn sin gur cailleadh an éifeacht is fearr ar fhoghlaim na scoláirí. Chiallaigh sé seo freisin nár baineadh amach na hintinní foghlama ar an mbealach is cuimsithí.
Moltar do na múinteoirí mionphlé a bheith acu ar na hacmhainní agus ábhair is oiriúnaí do ghnéithe éagsúla den OSPS do bhliainghrúpaí éagsúla. D’fhéadfaí cur go suntasach le méid agus le caighdeán an TFC sna ceachtanna chun téamaí agus ábhar a bhaineann le OSPS a chur i gcomhthéacs laethiúl do scoláirí. Ina theannta sin, moltar go ndéanfadh na múinteoirí plé agus machnamh leanúnach ina measc féin ar bhaint amach na n-intinní foghlama san OSPS ar bhealach éifeachtach cuimsitheach.
Rinneadh ullmhúchán an-mhaith do na ceachtanna uile a breathnaíodh. Ullmhaíodh acmhainní teagaisc roimhré agus bhí leanúnachas maith idir na tascanna ranga. Tugadh an iomad ama do na scoláirí chun cúpla tasc ceachta a chur i gcrích agus chaill scoláirí spéis tar éis tamaill in ábhair an cheachta dá bharr sin. Ní mór do mhúinteoirí a bheith airdeallach ar luas an cheachta.
2. SOLÁTHAR ÁBHAIR AGUS TACAÍOCHT SCOILE UILE
Tá an soláthar don OSPS agus an tacaíocht uile scoile don fholláine i gcoitinne ag leibhéal an-mhaith; ba léir gur spéis leis an mbainistíocht shinsearach cúrsaí folláine agus forbairt phearsanta an scoláire. Tá cáilíochtaí ar leith ag an bpríomhoide tánaisteach nua sa réimse seo agus tá sé i gceist ardchaighdeán a bhaint amach i réimse na folláine le himeacht aimsire.
Tá an tráthchlárú cuí déanta don OSPS agus don Fholláine. Tá tréimhsí dúbailte á gcur ar fáil faoi láthair san Fholláine chun buíonteagasc a éascú agus chun deis a thabhairt do na múinteoirí dul i ngleic leis an tsonraíocht nua i gceart.
Cuirtear OSPS ar fáil sna bliainghrúpaí go léir leis an soláthar cuí don Oideachas Caidrimh agus Gnéasachta (OCG) san áireamh, cleachtas a mholtar.
Tá naisc láidre idir an coiste cúraim, an bhainistíocht shinsearach agus múinteoirí a mhúineann OSPS agus OCG le cinntiú go bhfuil folláine agus sábháilteacht gach scoláire chun tosaigh.
Tá na cúrsaí forbairt ghairmiúil leanúnach cuí déanta ag na múinteoirí san OSPS ach de bharr athruithe foirne tá ball foirne amháin i mbun OCG nach bhfuil an cúrsa TRUST déanta aici. Réiteofar an cheist seo a luaithe agus is féidir.
Eagraítear seachtainí le saintéamaí éagsúla agus ócáidí ceiliúrtha eile sa scoil chun tacú le hobair na folláine ar nós seachtain na gcairde a dhíríonn ar cheist na frithbhulaíochta go sonrach. Tá córas docht i bhfeidhm sa scoil freisin chun ligint do scoláirí imní a chur in iúl más gá. Tuairiscíodh go bhfuil caidreamh an-dlúth idir an scoil agus na tuismitheoirí go háirithe mar a bhaineann sé leis an gcéad bhliain.
3. PLEANÁIL AGUS ULLMHÚCHÁN
Tá an phleanáil don Fholláine go maith ar an iomlán agus is léir gur doiciméid oibre iad na pleananna curaclaim cé go mbeidh gá iad a chaighdeánú amach anseo. Tá polasaithe áirithe bainteach leis an OSPS in easnamh, mar shampla polasaí cuairteoirí chun na scoile agus is gá an polasaí OSPS a thabhairt suas chun dáta. Moltar na heasnaimh seo a réiteach a luaithe agus is féidir.
Léirigh na doiciméid phleanála go soiléir go raibh obair chomhoibríoch ar siúl i measc na múinteoirí agus moltar an cur chuige sin. Chabhróidh a leithéid de mhodh oibre le forbairt agus cur chun cinn na folláine sa scoil amach anseo. Beidh tacaíocht iomlán na bainistíochta shinsearaigh ar fáil chuige seo toisc béim láidir inmholta a bheith sa scoil ar fhorbairt iomlán an scoláire.
Tuairiscíodh go ndéantar measúnú ar an OSPS go tráthrialta agus moltar an cur chuige sin. Bíonn ionchur ó na scoláirí trí Dháil na Scoile agus lorgaítear ionchur ó na múinteoirí freisin.
Moltar do bhainistíocht na scoile agus do na múinteoirí pleanáil a dhéanamh do riachtanaisí litearthachta na scoláirí sa Ghaeilge mar a bhaineann sé le OSPS agus OCG agus i gcomhthéacs plean feabhsúchán na scoile. Ba cheart straitéisí cinnte a chur i bhfeidhm le linn ceachtanna chun tacú le foghlaim na scoláirí.
Ag deireadh na meastóireachta, pléadh dréachtchinntí agus dréachtmholtaí na meastóireachta seo
leis an bpríomhoide, leis an bpríomhoide tánaisteach agus leis na múinteoirí ábhair.
Contanam Cáilíochta na Cigireachta
Déanann cigirí cur síos ar cháilíocht an tsoláthair sa scoil agus feidhm á baint acu as contanam
cáilíochta na cigireachta a thaispeántar thíos. Tugann an contanam cáilíochta samplaí den teanga a
úsáideann cigirí nuair a bhíonn siad ag déanamh meastóireachta agus ag cur síos ar cháilíocht
sholáthar na scoile do gach réimse.
Leibhéal Cur síos Sampla de na téarmaí tuairisciúla
An-mhaith
Úsáidtear An-mhaith áit a bhfuil cáilíocht na réimsí a
ndéantar meastóireacht orthu ar chaighdeán an-ard. Ní
bhíonn tionchar rómhór ag an líon beag réimsí atá le
feabhsú ar cháilíocht an tsoláthair ar an iomlán. Do
roinnt scoileanna sa chatagóir seo cáilíocht an tsoláthair
ar a rinneadh meastóireacht thar cionn agus is sampla é
do scoileanna eile de shárchaighdeáin soláthair.
An-mhaith; ar cháilíocht an-ard;
cleachtas an-éifeachtach; le moladh go
hard; an-rathúil; beagán réimsí le
feabhsú; go hiontach; ar chaighdeán
an-ard. Ar fheabhas: thar cionn; ar
sárchaighdeán; le láidreachtaí an-
suntasacha; thar barr
Maith
Úsáidtear Go maith áit inar léir go bhfuil na láidreachtai
sna réimsí a ndéantar meastóireacht orthu níos treise ná
na réimsí ina bhfuil gá le feabhas a dhéanamh. Bíonn
tionchar ag na réimsí ina bhfuil gá le feabhas a dhéanamh
ar cháilíocht foghlama na ndaltaí. Ní mór don scoil tógáil
ar a cuid láidreachtaí agus gníomhú le dul i ngleic leis na
réimsí atá aitheanta ina bhfuil gá le feabhas a dhéanamh
d’fhonn caighdeán an-mhaith a bhaint amach.
Go maith; cáilíocht mhaith; fiúntach;
cleachtas éifeachtach; inniúil;
úsáideach; inmholta; caighdeán maith;
roinnt réimsí le feabhsú
Sásúil
Úsáidtear Sásúil áit a bhfuil cáilíocht an tsoláthair sách
maith. Tá na láidreachtaí sa mhéid ar a bhfuil
meastóireacht á dhéanamh díreach níos treise ná na laigí.
Cé nach mbíonn drochthionchar suntasach ag na laigí
cuireann siad srian le cáilíocht na n-eispéireas foghlama
agus ba chóir déileáil leo d’fhonn caighdeán níos fearr a
bhaint amach.
Sásúil; sách maith; soláthar oiriúnach
cé go bhfuil féidearthachtaí ann le
feabhas a dhéanamh; leibhéal
cáilíochta inghlactha; is gá feabhas a
dhéanamh i réimsí áirithe
Measartha
Úsáidtear Measartha áit, in ainneoin go bhfuil roinnt
láidreachtaí sna réimsí a ndéantar meastóireacht orthu,
go bhfuil níos mó easnaimh nó laigí ann freisin ná na
láidreachtaí. Beidh ar an scoil dul i ngleic le heasnaimh
áirithe gan mhoill lena chinntiú go mbíonn an soláthar
sásúil nó níos fearr ná sin.
Measartha; laigí soiléire ann a bhfuil
tionchar acu ar fhoghlaim na ndaltaí;
gan a bheith sásúil; deacrachtaí ann; ní
mór feabhas a dhéanamh i réimsí ar
leith; gá le gníomhú le feabhas a
dhéanamh
Lag
Úsáidtear Lag áit a bhfuil easnaimh thromchúiseacha sna
réimsí a ndéantar meastóireacht orthu. Is gá don scoil
uile gníomhú láithreach ar bhonn comhordaithe le dul i
ngleic leis na réimsí atá mar ábhar imní. I gcásanna
áirithe, b’fhéidir go mbeidh gá le hionchur ó
ghníomhaireachtaí eile le tacú leis na feabhsuithe.
Lag; míshásúil; easnamhach;
neamhéifeachtach; go dona; athrú,
forbairt nó feabhas suntasach ag
teastáil; deacrachtaí suntasacha ann
An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
Department of Education and Skills
Subject Inspection in Social Personal and Health Education
(SPHE)
School name
Coláiste Pobail Osraí
School address
Ormond Road
Kilkenny
Roll number 70641K
Date of Inspection: 25-04-2018
WHAT IS A SUBJECT INSPECTION? Subject Inspections report on the quality of work in individual curriculum areas within a school. They
affirm good practice and make recommendations, where appropriate, to aid the further development
of the subject in the school.
HOW TO READ THIS REPORT
During this inspection, the inspector evaluated learning and teaching in Social and Personal Health
Education under the following headings:
1. Teaching, learning and assessment 2. Subject provision and whole-school support 3. Planning and preparation
Inspectors describe the quality of each of these areas using the Inspectorate’s quality continuum which is shown on the final page of this report. The quality continuum provides examples of the language used by inspectors when evaluating and describing the quality of the school’s provision in each area. The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and
recommendations of the report; a response was not received from the board.
During the inspection visit, the following checks in relation to the school’s child protection procedures were conducted: 1. The name of the DLP and the Child Safeguarding Statement are prominently displayed near the
main entrance to the school. 2. The Child Safeguarding Statement has been ratified by the board and includes an annual review
and a risk assessment. 3. All teachers visited reported that they have read the Child Safeguarding Statement and that they
are aware of their responsibilities as mandated persons. The school met the requirements in relation to each of the checks above.
SUBJECT INSPECTION INSPECTION ACTIVITIES
Date of inspection 25-04-2018
Inspection activities
Review of relevant documentation
Discussion with principal and key members of staff
Interaction with students
Observation of teaching and learning in 3 class periods
Examination of students’ work
Feedback to principal and relevant members of staff
School context
Coláiste Pobail Osraí is a co-educational Gaelcholáiste under the patronage of Kilkenny and Carlow
Education and Training Board. The school has a current enrolment of 234 students and the following
programmes are provided: The Junior Cycle, a compulsory Transition Year and the established Leaving
Certificate.
SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Findings
The overall quality of teaching was good; however there were some practices at a satisfactory level where there was scope for improvement.
The quality of learning was good although teachers need to provide better help and support in Irish to underpin learning.
Active learning was a central element of all lessons but there was scope for improvement in relation to achieving learning intentions.
Overall planning for Wellbeing is good and the curriculum plans are evidently working documents; however, some policies aligned to SPHE have not yet been developed.
Provision for SPHE and whole-school support for Wellbeing in general is of a very good standard; it was evident that senior management was interested in Wellbeing and the strong emphasis on students’ personal development is commendable.
Although information and communication technology (ICT) was used in certain cases, the use of ICT to support students’ learning was lacking in other lessons.
Recommendations
ICT should be used more widely to support students’ learning and to place the main themes around SPHE in an everyday context.
Teachers need to give students more support in the use of Irish when they undertake classroom tasks.
Teachers should discuss and reflect continuously among themselves on the achievement of SPHE learning intentions in an effective, comprehensive way.
DETAILED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND ASSESSMENT
Overall the quality of teaching was good; however, some teaching practices were at a satisfactory level with scope for improvement, especially with regards to supporting students when learning through Irish. Another area for improvement is the use of appropriate resources for the different age groups.
Reference to literacy in Irish was referred to in one lesson and students’ attention was drawn to a grammatical point to help them as they prepared for a classroom task. Overall, however, literacy in Irish is an aspect of work in the school that needs to be improved. In most of the lessons observed, opportunities for comprehensive advance preparation for lesson tasks were missed, which meant that students struggled with the terminology and vocabulary to complete activities.
Teachers should agree and progressively implement literacy strategies as part of the school’s overall improvement plan. Members of staff should also pay attention to accurate use of Irish, both written and spoken, when they are teaching. They must be role models of exemplary practice for students.
Teachers made commendable efforts to ensure that active learning was a central part of SPHE lessons. Pair work, group work and other active strategies were used to get students to discuss and debate among themselves. In one case, a number of students presented work of a high standard to their peers as part of the lesson, but other students needed targeted language support to produce effective presentations. Teachers must pay attention to and provide appropriate support for students’ various needs.
Overall the quality of learning in the lessons observed was good but in places there was scope for improvement with regards to ensuring that resources, including ICT resources, were appropriate for that particular age group. It was observed that some material was overly childish and hence students failed to learn in the most effective way. This also meant that learning intentions were not achieved as comprehensively as they could have been.
Teachers should discuss in detail the most suitable resources and materials for different aspects of SPHE for the various year groups. The extent and standard of the use of ICT in lessons could be significantly extended so as to place the themes and subject matter of SPHE in an everyday context for students. Moreover, teachers should discuss and reflect continuously among themselves on the achievement of SPHE learning intentions in an effective, comprehensive way.
Preparation for all of the lessons observed was very good. Teaching resources were prepared in advance and there was good continuity in lesson tasks. Students were given too much time to complete some classroom tasks and as a result lost interest in the lesson topic after a while. Teachers should pay attention to the pace of a lesson.
2. SUBJECT PROVISION AND WHOLE SCHOOL SUPPORT
The level of provision for SPHE and whole school support for Wellbeing in general is very good; it was clear that senior management was interested in students’ wellbeing and personal
development. The new deputy principal has specific qualifications in this area and it is planned to achieve a high standard in the area of Wellbeing in due course.
SPHE and Wellbeing have been appropriately timetabled. Double periods are currently being provided in Wellbeing to facilitate team-teaching and to give teachers the opportunity to engage properly with the new specification.
SPHE, including appropriate provision for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE), is provided for all year groups, which is commendable practice.
There are strong links between the care team, senior management and SPHE and RSE teachers to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all students are prioritised.
Teachers have completed continuing professional development (CPD) courses in SPHE but as a result of staff changes there is one RSE staff member who has not completed the CPD course in the TRUST programme. This issue will be rectified as soon as possible.
Themed weeks and other celebratory events are organised in the school to support wellbeing work - such as ‘friendship week’, which focuses specifically on anti-bullying. There is also a strong system in place in the school to allow students to disclose if they are worried, when required. It was reported that there is a close relationship between the school and parents, particularly in relation to first-year students.
3. PLANNING AND PREPARATION
Overall planning for Wellbeing is good and curriculum plans are evidently working documents although they will need to be standardised in the future. Certain SPHE related policies have not yet been developed, for example a policy on visitors to the school, and the SPHE policy needs to be updated. These omissions should be rectified as soon as possible.
The planning documents clearly demonstrated that teachers were working cooperatively, and that approach is commendable. Such procedures will help to develop and promote wellbeing in the school in the future. Senior management will give their full support to this given the commendably strong emphasis that the school places on students’ holistic development.
It was reported that SPHE lessons are regularly evaluated by staff and students and this good practice is commendable. Students have input through the School Council and input is also sought from teachers.
School management and teachers should plan for students’ literacy needs in Irish for SPHE and RSE and in the context of the school’s overall focus on literacy in Irish. Specific strategies should be implemented during lessons to support students’ learning.
The draft findings and recommendations arising out of this evaluation were discussed with the
principal, the deputy principal and with the subject teachers at the conclusion of the evaluation.
Published October 2018 / Foilsithe Deireadh Fómhair 2018
THE INSPECTORATE’S QUALITY CONTINUUM
Inspectors describe the quality of provision in the school using the Inspectorate’s quality continuum
which is shown below. The quality continuum provides examples of the language used by inspectors
when evaluating and describing the of quality the school’s provision of each area.
Level Description Example of descriptive terms
Very Good
Very good applies where the quality of the areas evaluated is of a very high standard. The very few areas for improvement that exist do not significantly impact on the overall quality of provision. For some schools in this category the quality of what is evaluated is outstanding and provides an example for other schools of exceptionally high standards of provision.
Very good; of a very high quality; very effective practice; highly commendable; very successful; few areas for improvement; notable; of a very high standard. Excellent; outstanding; exceptionally high standard, with very significant strengths; exemplary
Good
Good applies where the strengths in the areas evaluated clearly outweigh the areas in need of improvement. The areas requiring improvement impact on the quality of pupils’ learning. The school needs to build on its strengths and take action to address the areas identified as requiring improvement in order to achieve a very good standard.
Good; good quality; valuable; effective practice; competent; useful; commendable; good standard; some areas for improvement
Satisfactory
Satisfactory applies where the quality of provision is adequate. The strengths in what is being evaluated just outweigh the shortcomings. While the shortcomings do not have a significant negative impact they constrain the quality of the learning experiences and should be addressed in order to achieve a better standard.
Satisfactory; adequate; appropriate provision although some possibilities for improvement exist; acceptable level of quality; improvement needed in some areas
Fair
Fair applies where, although there are some strengths in the areas evaluated, deficiencies or shortcomings that outweigh those strengths also exist. The school will have to address certain deficiencies without delay in order to ensure that provision is satisfactory or better.
Fair; evident weaknesses that are impacting on pupils’ learning; less than satisfactory; experiencing difficulty; must improve in specified areas; action required to improve
Weak
Weak applies where there are serious deficiencies in the areas evaluated. Immediate and coordinated whole-school action is required to address the areas of concern. In some cases, the intervention of other agencies may be required to support improvements.
Weak; unsatisfactory; insufficient; ineffective; poor; requiring significant change, development or improvement; experiencing significant difficulties;