IPPN

Published: 05 December 2019

The 2018 OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results were announced on Tuesday 3rd December and contain some very encouraging results, as well as some areas for concern.

Key findings include:

• Ireland ranks 4th out of 36 OECD countries and 3rd out of 27 EU countries for reading literacy
• Ireland ranks 8th out of 77 countries/regions involved in PISA 2018 for reading literacy.
• Ireland has significantly fewer low-performing students (11.8% below level 2) and significantly more high performers (12.1% at levels 5 and 6) than the OECD average.
• In Ireland, the difference in performance between schools is lower than the OECD average
• Irish post-primary schools can be considered relatively equitable, as well as having above average performance in the 3 assessment domains of Literacy, Mathematics and Science.
• In Ireland, 84% of Irish students attained Level 2 or higher in Mathematics (OECD average 76%). When measuring Level 5 attainment, 8% of our students attained the top level compared with 11% OECD average
• In Ireland, 83% of students attained Level 2 or higher in Science (OECD average 78%). In Ireland, 83% of students attained Level 2 or higher in Science (OECD average 78%). 6% of Irish students attained the top level compared with the OECD average of 7%.

PISA is steered by member governments through the OECD, on the basis of shared, policy-driven interests. Since 2015, PISA has been managed by a consortium of 5 institutions under the direction of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States. In Ireland, PISA is implemented by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. For the main study, a representative sample of 157 schools in Ireland was selected to participate in PISA 2018. The criteria included enrolment size, sector (Secondary, ETB/vocational, community/comprehensive) and gender. In each school, up to 44 students aged 15 years (those born in 2002) were selected to participate.

For further information on PISA 2018 in relation to Ireland, please follow this link

Click here to view the DES Press Release

 

Published: 29 November 2019

As outlined in last week’s e-scéal, the NCSE explored the issue of ‘Full Inclusion’ at their recent Research Conference in Croke Park. The purpose of the conference was to examine what a fully inclusive education system looks like and explored the Full Integration model as it exists in two other jurisdictions. Before any new model is even considered, it is IPPN’s view that there will have to be widespread consultation with all stakeholders, including principals, teachers, parents, patron bodies, teacher unions and all agencies currently involved in supporting children with special needs.

Session 1 of the conference looked at ‘Initial Teacher Education and Ongoing Professional Development for Inclusion’. Peter Hick (Manchester Metropolitan University ) and Joseph Mintz (University of London) co-presented on NCSE’s longitudinal study on Initial Teacher Education in Ireland, while Órla Ní Bhroin addressed the topic ‘What works in Professional Development for Inclusion.’

Session 2 was titled ‘The Journey towards Fully Inclusive Education Systems’. Two speakers from New Brunswick, Canada addressed the issue. Jody Carr, former Minister for Education in New Brunswick and member of Inclusion Education Canada spoke on lessons learned from the New Brunswick experience for students, teachers, principals, parents and policymakers. Kim Korotkov, Director of Special Education in New Brunswick spoke on the implementation of inclusive education. Portuguese Secretary of State for Education Joáo Costa outlined his country’s journey to a place where they have almost full integration.

With regard to the UN’s stated concerns regarding the education of pupils with SEN in special schools and special classes (Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), there are two fundamental questions that need to be answered:

• What are the reasons why SEN students should continue to be educated in special schools and classes away from their mainstream peers?
• What are the reasons why we should adopt a fully mainstream approach?

In answering those basic questions, the existing model of provision here in Ireland needs to be examined. What is working well? Where are the deficiencies and can these be fixed? More importantly, it needs to be examined whether the current model is meeting the needs of the SEN pupils? Simultaneously extensive research needs to be carried out into systems in other countries and provinces with profiles similar to Ireland. It will be very informative to examine in great detail the workings in the schools of New Brunswick and Portugal to see what is the actual reality on the ground. As noted in last week’s E-scéal, only two of the 163 jurisdictions that have signed the Charter have actually gone the route of full integration. The reasons why everyone else has not gone that route will be informative.

No recommendations have been made by the NCSE in relation to any proposed changes. IPPN needs to be in a position to make an informed decision and make our own recommendations and proposals.

Published: 21 November 2019

Those who attended the IPPN Autumn meetings were made aware that the NCSE were preparing a policy paper for the Minister in relation to Special Schools, Special Classes and Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 24 of the CRPD provides not only that children with disabilities should not be discriminated against but also that they are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability" and "can access an inclusive, quality and free primary and secondary education on an equal basis with others in their communities”.

The NCSE have quoted two jurisdictions that have adopted the practice of full inclusion, New Brunswick in Canada and Portugal. Of the other nine Canadian provinces and three territories, no one else has adopted this approach. There were 163 signatories of Article 24 which include countries or regional integration organizations that have signed the Convention and its Optional Protocol. 161 have not followed the full inclusion model. Some countries placed restrictions on their ratification. When the UK government ratified the UNCRPD in June 2009 it placed restrictions on its obligations. Two of those relate to Article 24. The first changes the UK’s definition of a ‘general education system’ to include segregated education:

“The United Kingdom Government is committed to continuing to develop an inclusive system where parents of disabled children have increasing access to mainstream schools and staff, which have the capacity to meet the needs of disabled children. The General Education System in the United Kingdom includes mainstream, and special schools, which the UK Government understands is allowed under the Convention. The second reserves the UK’s right to send disabled children to special schools outside their local area:

“The United Kingdom reserves the right for disabled children to be educated outside their local community where more appropriate education provision is available elsewhere. Nevertheless, parents of disabled children have the same opportunity as other parents to state a preference for the school at which they wish their child to be educated.”

There is not a lot that we might copy from the British system but it is interesting to see their interpretation. So what does that mean for us as school leaders in relation to this policy advice. First it is important to recognise that actually the NCSE made no recommendations. Secondly the words of the Minister for Education are important.

“This Government is continuing the huge increase in investment in special education. It is unprecedented. Special education is an ongoing priority. By next year we’ve funding for 1,886 special classes, 13,620 special education teachers and 17,014 Special Needs Assistants.

“All of this investment is to try and ensure that children are educated in an inclusive setting as far as practicable. Each child should be educated with their peers in mainstream wherever feasible and this is very much reflected in what the NCSE has stated in this progress report.”

On the initial findings of the NCSE report, the Minister said: “Any decision about whether to move towards greater inclusion of all students in mainstream requires very careful consideration”.

The Minister acknowledges that inclusive settings are preferred ‘where practicable’ and SEN pupils educated with their peers ‘wherever feasible’. Many of us would agree with these sentiments. There is a different reality that exists for many schools in Ireland. In New Brunswick each school has their own support team. For many schools in Ireland this would be a dream as many have no access to NEPS, no CAMHS, no access to therapists, no nursing support, limited supports in their school in terms of SNA and extra teaching support.

As school leaders we need to debate these issues but we also need to ensure that the rational voice of practitioners is heard during the next six months of consultation. We owe that to all of our pupils, parents and staff.

Published: 21 November 2019

On Tuesday, 12 November, Minister for Education & Skills, Joe McHugh TD issued an update on the schools’ remediation programme. While progress is being made, there are a great many schools still affected, a fact which is putting considerable strain on school communities and those school leaders managing in very difficult and stressful situations.

To support our members, IPPN has established a support group for schools affected by the Western Building Systems issue, through which they can share concerns, possible solutions and general advice. If your school is one of those affected by the issue, please email your contact details, including email and mobile phone number, to damian.white@ippn.ie. This is a support group for principals and deputy principals only.

Click here to view DES Circular