40 inspection reports published on Department's website [education.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2011
A total of 40 school inspection-reports were published today (22 February, 2011) on the Department of Education and Skills' website. New inspection reports on the web today include
12 whole-school evaluations (WSEs) at primary level
1 whole-school evaluation (WSEs) at post-primary level, including 3 subject inspections
21 stand-alone subject inspections
3 stand-alone programme evaluations
Since 6th February 2006, school inspection reports such as WSE and subject inspections are published on the Department of Education and Skills' website at regular intervals throughout the school year.
There are now 4,361 school-inspection reports on the website, representative of 1822 schools or centres for education.
WSE reports comment on the school's management, planning and management of resources, the effectiveness of teaching and learning, its arrangements for student assessment, supports for students, provision for minority groups and home-school links.
Depending on the size of the school, an inspector or team of inspectors visit the school for a period of time to evaluate management and planning; teaching and learning and supports for pupils.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Pre-school workers key to identifying abuse [IrishTimes]
- Published: 22 February 2011
Childcare staff who work with the 97 per cent of children in pre-schools, creches or montessori schools could be key to protecting them from abuse, the children's charity Barnardos said today.
Speaking at the publication of a new guide on safe-guarding children aimed at such workers, the charity's training manager, Anne Conroy, said they had an "ideal opportunity to observe [children's] development and well-being".
The guide Protecting Children , published by Barnardos, is about making the national Children First guidelines easy to understand.
Last year, 97 per cent of pre-school age children in Ireland participated in the free preschool year and related schemes, said Ms Conroy.
She said early-years teachers had "a unique opportunity to play an important role in identifying child protection and welfare concerns if they arise."
She cited British research published in 2007 which found children between the ages of birth and four years were most at risk from child abuse, highlighting the vulnerability of pre-school children. "It is essential that early years and school age services promote positive professional practice that incorporates the protection of children."
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Teachers not to blame for 14 years of political mismanagement [Independent.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2011
MARY Coughlan's blase statement at the Fianna Fáil Education Policy launch that 'primary teachers lack the requisite skills' needs to be challenged.
The 30th Dail, in which Education Minister Coughlan served, resulted in the increase of class size to the second largest in Europe, despite the massive crisis in newly qualified teacher unemployment.
It also saw the removal of grants to children with special educational needs and cutting of language supports to non- English speaking children.
It is, unfortunately, typical of Mary Coughlan and Fianna Fail to blame everyone from hard-working primary teachers to Lehman Bros bank for 14 years of mismanagement.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Online maths resource ‘as gaeilge’ [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2011
‘Mata ar Líne’, the online maths resource ‘as gaeilge’ sponsored by COGG, is being made available for free access to all primary schools in the country.
Mata ar Líne is a set of 80 fun curriculum-based maths games, available online as Gaeilge, suitable for primary school pupils and teachers.
Funded by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), all Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools in the country have been given access to the online facility.
In addition, COGG has purchased a licence from the developer iLearn to provide universal access for primary schools to this excellent resource for a period of three years. Teachers, pupils and parents in all primary schools in Ireland can access the games for free, 24 hours a day, through www.iLearn.ie.
The maths activities are an excellent support to the revised maths curriculum as well as developing general numeracy skills. They will be a useful resource for all Irish medium schools, north and south.
Schools looking for relevant content to use with interactive whiteboards and digital projectors will welcome the announcement.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
Catholic schools honoured in week-long celebration [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2011
To celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2011, TY students from St Kieran’s College Kilkenny opted to teach religion lessons in local primary schools.
Catholic Schools Week 2011 was celebrated across Ireland from Sunday 30 January to Saturday 5 February.
Now in its third year, the week is a celebration of Catholic primary and post-primary schools throughout the country, north and south, and an acknowledgement of the contribution that these schools make to Irish society and to the mission of the Church.
The theme for this year, 'Catholic Schools - Rooted in Jesus Christ', was inspired by the Pastoral Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland, which was published on 20 March 2010.
To mark the week in their own unique way, twelve Transition Year students from St Kieran’s College Kilkenny - themselves interested in teaching as a career - volunteered to prepare and deliver a religion lesson to 5th and 6th class pupils in the local St Patrick’s De La Salle and St John of God primary schools.
Their lessons focused on saints whose feast days occurr around springtime such as St Bridget, St Blaise, St John Bosco and St Patrick. The students delivered the lessons in pairs, assisted by the class teacher.
All involved reported that the experience was worthwhile, educational, enjoyable and a great success.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
