I do not have a schools hit-list, O’Dowd insists [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 28 September 2011
Education Minister John O’Dowd has admitted that his department and the boards currently hold damning information on schools.
However, he has denied that those schools already identified as having falling numbers, unsatisfactory educational standards, poor leadership and financial deficits are the ones which will be axed.
The schools have come to the education and library boards’ and department’s attention through routine inspection reports and school returns.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
In my opinion: School policy has as much impact on pupils' achievements as curriculum [Independent.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
There has been a good deal of debate about whether the current Leaving Certificate model serves young people well. An Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study published recently clearly shows that the current system narrows the range of pupil experiences and focuses both teachers and pupils on 'covering the course'.
This research, funded by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Department for Education and Skills, provides an important evidence base to inform policy development.
Our research shows that three aspects of school policy and practice are important: ability grouping, social climate and guidance. Some second-level schools use streaming, placing pupils in particular classes on the basis of entry tests.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Diary of a Schoolteacher: The spiralling human cost of axing Special Needs Assistants [Independent.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
It's been a hard slog for some in this school since our Special Needs Assistant was let go. Take, for example, Harry O'Hooligan from my Transition Year class. At the beginning of last year Harry was ''asked to leave'' by the boys' school down the road. They had never had an SNA and we did the kind thing and accepted him in our school.
Harry and his mother were confident that this would signal a brand new chapter in his career of mayhem creation in our town and they were counting on us to provide him with an SNA to take him out of class until he was old enough to work in his very wealthy dad's paving company.
Only it didn't work out that way and now I find myself stuck with Harry in my class, unwilling to pick up a pen or open a book and mouthing off his mantra, ''My future's secure with FU Paving Systems''.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Please sir, will you be my Facebook friend? [Independent.ie]
- Published: 28 September 2011
Schools are struggling to keep up with the social networking revolution as teachers and students come across each other on Facebook and other websites.
Managers are having to set new boundaries on what kind of communication is appropriate between teachers and students.
Should they be friends on Facebook -- and should teachers be tweeting from behind their desks?
School authorities also have to decide on whether staff should be accountable for their behaviour outside the classroom, when it emerges online.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
National School Annual Census Return 2011-2012
- Published: 28 September 2011
The annual census form is now available to download from the DES website. Forms are to be completed by the 30th October 2011 and emailed to primarycensus@education.gov.ie
