64 inspection reports published on Department's website [education.ie]
- Published: 15 December 2011
A total of 64 school inspection-reports were published today on the Department of Education and Skills' website.
New inspection reports on the web today comprise:
- 23 whole-school evaluations (WSEs) of primary schools
- 8 WSEs of post-primary schools
- 32 stand-alone subject inspections in post-primary schools
- 1 stand-alone programme evaluation in a post-primary school.
Since 6th February 2006, inspection reports on schools and centres for education are published on the Department of Education and Skills' website at regular intervals throughout the school year.
There are now 5,259 inspection reports on the website, representative of 2,096 schools and centres for education.
WSEs are conducted in primary and post-primary schools.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Quinn 'to press ahead' with teaching post cuts [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 15 December 2011
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is set to go ahead with plans that could see almost 430 teaching posts lost in disadvantaged schools, despite objections from principals and backbench TDs.
The Irish Independent reports he has warned there is no "magic wand" to solve the problem, following a meeting this week with backbenchers and teachers from establishments likely to be affected.
Around 270 primaries and 163 second-level schools that have previously received assistance under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme are set to find out next month how their teaching resources will be affected.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Taoiseach defends education cuts [IrishTimes]
- Published: 15 December 2011
SUPPORTS FOR disadvantaged schools are still in place, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted, while conceding 428 teaching posts will be lost over three years.
Mr Kenny was responding in the Dáil to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who said school principals believed the cuts would “devastate disadvantaged schools”.
Mr Martin said a letter by Cork principals highlighted the improvements in schools involved in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (Deis) programme, where pupils had “flourished emotionally and developmentally”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Primary school league tables show 1,310 schools failing on English and maths [guardian.co.uk]
- Published: 15 December 2011
More than 1,000 primary schools are failing to reach official targets for teaching children the basics of English and maths, according to figures published on Thursday.
League tables show 1,310 primary schools in England fall below the expected standards, while about 150 schools have been below the "floor standard" for five consecutive years.
Doggedly under-performing primary schools face a change of management, either by converting them to academies or merging them with a successful school nearby.
The figures for schools are based on the results of tests taken by more than half a million 11-year-olds in May. The percentage of children reaching the expected level in English and maths rose in this year's tests.
However, a third of pupils failed to achieve the expected standard – level four – in reading, writing and mathematics combined. One in 10 boys is leaving primary school with the reading age of a seven-year-old, the figures show.
Full Story: www.guardian.co.uk
Over 400 teachers to be axed from schools as cuts bite [Independent.ie]
- Published: 15 December 2011
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn is pressing ahead with plans to cut almost 430 teachers from disadvantaged schools despite complaints from disgruntled backbenchers.
He has told Labour TDs that there is no "magic wand" to solve the problem as he brings in €76m of cutbacks in the education budget.
Mr Quinn has met a number of Labour TDs, Fine Gael TDs and principals of disadvantaged schools. During the boom years, these schools were given extra teachers, school book grants and support staff to break the cycle of poor school results and high drop-out rates in their areas.
But teacher numbers will be cut under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme announced in last week's Budget.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
