This report has been written following a whole school evaluation of Scoil Eimhín Naofa. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the work of the school as a whole and makes recommendations for the further development of the work of the school. During the evaluation, the inspectors held pre-evaluation meetings with the principal, the teachers, the school’s board of management, and parents. The evaluation was conducted over a number of days during which inspectors visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. They interacted with pupils and teachers, examined pupils’ work, and interacted with the class teachers. They reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation, and met with various staff teams, where appropriate. Following the evaluation visit, the inspectors provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the staff and to the board of management. 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.

1.Introduction – school context and background

Scoil Eimhín is situated in the town of Monasterevin and serves a mainly urban area. It is a co-educational parish primary school for all infants, and girls to sixth class. At the beginning of first class the boys transfer to the neighbouring St Peter’s Senior Boys’ National School. The school is under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. Formerly administered by the Mercy order, the religious ethos is well preserved and an atmosphere of friendly co-operation and dedicated service permeates the school community. The vision statement states a commitment to the development of each child’s spiritual, intellectual, emotional, creative and physical potential. It also commits to the promotion of a caring, child-centred learning environment, influenced by the teaching and example of Jesus Christ, cultivating Christian values, respect, self-esteem and co-operation. Special care is to be shown for the less privileged and those at risk. It strives to make the school a centre of excellence in which high professional standards are maintained, developing partnership between staff, ancillary staff, parents, management and the local community.

The school receives additional resources under the Department’s Giving Children an Even Break Programme. This aid is channelled into the provision of enhanced curricular provision such as drama lessons by an outside instructor for all classes. Enrolment on 30 September 2005 was 296. It has been increasing slightly in recent years. More rapid increase is anticipated in the coming years as a result of significant extra housing in the locality. School attendance is good. The school community has been a homogeneous one until recent times when a number of pupils from other countries have been enrolled.

2.Quality of school management

2.1 Board of management

The board of management is properly constituted and its members are very supportive of the school. The board meets at intervals of 6 – 8 weeks and more often if necessary. It keeps abreast of recent legislation in education and has approved the school’s policies on discipline, anti-bullying, enrolment, health and homework among others. Of current concern is the challenge of working with children whose first language is not English and the anticipated fast growth in pupil numbers. An extra classroom and three special education rooms are being constructed as an extension to the school and the management of this project has occupied the board also. Overall, the school is well served by the board and very good communication channels exist between the board members, the parents and the wider community. Minutes of recent meetings were made available for inspection. Accounts are certified each year and a copy sent to the Patron’s Office in Carlow. The board has given leadership in drawing up the school plan and has ratified all documents developed. There is compliance with legislation and policies have been drawn up on such essential issues as school admissions, pupil attendance strategies, code of behaviour and child protection. There is compliance with Department regulations on such matters as the length of the school year, length of the school day, deployment of teachers and class size. The board engages with the teaching staff in relation to the quality of learning and teaching through the principal.

Parents’ representatives on the board act as a conduit between the school and the parents and play an important role in formulating school policy.

2.2 In-school management

The in-school management team consists of the principal, a deputy principal and four special duties post holders. The school’s dedicated principal is deeply committed to the overall welfare of pupils and staff members alike. She maintains excellent relations with her colleagues, members of the board of management and parents. She is highly commended for her sense of pride in the school and its traditions, her hands-on approach in coordinating the recent school extension, and her motivation to support the further development of the school. She leads by example and is very well respected in the local community. As principal teacher she undertakes her management and administrative duties in a professional manner and with meticulous care. She is effective in leading teaching and learning: by end of year review she monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of learning outcomes in curricular areas. She has structures in place for supporting newly qualified teachers and other staff members and prioritising professional development. With assistance from the deputy principal she ensures that official documents including the attendance book, roll books and the registers are maintained accurately. By example and exhortation she encourages the use of Irish as a language of communication throughout the school. She gives excellent overall direction to the planning process.

The deputy principal and special duties post-holders treat their areas of responsibility with commitment and provide written plans to indicate their current objectives. Their duties, which are wide-reaching, embrace curricular and administrative roles. Their job descriptions were drawn up with care and their contribution to the smooth running of the school is substantial. As well as curricular responsibility, the range of areas covered includes information and communication technology, library provision, the Green School, mission awareness and art displays. A perusal of those teachers’ activities indicates that they contribute much out-of-school time to their responsibilities. The principal and post-holders meet at least twice a term to discuss planning and general management issues. The deputy principal discusses management issues with the principal daily. Through their curricular responsibilities, post-holders contribute to school self-evaluation and review.

2.3 Management of resources

The school staff consists of an administrative principal, ten class teachers, two full time special education teachers, a part-time teacher for a special pupil and a part-time teacher for children of non-Irish nationals. Their employment and deployment are in accordance with Department regulations. Teachers are encouraged to seek a variety of teaching experience over time in the school. Every year teachers express three class preferences and the principal takes these into account in allocating classes. Most staff members attend summer courses on a voluntary basis. Areas prioritised for future staff development include Information and Communication Technology and intercommunication between staff for purposes of pupil reports. In the matter of ancillary staff, there is a full time secretary who provides invaluable clerical assistance to the principal and staff. There are two caretakers who rotate fortnightly and maintain the grounds and building in very presentable condition. There are two part-time cleaners who work for two hours each day and serve the school very well. There are a number of external tutors involved in the educational provision. Funds from the Giving Children an Even Break scheme are used to pay a drama teacher eight hours per week. Other tutors give training in violin, cello and tin whistle. A specialist PE teacher works for four-and-a-quarter hours per week. These tutors have a speciality in their own area and enhance the curricular provision to some degree. For the most part they are funded from money raised by the parents’ association. Their work is integrated into the school plan.

The school building dates from 1979. It is well laid out with a pleasant reception area. There are ten classrooms of ample size, but the general purposes area is small with several classrooms opening on to it. Shared areas of classrooms are used to house learning support and English tuition for non-national pupils. There is a purpose built school library which is comfortably laid out to provide pleasant reading corners for pupils of various ages. Part of it is sometimes used for resource teaching. There is a principal’s office, a secretary’s office and an ample staffroom which also serves as a staff library. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the board and the staff the internal ambience is very inviting with photographs and artwork neatly displayed in the corridors and circulation areas. Surrounding the school is a generous site which is admirably preserved by the two caretakers.

The school yard has an area suitably marked out for athletics and small sided games. There is a school field suitable for outdoor games, athletics and some outdoor and adventure activities.

The school has a well resourced Physical Education storage area containing all necessary equipment for the implementation of the six strands. Equipment is checked regularly and stock replenished as often as budget allows. There is a bountiful supply of teaching and learning equipment in all curricular areas. The school and class libraries are well stocked; a sufficient supply of big books and parallel readers is available together with series suitable for learning support. Materials for Science, Visual Arts activities, Mathematics, Music, History and Geography are acquired, catalogued and made available to teachers under the general direction of post-holders who share responsibility for their maintenance and renewal. Maps, charts, weighing scales, counters and Science equipment were seen in effective use during lessons recently. Many teachers have nature or investigation tables or areas in their classrooms. They all have pupils’ work on display in their classrooms and the corridors contain photographs and visual arts displays.

The school has a very comprehensive plan for the management and use of technology. An acceptable use policy for the internet has been drawn up. Computers are used in class for word processing, making presentations and working on published programmes in many curricular areas. A teacher with IT responsibility evaluates software and gives it to appropriate classes. Sixth class produced slideshows in Powerpoint and presented them to an audience. There is a digital camera which has been used to record important school events. The school has developed its own website which contains very commendable sections on local history. Currently there are plans to update the website, purchase additional software and arrange networking. All in all, ICT activity is very well structured and its potential is being extended under enlightened leadership.

2.4 Management of relationships and communication with the school community

The school has an elected parents’ association which is not affiliated to the National Parents’ Council. The members manage the task of parents’ council on behalf of all the parents in accordance with their council’s constitution. The parents’ council promotes the interests of the pupils in the school in cooperation with the board of management, principal and teachers. Parents have a key role in school planning. Draft school policies are sent to the parents’ council in advance of meetings for their observations. Some policy working groups had parents’ representatives on them e.g. Substance Use and Critical Incident policies. This practice is commended. There is very substantial and much appreciated assistance given to the school by the parents’ council. Services provided include fund-raising, providing Christmas party for all classes, the draining and reclamation of water-logged land received by the school from the parish, insulating ceilings within the school and serving on the school’s Book Rental Committee as well as excellent attendance at school matches and cultural events.

The school is conscious of its place in the community and strives to be obliging to local bodies. The board and staff facilitate work experience for Transition Year students: they also facilitate student teachers from colleges of education and Post Leaving Certificate students. Pupils take part in art competitions and quizzes in the locality; they also partake in the Community Games.

2.5 Management of pupils

Pupils are excellently behaved and show respect for their school. They relate respectfully, but confidently, to visitors. The school’s welcoming atmosphere and its ethos reflect a firm commitment to the development and extension of pupils’ skills in this area. The school has a clearly-defined and fair code of behaviour based on well thought-out rules. The code of discipline is carefully calibrated and allows for measured sanctions for transgressions of discipline.

3. Quality of school planning

3.1 School planning process and implementation

The Plean Scoile is clearly laid out and easy to follow. All required policies in both curricular and organisational areas have been developed. Evidence of a planning process can be seen in the presentation of the results of the school reviews carried out over the last two years. Plans have been reviewed recently in the areas of English, Irish, Mathematics, Science and Visual Arts. Areas marked out for attention in the near future include SPHE, Oral English and aspects of Mathematics. Plans and policies have been ratified by the board of management. All of the plans contain some references to concrete practices to be implemented within the school. Where the school actually develops its plans around these concrete practices, the plans are a useful complement to curricula and guidelines. The plan for English is particularly good in this regard. The plan documents specific practices in areas such as penmanship, phonological awareness, spelling, library and paired/buddy reading. Some plans could benefit from further revision in order to identify or develop specific practices, e.g. selection of songs, poems, Visual Arts activities, materials for Looking and Responding in both Music and Visual Arts. Such revision would assist the school in developing the whole-school coherency and continuity of its provision in these areas. The plan for English could benefit from further revision in order to identify appropriate standards of attainment at each class level in both writing and oracy. There is evidence that the content of the school plan is being implemented e.g. there is a system for storing and accessing resources, there is a list of topics and a system for whole-school display of children’s work.

For the future the school should guard against planning becoming a paper-gathering exercise. The school should develop its approach to planning by having as its central concern the extent to which its plans are making a difference to teaching and learning.

Evidence was provided to confirm that the board of management and staff have taken appropriate steps to develop policies in line with the provisions in Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (Department of Health and Children, 2004) and Child Protection Guidelines for Primary Schools (Department of Education and Science, September 2004). Evidence was also provided to confirm that the board of management has adopted and implemented the policies. A designated liaison person has been appointed in line with the requirements of the Departmental guidelines.

3.2 Classroom planning

All teachers had appropriate schemes of work and lesson notes and all had cuntais mhíosúla. As well as results of formal tests, some teachers had anecdotal reports on the progress of individual pupils. Generally, the reports related to the objectives set.

Where long-term planning is concerned, teachers’ yearly schemes are in line with the Primary Curriculum documents and with the school plan. The quality of the schemes suggests that the teachers invest considerable time and energy into the work and this is reflected in the good practice found in the different classrooms. The scheme outlines the strands and strand units of the curriculum to be taught, it also identifies the teaching methodology and organisation to be used, and the assessment practices to establish children’s learning.

In the matter of short-term plans, teachers provide weekly or fortnightly notes which are helpful and informative. Generally relevant objectives are outlined and the notes identify the content to be covered in the course of the period. Some teachers show the links to be made with other areas of the curriculum and outline the assessment methods to be used to determine how well pupils have mastered the objectives. This is good practice and is to be recommended.

Progress is recorded in the cuntas míosúil for which a template has been drawn up to ensure consistency. Each teacher identifies the strands and strand units covered in the course of the month and outlines the content taught in every area of the curriculum. The cúntas míosúil is appropriately detailed. The progress record is maintained centrally by the principal. Some teachers have kept brief reports on the progress of individual children. This is a practice which is to be recommended but the reports need to be fine-tuned so that they help in future planning. Individual Educational Plans of a high quality are maintained on pupils in receipt of special tuition.

4. Quality of learning and teaching

4.1 Language

An Ghaeilge

Bhí flúirse fearais agus ábhair léirithe ar fáil don teagasc i ngach rangsheomra agus baineadh úsáid mhaith astu. Labhraíonn na hoídí i nGaeilge go minic i rith an lae agus is léir go bhfuil meas ar an teanga á chothú sna daltaí. I ngach rang taispeántar pictiúir agus cairteacha áille chun spéis na ndaltaí a spreagadh sa Ghaeilge. Cothaítar scileanna éisteachta na ndaltaí i ngach rang trí úsáid leathan a bhaint as dlúthdhioscaí na scéime foilsithe agus cluichí éisteachta. De bharr na dea-oibre sin, is léir go bhfuil tuiscint mhaith ag na daltaí ar an teanga labhartha. Moltar mar chéim bhreise tuilleadh ábhair a thaifeadadh, ábhar le pictiúir agus caint, a mbainfeadh na daltaí taitneamh as. Bunaítear na ceachtanna comhrá cuid mhaith ar théacsleabhair ach dírítear aire mhaith ar dhrámaíocht, ar aithriseoireacht, ar amhránaíocht agus ar chluichí cainte. Eiríonn leis na daltaí cumas níos mó cainte a bhaint amach sna ranganna is mó ina gcleachtar obair ghrúpa agus obair bheirte agus moltar an nós seo a leathnú a thuilleadh. Baintear úsáid mhaith i gcuid de na ranganna as scéalaíocht chun cur le stór focal na ndaltaí. Bunaítear an obair léitheoireachta ar na téacsleabhair. Moltar ábhar léitheoireachta breise ina mbeadh scéalta a roghnú agus a úsáid uaireanta de ghrá an taitnimh. Scríobhann na daltaí cleachtaí as na saotharleabhair ar bhonn rialta. Tá an pheannaireacht ar chaighdeán ard agus déanann na hoidí maoirseacht chúramach ar na cóipleabhair.

Irish

There was a plentiful supply of equipment and illustrative material for teaching available in every classroom and good use was made of it. The teachers speak Irish frequently during the day and it is clear that respect for the language is being cultivated in the pupils. Pictures and attractive charts are displayed in all classrooms in order to stimulate their interest in Irish. The pupils’ listening skills are developed through widespread use of the compact disc component of the published scheme and of listening games. As a result of this good work, it is clear that the pupils have a good understanding of the spoken language. As a further stage in this development, it is recommended that additional material be recorded, material containing illustrations and speech, from which the pupils would derive enjoyment. Lessons in the spoken language are based to a great extent on textbook material but attention is given to drama, recitation, singing and language games. The pupils in classes, in which working in pairs and small groups is organised, succeed in attaining greater oral ability and it is recommended that this practice be extended further. Effective use is made of storytelling in some of the classrooms to add to the pupils’ vocabulary. Reading activities are based on the textbooks. It is recommended that additional reading material be provided from which stories could be selected and used occasionally for the sake of enjoyment. The pupils complete written exercises from workbooks regularly. Their handwriting is of a high standard and the teachers monitor their copybooks carefully.

English

Pupils’ progress in the various strands of the curriculum is carefully monitored and recorded and the development of pupils’ oral skills is treated as central to teaching and learning, not only in the English programme but in the context of a wide curriculum. Every opportunity is availed of to develop the children’s oral skills and they display a confidence and competence in discussion which is refreshing. The language corners and word walls are very stimulating. Every classroom is supplied with very good stocks of books and every room is attractive and print rich.

Appropriate aims and objectives are outlined for the teaching of reading. The pupils generally read their books with ease and were well able to discuss the content. Dictionary skills are being developed at the appropriate level in the middle and higher classes while the younger pupils compile personal dictionaries and pupils get plenty of opportunities to read for a variety of audiences. The children put together attractive books of their own to mark various significant times of the year and these books are displayed in some classrooms. The pupils at every level read a wide selection with meaning, they discuss the stories with enthusiasm and reading for leisure is given appropriate encouragement. In general, the pupils in the various classes read with accuracy and fluency and they have very good comprehension skills. Some classes do book reviews and the quality of such work observed in some classrooms showed that the pupils are capable of defending their choice of library reading materials.

Penmanship skills are appropriately developed in the infant classes and are improved through middle classes. By the time the pupils reach sixth class their penmanship is of a high standard. Written exercises over a variety of genres are cultivated and pupils are encouraged to review and amend their stories. Displays of children’s written work are provided in each room and this gives a sense of pride in work well done which is an important value to inculcate. At each level in the school, a love of poetry is fostered through discussing, analysing and sometimes memorising a suitable range of poems. Each child compiles an anthology which is brought forward from year to year and there are displays of children’s personal compositions throughout the school.

4.2 Mathematics

A comprehensive school plan for Mathematics ensures appropriate attention to all strands of the Mathematics programme throughout the school. Detailed individual teachers’ planning, both long-term and short-term, along with the use of a wealth of concrete and illustrative materials ensure that a wide and appropriate programme is taught in every classroom. Practical work is accompanied by wide discussion in the mathematics lessons and the importance of oral development at every stage of the work is understood. Tasks are well chosen, the resources are used effectively in the teaching and the children enjoy the wide programme.

At the infant level children’s curiosity and interest are stimulated by hands-on discovery learning; practical activities such as counting, matching, ordering, sequencing and partitioning are well developed at an appropriate pace. Children’s understanding of number work and awareness of shape and measure are incrementally developed through the remaining classes. Tables and algorithms are revised regularly and skills of oral computation and problem solving are well developed amongst the middle and senior pupils. Children’s written Mathematics is presented neatly and the work is monitored carefully at every level of the school. The value of mental questions to cultivate speed and accuracy in calculation is clearly understood.

4.3 Social, Environmental and Scientific Education

History

In junior classes, discussion, story, photographs and charts together with suitable in-class and outdoor tasks are used sensibly to establish pupils’ sense of time and chronology at an appropriate level. The work is continued through the middle and senior classes. Suitable topics are chosen from all strands of the History curriculum to develop the children’s interest in their local environment and people and to establish an awareness of culture, change and conflict throughout the ages. The school has adequate resources in the school library and in the classrooms to allow pupils to do research and personal study of a wide range of topics in history. Arrangements are made on a regular basis so that the pupils are taken out of the classroom to allow them to experience the local environment at first hand.

Geography

The School plan for the teaching of Geography focuses on teaching the pupils to study the local and other environments; teachers’ individual preparation deals with all the strands of the curriculum and there is due emphasis on the immediate environment.

The Geography lessons in the junior classes focus on the school itself and its immediate surroundings. Discussions in the lessons are designed to foster knowledge of the physical and human geography of the locality and to develop pupils’ awareness and appreciation of the environment and the people within it. Excellent use was made of photographic displays to bring the life and times of far-away people to the young pupils. In middle and senior classes pupils are also given opportunities to study the immediate environment at an appropriate level. Suitable topics from Ireland and abroad are studied and a wide range of environmental and geographical themes enhance pupils’ knowledge of human and natural environments in the local area, in Ireland and further afield. Some classes made beautiful maps of the local area. Children show a good knowledge of the topics covered and they have appropriate language skills to discuss the topics done. Appropriate textbooks are used for some lessons and occasional use is made of workbooks.

Science

Each teacher provides appropriate planning for the teaching of Science; the curriculum is broad and balanced and provides satisfactory coverage of the programme recommended in the Primary Curriculum handbooks. Activities are chosen and structured to stimulate pupils’ interest and curiosity. The school, using Department grants wisely, has provided generous supplies of appropriate resources for the Science programme. Lessons observed show that the equipment is well used to develop the appropriate skills and concepts. The pupils hypothesise before experiments, plan and test out ideas and choose apparatus well. Wide discussion work takes place in the course of the lesson and pupils are well able to describe the findings of their experiments. They use appropriate scientific language when discussing the experiments and they can handle the resources with ease. Interesting nature and investigation tables, well laid out and labelled, are a feature of the classrooms. Scoil Eimhín Naofa is a Green School and has been awarded the Green Flag twice to date. Wild-flower and vegetable plots have been developed and fruit trees sown. Pupils are encouraged to eliminate litter, to collect items for organic mulch and to measure rainfall. These are all very commendable actions to train pupils in good citizenship.

4.4 Arts Education

Visual Arts

Teachers’ planning across all strands of the Visual Arts programme, lessons observed and the beautiful displays of children’s work, both in the classrooms and in the circulation areas of the school, indicate that comprehensive coverage is given to a very wide programme. Much of the programme is integrated with other areas of the curriculum. At every level of the school the children are making progress and have developed an increasing ability to represent what they see through quite detailed drawings and paintings. They improve their use of a wide range of materials, crayon, paint, print, clay, fabric and fibre, to achieve the effect required. The children show a high level of enthusiasm while engaging in the Art activities and they clearly enjoy the work. Attractive displays of pupils’ work in the various techniques are mounted in the classrooms and outside, and portfolios of pupils’ work are available to support teachers in assessment. Materials have been provided to enable the pupils acquire an appreciation of artists’ work and a sense of their perception of the world around them.

Music

Teachers’ planning suggests a clear understanding and a balanced presentation of the strands of the curriculum. Age-appropriate activities in listening, responding, performing and composing are covered at the various levels. Throughout the school, pupils enjoy music and perform with confidence and enthusiasm. They behave well and concentrate on the lessons. The children sing a wide repertoire of songs in English and Irish, many of which are linked to other curricular areas. They clap simple rhythms and play percussion instruments with increasing levels of confidence. Some children sing ditties when entering and leaving the classrooms. Many pupils are learning the music of the whistle and the school has engaged visiting teachers to provide lessons in instrumental Music other than that of the whistle.

Drama

Drama is integrated with English and other curricular areas. According as PCSP in-service is provided it is hoped to broaden the scope of activities in this subject. At present, work in Drama is planned in collaboration with an external speech and language teacher and a syllabus is devised for the year. All pupils participate in the classes on a weekly basis. The opportunity should be availed of by teachers to ground this current work in the curriculum for the primary school through linking current practices to the specific curriculum objectives for each class grouping

4.5 Physical Education

Well-maintained, but limited indoor facilities are available for the teaching of this area of the curriculum. A generous supply of Physical Education equipment, appropriate to the ages of the pupils, is available to accommodate indoor and outdoor activities. Appropriate dress is worn on PE days, proper warm-up and cool-down exercises are done by the children and the lessons are well sequenced. Equipment available for use include items such as mats, basketballs, footballs, Unihoc sticks, hoops, beanbags, skipping ropes and other small materials.

The school policy for PE is thorough and is implemented effectively. The planning and management of the PE curriculum has the child as the focus of attention through the provision of a broad, balanced and well differentiated programme of physical activities. The five strands, Athletics, Dance, Games, Gymnastics and Outdoor and Adventure Activities, are taught at each class level. Practical Aquatics is covered from third to sixth class; it involves bringing the pupils to Moore Abbey swimming pool a few kilometres away. This is a wise use of an amenity within reasonable reach of the school.

This breadth of curriculum is praiseworthy. The lessons seen were very well structured, confidently organised, suitably paced and closely monitored. Teachers reinforce safety rules appropriately. The strands of gymnastics and dance were covered in well-planned sessions. The pupils were encouraged to take a full part in the activities at a level suited to their ability and support was discreetly given to pupils when needed. The pupils displayed a high level of fitness and skill and made very good use of the accommodation and resources. Plenary and group activities were undertaken successfully and in some cases pupils were exhorted to practise the movements at home also. In the course of some of the lessons use was made of the Irish language and this practice is highly commended.

4.6 Social, Personal and Health Education

The school has a detailed plan for this subject area. It is taught in discrete time and also through the spirit of kindness, understanding, helpfulness and tolerance which is palpable in the school environment on a day-to-day basis. The school has a healthy lunch policy Official programmes such as RSE, Stay Safe and Walk Tall are used to choose appropriate material and the views of parents and board are treated as invaluable in this sensitive area. Circle time is frequently used as a methodology and pupils engage with confidence in the discussions.

4.7 Assessment and Achievement

At the most formal level, standardised tests including the Micra-T and Sigma-T are applied annually to secure accurate measures of pupils reading and Mathematics. The MIST test is used in senior infants. Diagnostic tests are used to pinpoint special difficulties. Records are stored carefully and are available to teachers and parents concerned. The results of tests are considered and used to inform the selection of reading material and teaching methods. Teachers also keep portfolios of pupils’ writing and Visual Art work which enables them to consider progress over time.

5. Quality of support for pupils

5.1 Pupils with special educational needs

A whole school plan for learning support and resource teaching has been devised and is being implemented systematically. The school has the service of a full time learning support teacher and a shared special needs teacher. One particular pupil receives an hour’s tuition daily from a second part-time resource teacher. Individual education plans are completed for each child receiving special support. They refer to learning strengths, priority needs and targets. They are drawn up in consultation with class teachers. Reviews are undertaken at regular intervals and care is taken to ensure that pupils’ future needs are reviewed properly. The teachers provide an attractive and stimulating learning environment and commendable use is made of high quality resources including computer software and a broad range of well-illustrated reading material to enhance learning. Provision for all children with special educational needs has hitherto occurred chiefly on a withdrawal basis. Currently much of the learning support teaching is provided in the main classroom and this development is praiseworthy.

5.2 Other supports for pupils: disadvantaged, minority and other groups

There are no regular Traveller children in the school. A small few come and go. There are eight non-national pupils on rolls. They receive one hour’s tuition each day under the Department funded scheme. Approximately 45 pupils are considered disadvantaged according to the official criteria. The school provides books for them from the Free Books Scheme. School uniforms, school trips, and other necessities that may arise from time to time are provided from the Wheble fund, a bequest left to the area by a private donor some years ago. There is a pupil intercultural/inclusive policy which reflects and affirms diversity of cultures, ethnicity and religious background in society. This sets out to ensure that children from minorities feel valued and accepted. The school strives to have children of ethnic minorities achieve the same level as their peers in academic, sporting and extra curricular activities as well as accessing all areas of the curriculum.

6. Summary of findings and recommendations for further development

The following are the main strengths and areas for development identified in the evaluation:

There is an atmosphere of cooperation and fraternity among the entire school community
The management board works very efficiently on behalf of the school and takes its legal and corporate responsibilities very seriously
The parents’ association plays a very helpful role in the school’s life and is duly involved in policy making
The principal gives sterling leadership and plays an active pastoral role where the pupils are concerned
Teachers make very high quality preparation for their work and teach with vigour and enthusiasm
Teachers create a most pleasant environment within the classroom and in circulation areas.
The special education teachers work as a team and focus their work properly on the needs of children in their care.
The ancillary staff do most commendable work: the secretary in assisting the teachers with clerical work and the caretakers and cleaners in maintaining the building and grounds in very presentable condition
The school has a most pleasing external ambience which renders it a pleasant school for pupils to work and play in.
As a further development of the geography programme the staff could pay special attention to a more detailed study of the locality, particularly in middle classes.
Planning documents might be revisited with a view to laying down objectives for the various class levels
A collection of suitable material for the listening strand in Irish might be compiled from broadcast material or published Irish videos
The pastoral role in posts of responsibility might be pinpointed more obviously.

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

Objectives within the curricular school plan should provide for year to year development in areas such as language.
Recordings from radio and television and other quality matter should be collected and used as listening material in Irish
The pastoral role of teachers with posts of responsibility could be established, even within their present duties.

Post-evaluation meetings were held with the staff and board of management where the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.