This report has been written following a whole school evaluation of Sessiaghoneill National School, Ballybofey. 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 a parent. 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 of the school was given an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report; the board chose to accept the report without response.

1. Introduction – school context and background

Sessiaghoneill National School is a seven teacher (including learning support) co-educational primary school situated near the town of Ballybofey, Co. Donegal. The school has a current enrolment of 158 pupils. Enrolment figures have risen significantly since the last school inspection, which was held in 1996. At that time the school had 90 pupils and a staff of three teachers. It is expected that pupil numbers will continue to rise, reflecting demographic trends in the Ballybofey area. Pupils from both urban and rural backgrounds that live within a few kilometres radius of the school attend Sessiaghoneill National School. The school receives some additional funding from the “Giving Children an Even Break through Tackling Disadvantage” (GCAEB) rural scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP). This funding is used effectively to enrich the educational experiences of the pupils and is also used to offer supports to the parent community in supporting their children’s education. The school building dates from 1949. Extensions to the school were added in 1965, 1992 and 2000. A major building project has just been completed at the school. The spacious, school accommodation that is now available to the pupils and teachers is of an excellent standard and should adequately serve the long-term needs of the school.

The school’s mission statement aims to provide a well-ordered, caring, happy and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical moral and cultural needs of the pupils are addressed and identified. Whilst the school’s catholic ethos is very much in evidence in the day-to-day operation of the school, the school is also welcoming to pupils of other faiths. School attendance is carefully monitored and whilst the average pupil attendance for the term prior to this evaluation was satisfactory the numbers of pupils with significantly poor school attendance is a cause for concern. A statement of strategies to encourage pupil attendance including targeted measures to encourage better attendance by those persistently poor attending pupils should now be included in the school plan.

2. Quality of school management

2.1 Board of management

Sessiaghoneill National School is a Catholic school under the patronage of the Bishop of Derry. The board of management is properly constituted in accordance with Section 14 of the Education Act 1998. The board meets once a term, more often if necessary. Agendas are provided, minutes are taken and policies are discussed and ratified at board meetings. The board supports the work of the school and through the chairperson maintains close contact with school personnel. A minority of board members have received training on the role and functions of boards of management. It was generally felt, however, that there is a need for further training for board members in the light of the increased responsibility attached to boards under the Education Act 1998. The school’s financial accounts are computerised and managed by the principal with the support of the school’s secretary. Updated accounts are presented to board members at management meetings. It is recommended that the board consider having the school accounts externally audited periodically. Consideration should also be given to relieving the teaching principal from the onerous role of treasurer and offering this post to another board member.

A major focus of the board’s work in recent times has been the development of the school with the increase in pupil numbers and subsequently the extension of the school building. The board deserves great credit for the time and effort that has been invested in this project and the wonderful new school building bears testament to their fruitful endeavours. The school is cleaned daily to a high standard and the caretaker on a regular basis meticulously completes maintenance work. The grounds are well maintained and the pupils, staff and cleaner/caretaker are commended for keeping the external environment attractive and free from litter. The board takes an active role in school planning and policy development. The current priority of the board is the safety of the pupils as they exit the school. Traffic tends to travel at significant speed outside the main gate and the pupils have to cross the road to access the car park. Additional precautions in relation to the health and safety of pupils should be explored.

The schools’ mission statement includes the following aim with regard to parents; “We will encourage the involvement of parents through home school contacts and through their involvement in the Parents' Association”. Despite the parent body having a major fund raising role during the recent building project, the absence of a formal parents’ association is undoubtedly a disadvantage to parents wishing to become further involved in the life of the school. It is now recommended that the board facilitate the parent body in developing a formal parents’ association as outlined in section 26 (3) of the Education Act 1998.

2.2 In-school management

The in-school management team consists of the principal, the deputy principal and one special duties teacher. The school leadership has created an inclusive school atmosphere where the all-round development of pupils is nurtured. The school principal carries out her administrative and organisational duties competently and diligently. She has an in-depth knowledge of the backgrounds of the majority of the pupils and demonstrates a sensitive and caring attitude towards them. She has clear priorities in mind as to the future development of the school. Roll books, registrars and all school records are carefully maintained. Formal staff meetings are held once per term where staff have opportunity to discuss curricular, organisational and special education issues as they arise. The principal monitors the work of the school in maintaining custody of the monthly progress records.

Roles have been defined for the deputy principal and for the special duties post holder and these are included in the school plan. These duties are currently carried out in a conscientious manner. An appropriate balance among curricular, organisational and pastoral duties is particularly in evidence in the duties of the special duties post holder. The duties attached to the role of the deputy principal are less balanced, however, and focus more on organisational tasks. It is now recommended that the duties attached to the post of deputy principal be formally reviewed to include further areas of curricular responsibility and to ensure that further support is available to the teaching principal. Members of the in-school management team meet informally after school to discuss issues that arise in relation to the management of the school. It is reported that no formal meetings of the in-school management team are held at present. It is now advised that a schedule be formulated to provide for formal meetings of the team to allow members plan collaboratively and to assess progress with regard to future school development.

2.3 Management of resources

The teaching staff comprises the principal, five mainstream teachers and one special education teacher. One full time special needs assistant is employed to support a pupil with assessed special needs. The work of the teaching staff together with all the ancillary staff contributes to the smooth running of the school. The general level of dedication, industriousness and diligence among the teaching staff is to be highly commended. There were many instances of excellent teaching observed during this evaluation. It is now recommended that teachers engage further in shared teaching practices, sharing the individual talents of teachers to the maximum benefits of the pupils whilst at the same time fostering further a shared vision and a stronger sense of team among the staff.

Whilst the school personnel are generally deployed in an efficient manner, further attention needs to be paid to the more equitable distribution of pupil numbers in class groupings so as to prioritise smaller class numbers in the Infant section. The current school arrangement for the allocation of classes to teachers as recorded in the school plan is based on “teacher choice every four years or when a vacancy arises in the school staff”. It is now recommended that the board review this practice and ensure that the needs of the pupils are prioritised when classes are allocated. Additional language support is provided to seven pupils with English as an additional language. At the time of this evaluation an unrecognised teacher was providing inadequate support to these pupils. The board is advised to review this service with immediate effect and to secure a recognised teacher with appropriate qualifications to fill this post.

Following recent major renovations at the school there are six spacious, modern classrooms in the school, together with a spacious learning support room, a general-purpose room, library, office and staff room. The classrooms are bright, comfortable, print-rich and number-rich environments and are well furnished. The corridors are brightly decorated with samples of the pupils’ creative work. Adding the names of the pupils to their creative pieces will make the pleasant displays more accessible for parents. The achievements of the pupils in a variety of extra curricular areas are celebrated at the entrance to the school

The school is well equipped with resources for learning and there is evidence that there is effective use of the teaching resources by all staff. While there is an adequate supply of supplementary reading books in the English language in all classrooms, a range of supplementary reading books in the Irish language need to be secured for pupils in the middle and senior sections. Consideration should be given to the further development of the central school library. A room has been made available to the school community for this key resource, which will benefit all classes and further promote a reading culture in the school. There is currently one computer and printer allocated to each mainstream classroom with some additional laptop computers available in the learning support classroom. A supply of appropriate software is available to support a range of curricular areas. Good use is made of Information Technology (IT) in some classrooms. On a whole school basis however, there is a poor computer-pupil ratio. It is now recommended that management plan for further investment in computer hardware to enhance the IT opportunities currently available to pupils and staff.

2.4 Management of relationships and communication with the school community

It is reported that communication with parents is satisfactory, with parents being kept well informed of happenings in the school via regular letters and the school homework diary. Excellent links are fostered with the parents of the Infants class through the home visitations of the GCAEB co-ordinator. Links with other parents are also made through after school classes organised for the parent community. An information evening is also held to introduce the parents of Infant pupils to the curriculum and this is progressive. Significant effort is made to support the parents of pupils with English as an additional language in the translation of school documentation and policies and this is particularly praiseworthy. Consideration should now be given to organising in-school parental literacy supports for pupils as another means of promotion of literacy in the school.

In the absence of a formal parents’ association, the parent community has been very supportive of the development of the school building in securing additional funds to support the work of the board of management in this area. Many parents also assisted the board in helping teachers move equipment and furniture into the new classrooms when the building work was completed. This positive support of parents is praiseworthy. Parents receive information on their children’s progress in school through the homework diary. Parents are also welcome to discuss their child’s education with the staff of the school at any time through an appointments system. Formal parent-teacher meetings are held annually in November and it is reported that parents welcome the opportunity to meet with the teachers early in the school year. Written progress reports for pupils from second-class upwards are sent to parents at the end of the school year. It is now recommended that end of year school reports be issued for the junior pupils also.

Links with the local Gaelic, soccer and athletic clubs are actively fostered and in turn these clubs provide coaching staff to work with the pupils on a regular basis. The recently revised History curriculum has given the pupils opportunity to reach out to more senior members of the community as they research local historical themes and this is laudable. The school also fosters links with the local theatre and other community groups to the benefit of the pupils

2.5 Management of pupils

Pupils are managed in a satisfactory manner, they are properly supervised and overall discipline is excellent in the majority of classrooms. The school’s code of behaviour is being effectively implemented. The pupils demonstrate respect and offer full co-operation to their teachers. School prayer assemblies contribute to the reinforcing of positive behaviour. Whilst pupils co-operate fully with their teachers during all class activities, they tend, however, to be rather quiet and shy in engaging with visitors. Further initiatives to build self-esteem should be used to increase the self-confidence of the pupils.

3. Quality of school planning

3.1 School planning process and implementation

The school principal and teaching staff have invested significant effort in the provision of a comprehensive range of curriculum plans and organisational policies, which together form the school plan. The school plan is clearly laid out and the teachers are to be commended for their efforts to date. The school has received support from a number of cuiditheoirí and facilitators from the national in-service training initiatives in the development of the school plan. A long-term plan indicates the priority curricular, organisational and resource areas for attention in the current year. All draft school policies are brought to the board for consideration. The views of parents are sought through the parents’ representatives on the board before the formal ratification of policies by the board.

Parents have recently been centrally involved in developing the schools’ Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) policy. With the exception of the RSE policy, where the views of parents were actively sought on the circulated draft policy prior to ratification, planning has been for the most part the domain of the teaching staff in consultation with the board. It is now recommended that the partnership approach to school planning adopted in the formulation of the RSE policy be used in future planning and that all policies and plans are sent to parents for comment. This will add further openness to the planning process and will promote parental involvement allowing them to make a more meaningful contribution to the school plan.

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. The name of this designated liaison person and a substitute now needs to be recorded in the school policy. An enrolment policy has been devised for the school. It is now recommended that this policy be reviewed to ensure that the policy complies with the Education Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2002, bearing in mind that conditions for enrolment cannot be applied to pupils with special educational needs.

3.2 Classroom planning

The quality of the classroom planning provided in the majority of classrooms is excellent. Teachers conscientiously prepare long-term plans and short terms schemes of work that are very focused and very detailed. They are based on the school plan and on the stands and strand units of the curriculum. All teachers complete comprehensive monthly progress reports. The monthly reports will be an extremely useful document for the middle management in reviewing the progress of curriculum implementation across the school. Teachers are by and large conscious of individual differences and suitable materials and activities are chosen for all pupils and in particular for pupils with learning difficulties. Comprehensive individualised planning for pupils with special educational needs was available in all classrooms.

4. Quality of learning and teaching

4.1 Overview of learning and teaching

The quality of learning and teaching in the curriculum was evaluated on the basis of observation and interaction and a review of samples of work in each of the mainstream classrooms. Teachers deliver a broad and balanced programme to their pupils and there is generally satisfactory evidence of progression and continuity in the curricular programmes from class to class. In the majority of classrooms the quality of teaching is excellent. In these classrooms pupils are highly stimulated by challenging work and are actively engaged and interested in all activities. Dynamic teaching, excellent voice modulation and a superb use of teaching resources underpin the strengths of these teachers. There is evidence of differentiated learning activities for the pupils and the quality of pupil learning is very good. Conscientious efforts are made to integrate curricular areas and to use a thematic approach to learning. In a minority of classes, however, teaching is less focused and clear objectives for learning sequences are not in place. Time is used ineffectively and the pacing of lessons is somewhat problematic. Work is insufficiently challenging for the more able pupils and as a result the quality of pupil learning and the standards reached by pupils is less satisfactory.

With regard to the teaching approaches employed by teachers, whole class teaching is generally the predominant strategy adopted in all sections. However, some excellent instances of pair work and group work were also observed and teachers are now encouraged to use these approaches further. Pupils also engage in project work in History and Geography and engage in a range of open-ended scientific investigations. Excellent emphasis is placed on the environment as a resource and as a starting point for learning. A comprehensive range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities is available to pupils. They engage in dance, football, athletics, soccer, swimming, handball, quizzes, choir, school tours, school productions and dramatic activities. The provision of after-school sports tuition to the pupils is laudable and deserving of particular commendation. Teachers whilst meeting the needs of the majority of the pupils commendably well are now asked to consider further the needs of the more able pupils in their classroom planning. Consideration should now be given to enriching further the educational experiences of these pupils. The development of partnerships with other schools through e-twinning projects will also improve on the pupils’ IT skills and will also expand the horizons of the pupils further as they move further into the technological era.

4.2 Language

Irish

Tréaslaítear go mór leis na hoidí as an modheolaíocht spreagúil, éifeachtach atá in úsáid go forleathan i dtaca le múineadh agus foghlaim na Gaeilge. Leagann siad béim ar an bhfíorchumarsáid agus ar an gcumarsáid insamhailte mar mheán teagaisc agus foghlama. Tá ag éirí go maith leo suim agus samhlaíocht na ndaltaí a fhorbairt agus líofacht mhaith teanga a mhealladh uathu. Tá foclóir fairsing agus stór leathan de nathanna cainte ar eolas ag na daltaí. Baineann formhór na n-oidí leas an-tairbheach as an nGaeilge mar theanga bhainistíochta ranga agus baintear feidhm as cluichí cainte chun ábaltacht an pháiste an teanga a chumadh a fheabhsú. Moltar, áfach, an t-aistriúchan a sheachaint i gcónaí. Leagtar an-bhéim ar fhoghlaim na teanga trí mheán scéalta agus comhráití faoi leith. Múintear an fhilíocht ar bhonn rialta sna ranganna uile. Dirítear aird inmholta le linn na haithrise ar dhea-fhoghraíocht, agus ar bhlas, luas agus rithim na teanga. Moltar béim a chur ar na dánta seo a fhoghlaim de ghlan mheabhair. Tugtar faoi deara go bhfuil caighdeán breá Gaeilge labhartha bainte amach ag céadatán suntasach de dhaltaí na scoile.

Léann na daltaí go cruinn agus is léir go bhfuil tuiscint bhreá acu ar a bhfuil á léamh acu. D’fhéadfaí an taoiléitheoireacht a spreagadh a thuilleadh agus genres na léitheoireachta a shaibhriú. Sonraítear go bhfuil caighdeán breá á bhaint amach ag na daltaí sa scríbhneoireacht fheidhmiúil. Múintear gramadach fhoirmiúil agus dírítear aire ar cheird na scríbhneoireachta. Bhí réimse éagsúla téacsanna á scríobh ag formhór na ndaltaí ach moltar an scríbhneoireacht chruthaitheach a fhorbairt a thuilleadh. Ba thairbheach an cleachtas a chothú gnéithe d’ábhair an churaclaim a mhúineadh trí Ghaeilge ar bhonn uile scoile. Moltar, mar sin, ábhar amháin trí Ghaeilge a mhúineadh go leanúnach chun comhthéacs fírinneach a chruthú don teanga

The teachers are to be highly commended for the inspiring and effective methodologies that are in widespread use in the teaching and learning of Irish. The communicative approach is emphasised and simulated communication is used as a teaching and learning methodology. Teachers are succeeding in developing the children’s interest and imagination and in encouraging the pupils’ fluency of language to a good standard. The pupils have a rich vocabulary and also possess a wide range of expressions in Irish. The majority of teachers use Irish very beneficially as the operational language of the classroom. Language games are also used to improve the pupils’ ability to compose and construct language. It is now recommended that translation to English be avoided always. A significant emphasis is placed on the use of story and conversation in the teaching of Irish. Poetry is taught regularly in all classes. Commendable attention is paid to pronunciation, accent, pace and the rhythm of the language. It is now recommended that emphasis be placed on learning these poems by rote. It was noted that a creditable percentage of pupils hade a very commendable standard of spoken Irish.

The pupils read accurately and it is evident that they have a good understanding of the reading material. Recreational reading should be embraced further and engagement with a richer variety of reading genres should be promoted. It is noted that pupils have reached a good standard in functional writing. Formal grammar is taught and the pupils’ attention is directed to the craft of writing. The majority of pupils undertake a range of written tasks. However, creative writing should be developed further. It would be most beneficial to promote the practice of teaching another aspect of the curriculum through Irish. It is now recommended that one subject be taught through Irish on a continuous basis, from class to class, to create a real context for the use of the language throughout the school.

English

Oral language lessons are a feature of classroom practice in all sections. Rhymes and stories are used effectively in the junior classes to develop the pupils’ language and phonological skills. Pupils can recite a wide repertoire of rhymes and poems in the junior and middle sections of the school, many with actions and movement. There is less emphasis on rote learning of poetry in the senior section. Here pupils were unable to recite poetry by rote and this now should be reviewed. Discrete oral language lessons are taught in the middle/senior section and effort is made to develop the pupils’ oral language skills in a structured way across the curriculum. Despite the current provision, however, a number of pupils are reluctant speakers, displaying poor articulation and lacking a richness of vocabulary. Focusing further on the needs of these pupils and outlining differentiated learning objectives for them will further enhance learning outcomes.

Significant emphasis is placed on the development of the pupils’ emergent reading skills in the junior section. The infant pupils are currently engaging with the “Sails Reading Programme” taking home one book per week whilst formal reading from the school scheme commences after Christmas. Very comprehensive records are maintained with regard to the books pupils have read. Evidence gathered from interaction with the pupils in the junior section, however, suggests that this system should be revisited. Consideration should be given to the development of sight vocabulary through the emergent reading experience. There is scope for further utilisation of large format books and experience charts in a structured manner to assist with language development, word identification and phonological awareness at the junior level. The cuiditheoir service available to the school through the Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP), should be consulted to assist with this review. Phonological awareness is currently developed through the use of the “Letterland” series in the junior section and the use of the “PAT Programme” in the remainder of the school. The GCAEB co-ordinator undertakes traditional alphabet games with pupils in the junior section. There are varying approaches to the teaching of phonics and as it is an area of difficulty for a number of pupils, it is now recommended that the school decide on one coherent phonological programme. This will ensure a consistency of approach for pupils as they progress in a structured manner from one class to the next.

Class novels are used to very good effect to supplement the reading programme in the middle and senior classes. All classrooms have an adequate stock of supplementary reading materials. A programme of reading buddies has been introduced effectively to four classrooms. This is a wonderful initiative, which will improve literacy skills and develop pupils’ confidence with regard to reading further. Pupils across the school display varying reading abilities with an isolated pocket of weakness evident. The majority of pupils read confidently and have satisfactory word attack skills. However a number of pupils read without confidence, lacking fluency and with a poor sense of expression to indicate that they understand meaning. A clearer focus on learning outcomes for these pupils in terms of the development of their reading skills is a priority for teachers, which will further raise reading standards across the school.

The pupils benefit from the emphasis placed on the writing process and there are some good samples of writing in different genres to be found in all classrooms. Some excellent teaching with regard to enriching the pupils’ language prior to embarking on written activities was noted in one section. This approach should be further developed across the school. There was evidence of good use of IT in some classrooms to display pupils’ stories and poems. The pupils’ handwritten work varied in quality of presentation across the school. In some of the junior classes it is evident that basic letter formation needs further attention, whilst in the senior section a whole school approach to penmanship and the presentation of work will enhance the pupils’ work further.

4.3 Mathematics

The teaching of Mathematics is undertaken conscientiously at all class levels. The teaching is generally very well focused with clear learning objectives noted. There is very good concentration on the language of mathematics. The majority of pupils display commendable knowledge of mathematical terms across a range of strands and strand units. Standardised test results indicate satisfactory pupil performance. There is very good provision for oral work. Significant emphasis is placed upon tables and pupils in the senior classes enjoy number challenges. They display accuracy in computational skills both when responding to oral questioning and in the completion of written assignments. Overall there are satisfactory pupil outcomes with regard to number operations across the school.

All classrooms are number rich environments with number lines bring important teaching tools in the junior classes. A satisfactory stock of mathematical equipment is available and these are used skilfully to enhance pupils’ learning during lessons. Whole class teaching is the main approach adopted in the teaching of Mathematics. Consideration should now be given to extending the methodologies and teaching strategies employed to teach Mathematics. It is recommended that further pair and group work be used to focus on the needs of those higher ability pupils to stretch them in the learning and to motivate them further through posing regular, challenging, mathematical problems.

4.4 Social, Environmental and Scientific Education

History

The children engage actively in discussion and answer questions competently, with evidence of acute historical insight, about stories and topics in History. Teaching is primarily focused on the reality of the pupils’ environment. All work involves practical example and ‘hands-on’ experience. Teachers use clear visual examples and effective questioning to engage pupils in learning. Excellent use of a rich and challenging range of both primary and secondary sources is promoting a tangible sense of interest in both local and national history. The use of time lines and history tables in many classes was particularly effective. In middle classes teachers linked History to literacy and this work was very valuable. Every child was consciously working as an historian and this work was carried out with enthusiasm and creativity. There is considerable emphasis placed on pupils researching topics and on active-learning experiences in general. Additional use of use of the internet as a research tool should also now be considered. In many classes work covered is suitably integrated with other areas of the curriculum. Some very interesting projects were seen during the evaluation and pupils’ understanding of the topics studied was very good indeed.

Geography

Teachers are to be commended for their efforts to develop the pupils’ sense of place and space. Geography lessons are very well constructed with considerable emphasis placed on the development of the pupils’ geographical language. Opportunities are also exploited to link the pupils learning in Geography to other SESE subjects, Science in particular. Opportunities are also provided to the pupils to work in collaboratively in lessons and this is commendable. The pupils’ interest in their own environment is appropriately emphasised at all class levels. The exploration of the weather and the recording of weather patterns contribute to the pupils’ understanding of the environment in the junior and middle sections. Pupils in the middle and senior classes display a sound knowledge of the physical features of the local environment and their knowledge of the geography of County Donegal is very good. The use of maps, local, national and international is to be commended. Pupils in the middle standard display satisfactory map reading skills. In the senior classes pupils learn about people and places beyond their immediate environment. The pupils engage in project work thus developing their investigative skills. The further use of IT in this regard and the internet, in particular, should be exploited.

Science

A satisfactory Science programme is implemented throughout the school. Teachers’ classroom planning is effectively based on the school’s two year plan for the subject. There is evidence that the Science programme is closely linked to the other SESE subjects and indeed integrated effectively with other curricular areas. This is good practice. Attractive discovery tables were in evidence in many classrooms and this is commendable. Many commercially produced Science posters are on display in the middle and senior classes. Science lessons are well constructed with emphasis given to the exploration of the pupils’ ideas at the outset. Good questioning skills are used to encourage pupils to reflect critically. A satisfactory stock of scientific equipment is available to teachers and it is used effectively in lessons. Pupils in all classes engage in practical experimentation as part of the Energy and Forces curriculum strand, in particular. Displays of the pupils’ experiments were evident in many classrooms. Pupils display satisfactory knowledge, understanding and interest in topics studied to date.

Care of the environment is promoted across the school. Each classroom is currently involved in recycling waste with the aim to cut the amount of waste produced by school in half in the current year. This is a laudable project.

4.5 Arts Education

Visual Arts

Teachers in this school have embraced the principles of the Visual Arts curriculum in a comprehensive manner. Pupils are exposed to a range of activities and pleasant, well-worked examples of their work are displayed with care in the classrooms. Appropriate stimuli are provided and pupils are given opportunities to discuss their work and to experiment with different media. Reception areas are used effectively to exhibit product in the visual arts. Attention now should be given to the process of creation of artistic work and to allowing the children explore a range of more creative processes. All pupils are afforded ample opportunity to engage with 2D work at present. Successful work is evident in paint, colour and print and pupils speak confidently and knowledgeably about work in progress. In some classes drawing skills are being taught very explicitly and this work is of a good standard. Portfolios of the children’s work, along with some excellent displays, indicate that they have been exposed to a broad range of techniques and have used a variety of materials. Some excellent work is being carried out in the construction strand of the curriculum and this work is attractively displayed in corridors. The stimulus for many activities comes from other areas of the curriculum. Some attention is being paid to looking and responding to the work of the great artists. However, key features of these works could be explored with greater depth and perception.

Music

Very satisfactory standards are noted in Music teaching and teachers address the area of singing effectively. The pupils sing a range of songs in both Irish and English ably, vibrantly and confidently. Good emphasis is placed on rhythm and, in some classes; attention is given to the development of the pupils’ understanding of notation. Pupils participate in a wide range of music-making activities, including performing, listening, responding and identification of rhythmic patterns. A wide selection of taped material is made available for the purposes of listening and responding to music. Pupils have opportunities to work on the following strands units: Music Literacy, Improvisation and Creating. In the course of the evaluation an assembly session was observed. The dedication and commitment of the teachers in leading the singing groups in assembly and in promoting interest in song are to be commended.

Drama

Teachers are enthusiastically awaiting training in the Drama curriculum and the resultant full implementation of this area of the Arts curriculum. Until then, the pupils are engaging in many useful story telling and acting out drama experiences. The use of Drama and role-play in particular to promote learning in Irish is to be commended. It is recommended, however, that emphasis should shift from the use of prepared scripts to the active guided construction of language through imaginative work. Good practice was observed in one section in this regard.

Physical Education

The recent provision of a general purposes room together with improved outdoor play areas allows pupils to experience a broad programme across the six strands of the Physical Education Programme. Teachers have plans to build up gymnastic resources to develop this curriculum strand. The school has developed a strong tradition in the area of sport, particularly in the playing of Gaelic games and in athletics. School teams participate at the various school events arranged locally. Full use is made of the visiting coaches from the local clubs to the benefit of the pupils. Teachers are to be commended for giving freely of their time to provide coaching to pupils after school hours. Hurling will be introduced to the pupils over the winter months. It may now be an opportune time to seek the support and help of parents further in this regard. Swimming lessons are provided for the senior pupils in a local hotel and this is commendable. Outdoor orienteering activities are planned for the summer term and are effectively linked to map work in the Geography curriculum. The Physical Education lesson observed during this evaluation was very well organised and provided pupils with a variety of structured, progressive activities that promoted the development of specific skills and ensured the participation and enjoyment of all pupils. Clear directions were given and the pupils were enabled to use space and equipment in a safe appropriate manner.

4.7 Social, Personal and Health Education

All teachers implement the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum with their classes through a range of methodologies. SPHE is timetabled as a core curricular subject and it is also effectively integrated with other curricular areas. A range of topics including healthy eating, exploration of feelings, safety, promotion of self esteem, school and classroom rules, and bullying are undertaken in all classes. Commendable work has been undertaken in the implementation of the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme. The enrolment of a number of pupils with English as an additional language adds a new cultural richness to the school. These pupils appear to be happy in their new surroundings. Further work in the area of intercultural education is now needed to enable all pupils appreciate the richness a diversity of cultures brings to the school. Recent guidelines produced by the DES in conjunction with the NCCA “Intercultural Education in the Primary School” will be an important reference point for teachers and school management in this regard.

4.8 Assessment

Pupils’ progress in curricular areas is monitored and recorded on a regular basis and teachers provide positive feedback to pupils. Teachers are to be commended for instances of excellent practice with regard to the range of assessment tools in use including teacher observation, teacher designed tasks and tests, Maths testing, spelling tests, standardised and diagnostic testing, homework assignments and project work. Samples of pupils’ work from across the curriculum are maintained. A whole school policy on assessment should now be devised to incorporate the excellent practices in use in some classrooms and to develop these further throughout the school. Standardised testing in English and Mathematics is administered once a year. The Middle Infant Screening Test (MIST) is administered to Senior Infants. The results of the standardised tests are filed centrally and are used to assist in the identification of pupils needing supplementary support. Appropriate emphasis is placed on tracking pupils experiencing learning difficulties.

5. Quality of support for pupils

5.1 Pupils with special educational needs

Provision for pupils with special needs in this school is excellent. A significant number of children are being given support in small group contexts in both literacy and Mathematics Individual education plans for children with special needs are developed arising from teacher-designed, diagnostic tests and appropriate input from class teachers. Parents are not normally informed of the content of plans following their development. Additional involvement of parents is now recommended. Appropriate short-term records are retained of material and activities covered with the children during supplementary teaching. Laudable emphasis is placed on the identification of clear learning targets for all priority areas identified. Whole-school strategies should now be put in place to ensure co-ordination with mainstream class teachers with regard to the provision of structured programmes, which respond to pupils’ needs and which are to be used within these classrooms.

Supportive and positive teacher-pupil interactions are in evidence in withdrawal contexts, which provide for individuals, pairs and groups of pupils. A range of suitable approaches, using both visual and concrete materials is used effectively during teaching and learning sessions. Levels of assessment are excellent, with the teacher using varied and holistic assessment tools to assess children’s abilities, interests and capacities. These assessment results are being used very dynamically and enthusiastically to plan prospective learning. Weekly lesson programmes are formulated and focus on consolidation, teaching priorities, reading and writing tasks. Some excellent teaching was observed in this area. To date, support teachers have operated a withdrawal system whereby pupils are taken in groups or individually for focused tuition. It is now recommended that the school should explore alternative methods of delivering this support to include team teaching and in-class provision.

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

Sessiaghoneill National School is a participant school in both the Giving Children an Even Break (GCAEB) Scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The extra financial assistance provided to the school under these schemes are used to facilitate the purchases of resources across a range of curricular areas, the funding of the transportation of pupils to extra curricular activities and to ensure that all pupils participate fully in the life of the school. The GCAEB programme is a support for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Based in Welchtown National School, the co-ordinator is shared between five schools some considerable distance apart. One day per week is spent in this school. While the co-ordinator has comprehensive plans for her work on a termly and annual basis, there is no overall strategic plan devised for the operation of the scheme in this school. This should be reviewed. Good working links have been established with the principal and the class teachers although no opportunity has been provided for formal planning meetings with the teaching staff. Input from the GCAEB should be built into formal staff meetings.

A commendable range of activities is undertaken with pupils and parents. Some very solid in-school support of the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills is conscientiously undertaken as well as other enrichment activities including recorder lessons, French lessons and the co-ordination of the reading buddies programme. Activities to develop the pupils’ self esteem and the pupils’ IT skills should be considered for the future. Supportive home visits are undertaken regularly to the homes of infant pupils and to the homes of new pupils. Additional support has been targeted to the parents of pupils with English as a second language and this is praiseworthy. Very fruitful links have been established with parents of Senior Infant pupils in undertaking the “Forward on Together Programme”. A games library has been a very successful project targeted at the junior pupils. A record has been kept of all activities organised for the parent community. Close links have been established with the School Completion Co-ordinator at the local secondary school, with local voluntary and statutory agencies in support of disadvantaged pupils and with the Donegal Vocational Education Committee in particular.

No policy is available in the school plan in relation to pupils from minority groups. However, the school has an open enrolment policy and all pupils are treated equally. Consideration should now be given to planning a whole school policy on intercultural education. The quality of the language support provision for pupils with English as an additional language needs some improvement. While pupil linguistic competencies have been logged according to needs analysis of the Integrate Ireland framework, these profiles are insufficiently utilised in daily teaching activities. It is recommended that planning should outline more clearly what work is to be covered within defined timeframes and that additional indication be given as to expected outcomes of learning. Pupils are grouped in inappropriate groupings, with insufficient cognisance taken of language competencies of group members. It is recommended that pupils engage more actively in oral activities and that work-sheet based activities be reduced.

6. Summary of findings and recommendations for further development

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

The school is generally well managed, both at board and in-school level, and operates under competent leadership.
All teachers undertake the teaching of Irish diligently and the attainments of the pupils in Irish are a significant strength of the school.
The quality of the Special Education Provision in the school is excellent.
High standards are reached in the teaching of Music, which is a particular strength of the school.
The Social Environmental and Scientific Education curricula are being effectively and imaginatively implemented across the school. The quality of the work, particularly in History in high. The project work is most impressive and the emphasis placed on the local environment is praiseworthy.

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

A review of the school’s approach to the teaching of reading in the junior classes is recommended together with the further promotion of a reading culture across the school with a view to raising literacy standards.
Enhanced provision for higher achieving pupils across the curriculum should be planned and implemented throughout the school.
Further planning is required for the needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language.
Parents should be afforded opportunity to engage further in the life of the school through a parents' association and through further engagement with school development planning.

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.