This report has been written following a whole school evaluation of Beech Hill College. 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 representatives of the parents’ association. The evaluation was conducted over a number of days during which inspectors visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. They interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ 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, and the response of the board will be found in the appendix of this report.

1. Introduction

Beech Hill College is a co-educational, non-denominational school under the patronage of County Monaghan Vocational Education Committee (VEC). Beech Hill College was established in 1979. Previous to that, Monaghan Vocational School was located on the Glen Road, Monaghan. The enrolment of the mainstream school for the current academic year 2006/07 is 414 with 271 students in adult and continuing education courses and a further 187 students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses on the second campus of Monaghan Institute of Further Education and Training (MIFET). Beech Hill College receives students from twenty-five feeder primary schools within its catchment area. The school is approximately four miles from the border with Northern Ireland and has close cross-border links.

2. The quality of school management

2.1 Characteristic spirit of the school

The characteristic spirit of the school is summarised in its mission statement which highlights the development of students to achieve their full potential and to promote physical, moral, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. These sentiments were seen in the daily interactions of the staff and students and it was noted that a caring and friendly atmosphere predominated the learning and working environment. In any future revisions of the mission statement consideration should be given to ensuring that the rewording appropriately reflects the open and inclusive ethos evident in the school.

The students met by the evaluation team commented on the friendly and respectful rapport between staff and students. They described the school as a friendly place with a good atmosphere and praised the many teachers who were supportive and generous with their time, particularly outside of school hours. The parents’ council drew attention to the school’s open-door policy and the open and caring atmosphere in the school. These sentiments were further emphasised by members of the board of management who mentioned the goodwill and commitment shown by teachers to their students both in the classroom and through the many co-curricular and extra-curricular activities taking place in the school.

2.2 School ownership and management

The VEC, headed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), has responsibility for the operation of the school. In particular, it has responsibility for recruiting personnel and for the distribution of funds. Principals in Co Monaghan VEC meet with the CEO to discuss management and other issues on a regular basis. The CEO also visits the school on occasions. These meetings and visits are essential in ensuring that good lines of communication are maintained between Beech Hill College and the VEC.

The school board of management is a sub-committee of the VEC and the current board was established in September 2004. The board is properly constituted and it is noted that there is a particularly strong presence of individuals who are actively involved in the educational sphere.

Each board member has been provided with “A Handbook for Vocational Education Committees and Boards of Management of Schools and Community Colleges” published by the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA). Some board members have identified a need for training regarding their role and responsibility. Any training undertaken should extend to include discussion between the board and the VEC on how the role of the board of management should develop in the best interests of Beech Hill College.

The board meets four times each school year and on other occasions when necessary. The position of chairperson rotates among the three nominating bodies which are the parents’ council, the VEC and the teachers. Minutes of board meetings were made available during the evaluation process. Copies of the minutes of the meetings are distributed to the respective representatives who verbally convey onwards the information. Members of the parents’ council interviewed mentioned that they would favour a written report. Major issues arising from the meetings are relayed to the school staff via a memo from the principal. It was reported that attendance at board meetings is always very good and no meeting has ever been deferred because the quorum was not met. The board is supportive of the school and staff. It demonstrates its confidence in senior management by devolving curricular decisions and deployment of resources to their judgement. Board members reported that the school is very conscious of its role in the local community which it serves well by sanctioning the use of school facilities by various groups and associations.

The parents’ council has an extensive record of involvement in supporting the management of the college and it is commendable that there are some longstanding members. This reflects the loyalty and dedication of the parents to Beech Hill College. Meetings of the parents’ council are scheduled every second month. However attendance is poor. While the parents’ council is not a fund-raising body, nevertheless it has played a very prominent role particularly concerning the provision and quality of transport for some students and the introduction of a traffic management system within the college grounds which allows school buses to drop and collect students in a designated area. They were also responsible for introducing a healthy eating campaign which was very successful. This is commended. An active parents’ council is a rich resource and support for schools. It is suggested that members of the parents’ council, with the support of the board and school management, work together to reinvigorate the association by devising strategies to involve a greater number of parents. In particular the new cohort of parents should be considered.

2.3 In-school management

The in-school management team comprises the senior management team of principal and deputy principal and the middle management team of ten assistant principals and thirteen special duties teachers.

The principal and deputy principal demonstrate a good sense of team spirit and work well together. They meet each morning at eight thirty to discuss and organise the running of the school day and again at four fifteen each evening. There is also regular informal contact throughout the school day. This level of communication is very good practice. Both principal and deputy principal are a visible presence on the corridors where they interact with students regularly. These encounters are characterised by familiarity with individual students, by mutual respect and frequently by good-humoured exchanges. It is recommended that the senior management team provides time for a timetabled meeting, once per week, in order to discuss and review overall planning for the school.

The principal, who has been in his present position since 2000, takes responsibility for discipline at senior cycle as well as the day-to-day running of the school. He takes a lead role in school decision-making, regularly bringing suggestions to staff meetings for discussion and input by staff members. The principal is very well supported by the deputy principal who was appointed to the position in 2006 following a number of years of service as a member of the teaching staff. The deputy principal takes responsibility for discipline in junior cycle, timetabling, organisation of the rota for supervision and detention. He was also instrumental in setting up the school Image Committee which primarily has a promotional function. The principal and deputy principal are available for supervision of classes should the need arise.

Posts of responsibility duties are allocated in keeping with Circular 20/98 and the needs of the school. In accordance with the guidelines, each post holder has one major area of responsibility as well as one or more minor areas contained in the school’s schedule of posts. The evaluation team found that the post duties were generally equitably divided among the post holders. Post holders interviewed presented as efficient and competent in their areas of responsibility and reported as satisfied that their duties meet the most current needs of the school. Post duties are reviewed by senior management, usually when a new post arises, which occurred most recently in January 2006. All staff members were asked to prioritise duties they considered most appropriate to the needs of the school at that time. This consultative process is to be encouraged and a review of post duties in relation to the needs of the school could be incorporated into the long term planning of the school.

Assistant principals confirm that they assist senior management as required and are available to take over responsibility for the running of the school at any time should both principal and deputy principal be absent. It is commendable that formal meetings are held between the assistant principals and the senior management team. Minutes are taken at these meetings and this is good practice. There is a strong awareness of themselves as a middle management team within the school. This sense of devolved leadership is praiseworthy as it allows the group to participate in and contribute to the management of the school in a structured manner. This contributes to a more even distribution of duties and greater support and assistance for the principal and deputy principal.

Communication with the staff and among the staff is facilitated by the availability of notice boards, staff pigeon holes, announcements and regular staff meetings that include the provision of updates on school activities from both post holders and teachers with various responsibilities. It is recommended that minutes of the staff meetings be formally recorded and made available to all members. Communication with parents is successfully accomplished on a regular basis through the student journal, regular information evenings, letters and a school atmosphere, which is open to meeting parents, by appointment at other times. The school website has recently been updated and it is a very good source of information for new and potential students and their parents.

2.4 Management of resources

There are currently forty-three teachers employed in the school. This figure includes the principal, deputy principal, two part-time teachers and one job-sharing teacher. The school benefits from its involvement in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS), the action plan of the Department of Education and Science to promote educational inclusion. This scheme has enabled the school to put in place supports such as the home-school-community-liaison scheme (HSCL) and the school completion programme (SCP).

The school building is well maintained and exhibits a clean and well-ordered school environment in general. Most teachers have a dedicated classroom. The classrooms observed were well maintained and contained suitable subject material which enhances the learning environment. Specialist rooms are consistently used for their designated purposes. Hazards such as unsuitable flooring have been identified in some specialist rooms and these have been brought to the attention of management.

The college has broadband connectivity and fifteen multimedia projectors are available for staff use. All teachers have internet access either in their own classroom or in the staff room where there are two computers. It was reported that students have access to seventy-three computers, through supervised timetabled class and a computer club at lunchtimes four times per week. It is laudable that supervised internet access is available for students one lunchtime per week and that the school library, containing a further four computers, is open four lunchtimes per week. The teachers who provide this supervision are to be commended.

The school has a health and safety statement framed on the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts of 1989 and 2005. Co-ordination of this area is part of an assistant principal post in the school. Scheduled fire drills have been held and appropriate health and safety notices are displayed in the school building.

Provision is made for students with special educational needs (SEN) in line with allocated resources for learning support and resource hours. Staff members have developed their expertise in these areas and the level of organisation and policy development in the SEN department is commended.

The school has one full time guidance counsellor and has also received an allocation under the Guidance Enhancement Initiative. This allocation is appropriately utilised.

3. Quality of school planning

A school development planning team has been in place in the school since January 2007. A clearly identifiable planning process is evident. It is led by a solid planning team working in a collegial fashion involving the wider school community.

Both permanent and developmental sections of the school plan have been addressed in the documents prepared to date. A significant degree of progress has been made in the area of general school planning as is evidenced by the large number of school policies already in place. Existing policies include crisis response, Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), special educational needs, homework, internet acceptable use policy, child protection and admissions. Policies on pastoral care and the school code of behaviour are currently being reviewed. The board of management has most recently approved and ratified the anti-bullying policy. A substance use policy is in the developmental stages. It is recommended that the board of management and the school development planning team formulate an action plan to prioritise policies for review, ensure that all partners are appropriately consulted in the review process and verify that the wording of policies reflects the good practice already on the ground.

Some of the above policies include the following detail: reference to the parties consulted in the development of the policy, the date the policy was ratified by the board of management and the date for review. This is good practice and should be extended to all policies.

Subject planning has been an on-going feature of the college with a structure of subject departments and subject convenors in place. The position of subject convenor is rotated in some subject departments and this is good practice as it assists in devolving responsibility, leadership and workload. A more structured approach to school development planning (SDP) has evolved in recent years with time set aside for subject planning at staff meetings. When planning the agenda for staff meetings it is recommended that management rotates the period for subject department planning so as to avoid its time allocation being eroded should earlier presentations over run. Subject department planning meetings could be used to review progress and collaborative plans as well as to explore student achievement and trends in subject uptake and level.

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, 1999, updated issue May 2004) and Child Protection Guidelines for Post-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.

4. Quality of curriculum provision

4.1 Curriculum planning and organisation

There are six curricular programmes on offer in Beech Hill College: the Junior Certificate Programme, the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP), the Transition Year (TY), the Established Leaving Certificate (ELC), the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). The school also offers a range of adult and continuing education courses as well as PLC courses on the MIFET campus. The school is commended for providing a wide range of programmes and subjects that maintains breadth and balance between technological, scientific, aesthetic and academic education. This also reflects the commitment of the school to cater for the range of abilities and needs of its students and it gives expression to the inclusive nature of the school.

There is a broad range of subjects on offer to students across the programmes. Subjects are taught to all year groups in mixed-ability classes except in the core subjects of Irish, English and Mathematics where concurrent timetabling of these subjects allows the formation of classes corresponding to the respective levels offered in these subjects. The current timetabling arrangements are broadly in line with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) recommendations.

First year students are given the opportunity to sample subjects across the curriculum and subject choices are made in October of first year. Junior Certificate students generally take fourteen subjects, ten to Junior Certificate examination level and four as non-examination subjects taken in common by all students: Religious Education (RE), Physical Education (PE), Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Computer Studies. Six examination subjects are provided as a core curriculum at junior cycle to all students: Gaeilge, English, Mathematics, French, Science and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE). The selection of the four remaining examination subjects is a matter for students and their parents. These are selected from History, Geography, Business Studies, Music, Technical Graphics, Art, Craft and Design, Home Economics, Materials Technology (Wood) and Metalwork. The challenge to the school is to provide for the top three choices of the greatest number of students through appropriate options blocks built around these subjects.

At Leaving Certificate level students study six subjects. These are available at both higher and ordinary level with Gaeilge and Mathematics also offered at foundation level. The pool of optional subjects includes Physics, Biology, Agricultural Science, Accounting, Business, History/ Geography, Construction Studies, Engineering, Technical Drawing, Art, Music and Home Economics. The range of subjects provided in both cycles illustrates the breadth and balance provided between the practical and the academic subjects.

The LCVP is offered to all students after completion of the Junior Certificate and uptake is good. At senior cycle there is one class of LCA students in Year 2 of senior cycle and two classes of LCA students in Year 1. The programme coordinator plans for both programmes and liases with employers, teachers and external examiners. A major contribution to the delivery of the work experience element of the LCA and LCVP is the commitment of the programme co-ordinator, who co-ordinates the provision of work experience across the two programmes. The generosity of many members of staff who visit students while on work experience is acknowledged.

The TY was re-introduced in 2006, on an optional basis, and is successfully co-ordinated by a post-holder. The syllabus is skills-based and subject teachers have devised appropriate programmes of work. It is planned that the course content would be reviewed at the end of each year in order to assess its suitability. Provision has also been made for a review by students. This is good practice. Students who opted to take TY were interviewed before admission to the course and at present there are two TY classes in fourth year.

The Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) is undertaken by one group of students in each of first, second and third year. The JCSP co-ordinator ensures that individual education plans (IEP) are appropriately drawn up in consultation with all relevant partners including parents. The JCSP students study a range of subjects and the JCSP co-ordinator liases regularly with the subject teachers to review the suitability of the course content. Teachers are encouraged to set achievable targets, while records and achievements are retained by the JCSP co-ordinator who displays commitment and enthusiasm for the post.

4.2 Arrangements for students’ choice of subjects and programmes

Beech Hill College is commended for the arrangements made to provide students and their parents with comprehensive and timely information regarding programme and subject choice. A broad taster programme of elective subjects is provided to first year students until October of their first year. Students then choose from a range of options. Open evenings, information leaflets and individual counselling are provided to students and parents to assist them in choosing programmes and subjects at times of transition. There is appropriate provision for students to alter their choice of subject or level. Both the parents’ association and the student council members interviewed indicated their endorsement both of the quality of advice offered in choosing subjects and of the change-of-option arrangements.

4.3 Co-curricular and extra-curricular provision

The school is highly commended for offering students a diverse range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. A significant proportion of staff are committed to these activities which span games and athletics, poetry and short story writing, quizzes, public speaking and debating as well as art competitions. Beech Hill College has very close links with Ev Gymnasium, Werther, a second level school in Germany. Through the Comenius school project teachers and students meet and share ideas with teachers and students from other European countries.

The college is also involved in other projects such as LET (Learning and Educating Together), KEY (Knowledge through Education for Youth), CaSe (Citizenship and Science Exchange), Education for Reconciliation Project, the Peace II Seafood Education Project and Peace II Special Educational Needs Cross-Border Professional Exchange Programme. All these activities are highly commended as they contribute greatly to enabling students to develop both socially and personally and to improve their skills of communication. Student participation is high and is affirmed and encouraged through the college newsletter and the local media. Further affirmation and celebration of student achievements could be achieved through corridor displays and notice boards. It is recommended that management provides a designated area and noticeboards for display of student achievements and awards.

5. Quality of learning and teaching in subjects

5.1 Planning and preparation

Good progress has been made in the area of subject department planning and long term plans were available for all subject departments visited. These were collaborative, syllabus-based and generally within the School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI) guidelines. Plans contained reference to agreed curriculum plans for each year group, agreed time-frames for delivery, planned revision periods and copies of agreed common tests. It was noted by some inspectors that the schemes would benefit from including references to expected learning outcomes, skills to be developed, active learning methodologies and planning for the further integration of information communication technology (ICT) into teaching and learning.

Management supports the planning process by the provision of time for departmental planning meetings, usually at the end of school staff meetings. Each subject department is co-ordinated by a subject convenor. Where appropriate, it is important that management informs the teachers at the end of the school year of the classes that are being assigned to them for the following year. This would facilitate each teacher in carrying out appropriate planning and preparation before the start of the new school year.

There was clear evidence of good short term planning. Use of a wide variety of resources had been planned by teachers to support student learning. These included slides for use on the data projector, overhead transparencies, newspaper articles, photographs and worksheets. These were used effectively at appropriate stages during the lessons and made a significant contribution to maintaining student interest and engagement. Good cross-curricular links were planned for in subjects such as Home Economics.

5.2 Teaching and learning

Lessons generally showed a clear purpose and best practice was observed where the learning objectives were shared with the students at the beginning of the class. It was evident that learning activities were planned to match the range of abilities in the classes. Handouts and notes to focus student attention on particular topics were used in some lessons and it was suggested in some subject areas that teachers avoid the over use of text in handouts used in mixed ability class groups. Teacher affirmation of student efforts was common practice in many lessons and was seen to lead to greater student participation.

A suitable emphasis was placed on the teaching of terminology and subject-specific language in lessons and in particular, in preparation for the terminology and language used in the examination papers. There was an appropriate focus on revision and answering techniques. Commendably, students were encouraged to illustrate their knowledge and understanding through examples from their own experience or by reference to real world situations. However, in some lessons, it was noted that care should be taken to ensure that teacher-led discussions do not become the prime teaching method.

A range of methodologies was employed in the lessons visited. These included visual approaches, use of ICT, role-play, pair and group work, case studies, discussion, worksheets and workbooks. The subject inspection reports share the observation that students were most engaged where lessons were supported by well-chosen and well-used active learning methodologies. It is recommended in some subjects that teachers consider the sharing of methodologies through occasional visits to colleagues’ classes as a means of furthering best practice.

The quality of work in students’ copies was generally good. Lessons concluded with the allocation of homework, where appropriate. It is suggested that care should be taken to ensure students in all classes enter homework assigned in their homework journal.

5.3 Assessment

Student achievement and progress are assessed by teachers on an ongoing basis, using a range of assessment modes. These include oral questioning, monitoring of class work completed and student-teacher interaction in class. Assessment is also carried out by means of written assignments, class tests, term tests and project work where appropriate. Teachers frequently checked student understanding by careful questioning and students were invited to seek clarification of points discussed. Their contributions were affirmed and they were provided with much positive feedback on their participation in lessons. Written homework is assigned regularly and teachers maintain records of students’ achievements

There was evidence of some good practice in relation to the filing and storage of students’ lesson materials, using either a folder or a copybook. Commendably, work was well presented and it had been corrected; students had, in some cases, received constructive comments by their teacher. Inspectors made suggestions as to how the student might improve and some positive comments were added to encourage student effort. Some opportunities are provided in lessons for assessment for learning (AfL). However, the practice varies somewhat between teachers. Inspectors found that there is scope for all teachers to use AfL principles more frequently, for example, ‘comment only’ marking. The NCCA website, www.afl.ncca.ie, offers some guidance which may be helpful.

Formal examinations are held at the end of the first term and in the summer. The practice of setting common examination papers for class groups takes place in some subject areas. Where this occurs, papers are corrected to an agreed marking scheme. Teachers are commended for these good practices.

6. Quality of support for students

6.1 Students with special educational needs

Beech Hill College has a core educational support team. The educational support programme and its resources are effectively co-ordinated by a post-holder who is also a resource teacher on the team. The special educational needs (SEN) allocation of teaching hours is mainly distributed among the SEN team while remaining hours are allocated to a small group of other teachers. The core educational support team meets weekly at an appointed slot to discuss individual student needs, timetabling, the sourcing of resources and general progress. The team is well organised and works in a collegial and collaborative manner. Information discussed at the meetings is disseminated to the relevant subject teachers by the SEN co-ordinator, who also represents the SEN team at meetings of the educational support team.

The special educational needs team benefits from the services of four special needs assistants (SNA). Three are employed in a full-time capacity and there is also one part time SNA. All SNAs are suitably qualified and displayed impressive knowledge and sensitivity with regard to students with special educational needs.

The Active Learning Unit (ALU) currently caters for ten students. One resource teacher is engaged full time in the ALU and is responsible for its co-ordination as well as effective communication with senior management, parents, subject teachers, programme co-ordinators and outside agencies. Entry into the unit is in consultation with feeder primary schools, parents, year heads and the special educational needs department of the school. ALU students follow the JCSP programme in eleven subjects and it is good practice that a number of students are integrated into mainstream classes such as Art, Craft and Design, Home Economics and Mathematics. It is commendable that students also participate in the Junior Achievement programme “personal economics” and Information Communication Technology (ICT) classes. The resource teacher and SNAs involved with the ALU are to be commended for their level of commitment and dedication to the students in their care.

Individual education plans (IEPs) are developed for each student selected for support. Parents are involved on an ongoing basis in the design and review of these plans. Confidential information such as the SEN register, IEPs and student profiles are stored in locked filing cabinets.

A variety of mechanisms including withdrawal, in-class assistance and preparation of resource materials is deployed to provide appropriate support for students with special educational needs. It is commendable that an extra English class has been provided in third year for those students who are exempt from Irish.

Identification of students with SEN is based on analysis of information which includes: assessment tests carried out in first year, information from the student’s primary school and any assessment reports from educational psychologists. Through liaison and discussions among all relevant staff and parents, an individual profile is built up on each student with SEN based on how he or she is progressing in class. Applications for resources to support individual students are made through the local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). The SEN team has recently developed a referral form which can be filled in by a class teacher where there are concerns over a student’s progress and this form is in turn passed to the year head and SEN co-ordinator. It is evident that clear procedures for referral are in place and a high level of collaboration takes place between all parties involved.

It is praiseworthy that information on students with SEN is made available through the SEN co-ordinator and particular difficulties are brought to the attention of staff at staff meetings or on specific request. Where necessary, subject teachers can discuss learning strategies for individual students with the learning support co-ordinator and this level of collaboration is good practice. All teachers have been issued with a folder from the SEN team, which contains information on strategies, and methodologies to be used with SEN students. All teachers have also been allocated a notebook listing the names of their students with SEN and the type of support they are receiving. These are examples of excellent practice. Overall, students in Beech Hill College are very well supported in this area.

In addition, the learning support and resource teachers work closely with school completion programme (SCP) personnel, the home-school-community liaison (HSCL) co-ordinator, guidance counsellors, year heads, tutors and National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists where necessary in coordinating supports for students with SEN.

6.2 Other supports for students: (disadvantaged, minority and other groups)

The school benefits from its involvement with the SCP for students who are at risk of early school leaving. It was reported that the school has seen a marked improvement in the attendance of students who are involved in this scheme. The co-ordinator and project worker interviewed presented as an enthusiastic and dynamic team which draws on its experience as well as a wide variety of supports and interventions available. In-school supports involve the provision of specific learning and developmental activities, for example paired reading, paired mathematics, some one-to-one work, a breakfast club and a transfer and settling-in programme for first years. Out-of-school supports provided include a free bus to school, an after-school club, a homework club and a parenting programme. Holiday supports are also available at Hallowe’en, Easter and summer holidays. These include summer and Easter camps, visits to Tanagh outdoor pursuit centre, drama, art and ICT courses. SCP personnel work closely with external agencies such as Monaghan Youth Federation (MYF), Monaghan ISPCC, Mullaghmatt Community Development Project (CDP) and Monaghan Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP).

A psychologist, funded under the SCP, attends to the emotional and behavioural needs of students referred by the guidance counsellors. The psychologist also meets with parents of students who have been referred. The school benefits from the services of a home-school-community liaison coordinator who regularly meets with parents either in the school or in their home environment. The importance of a strong home-school partnership is recognised as a vital element in the support provided for students. Regular informal liaison takes place between the psychologist, the SCP team and the HSCL co-ordinator. This is good practice.

The newcomer students receive extra English tuition by withdrawal and, where appropriate, learning support. Similarly, students from the Traveller community receive, where necessary, resource teaching time or learning support.

A book loan/rental and dual book scheme (where one text book is available for school use and one for home use) operates effectively within the junior cycle while students may apply for a book grant in the senior cycle. This represents a significant financial saving for families.

6.3 Guidance

The timetable for Guidance reflects a good balance between the provision of group and of one-to-one sessions with students. Guidance time is managed to meet particular needs of individual students in co-operation with teachers. The guidance counsellors ensure the GEI allocation is appropriately used through liaison with the HSCL co-ordinator, the provision of study skills techniques, visits to Ballyhaise Agricultural College, local businesses and occasionally to the BT Young Science and Technology exhibition in the RDS.

Good facilities are available for guidance in the school. There are two guidance counsellors, each with a classroom as a dedicated space to facilitate one-to-one sessions with students and for display and storage of guidance materials. The guidance department uses ICT effectively to assist students in making choices of subjects and programmes. Students can readily meet with the guidance counsellor or a year head. The guidance counsellors have introduced a referral form which is completed by the year head. This is good practice.

The guidance plan is a work in progress. Two whole school guidance planning meetings have been held to date. These have resulted in the development of a formalised induction programme in September for first year students, the clarification of work experience and the links with SEN. A questionnaire of staff realised a need within the staff for more training on whole school guidance. Students have been consulted on areas of the plan and there is potential to include parental input. It is recommended that the guidance planning team consults with the parents association to explore how best their input can be incorporated into the guidance plan.

A guidance programme has been developed for senior cycle students in LCA, LCVP as well as the established Leaving Certificate. This programme includes provision for timetabled and informal group sessions along with one-to-one interviews to discuss individual career paths. Guidance is part of the transition year (TY) programme and has a strong vocational focus. Students are assisted to optimise their work-experience opportunities and gain a good understanding of the career value of selecting certain subjects for senior cycle. This approach to guidance is to be commended.

6.4 Pastoral care

Beech Hill College places a high priority on ensuring that appropriate and effective pastoral care systems are in operation in the school. This area is effectively co-ordinated by a post holder for pastoral care. It is laudable that the school pastoral care team which includes the guidance counsellors, chaplain, HSCL co-ordinator, SEN co-ordinator and pastoral care postholder meet each Thursday morning to monitor ongoing issues with a view to ensuring that all relevant staff are aware of students experiencing difficulties and that appropriate responses are initiated. The team also liaises with senior management, subject teachers, year heads, parents and outside agencies such as Monaghan NYP.

The class tutor system is a core feature of the pastoral care structure in the school and tutors have ten minutes’ daily contact with the class group for which they are responsible. Tutors play a key role in the delivery of the pastoral care system. All class tutors are currently involved with delivering the social, personal and health education (SPHE) programme which is a useful means of increasing the level of contact between tutors and students. Tutors were also instrumental in delivering the ‘cool schools’ programme introduced in 2006.

The year heads, all of whom hold assistant principal posts of responsibility, meet class groups, hold weekly assemblies for their respective year group and liaise with parents, students, senior management and teachers. An ‘On Report’ system is in place to support and monitor student behaviour. Year heads adopt a caring approach to the implementation of the school’s code of behaviour and are careful to take into account the personal circumstances of each individual student. A sixth year awards night was held in May 2006 to celebrate sixth year achievements and to mark the end of their senior cycle. This celebration appropriately marks the end of an important chapter in students’ education and is a good example of the level of pastoral care in the school.

The school uses a journal system to keep parents regularly informed on student progress both in academic and in personal terms. This system is prompt and allows for good communication with parents.

Though the pastoral care team plays a central role, it is also evident that there is an integrated approach to the provision for pastoral care which has input from all staff. Teachers of SPHE, Civic, Social and Personal Education (CSPE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) deal with relevant topics such as personal development and health. Relevant issues can be raised with students during class tutor time or by the guidance counsellor and chaplain. Senior management members expressed their appreciation for the contribution the chaplain makes to the school and commented that his presence one day per week is of great benefit to students. The chaplain described his role as a spiritual presence in a non-denominational capacity and suggested that the school would benefit from the provision of a quiet area for reflection and meditation.

In line with current legislative requirements notably the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 the school has a system in place to monitor student attendance. Unless the school has been informed, the year head or a member of the school administrative staff telephones the home when a student is absent to enquire as to the reason for the absence. The school is commended for its efforts in this regard as it has in place procedures to inform parents in advance of the twenty-day notification to the Education Welfare Board requirement.

The student council, which is fully representative of the student body, receives guidance and support from a designated liaison teacher. Members interviewed acknowledged the importance of their role in communicating students’ concerns and helping them to be involved in the life of the school. Following a recommendation made by the inspection team, photographs of council members and senior prefects have been displayed on a notice board. It is suggested that members could be provided with badges. Agendas and reports in relation to student council meetings could also be displayed on a student council notice board in order to promote the profile of the student council in the school. Senior students are selected to act as prefects to provide support for staff in the monitoring of certain school events and activities. Students are carefully selected for this role and given responsibilities that are appropriate to their age and skills.

It is praiseworthy that mentoring of new teachers is usually carried out by the pastoral care post holder who also makes available a folder of relevant information on the school, staff and policies for the new staff member. The school also has a social committee, the aim of which is to create a bond between staff members in a social setting and to create a more understanding and supportive working relationship between staff members.

7. Summary of findings and recommendations for further development

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

The principal and deputy principal demonstrate a good sense of team spirit and work well together. They meet each morning at eight thirty to discuss and organise the running of the school day and again at four fifteen each evening. There is also regular informal contact throughout the school day. This level of communication is very good practice.

There is a strong awareness of themselves as a middle management team within the school. This sense of devolved leadership is praiseworthy as it allows the group to participate in and contribute to the management of the school in a structured manner. This contributes to a more even distribution of duties and greater support and assistance for the principal and deputy principal.

· Communication with parents is successfully accomplished on a regular basis through the student journal, regular information evenings, letters and a school atmosphere which is open to meeting parents by appointment at other times. The school website has recently been updated and it is a very good source of information for new and potential students and their parents.

Both permanent and developmental sections of the school plan have been addressed in the documents prepared to date. A significant degree of progress has been made in the area of general school planning as is evidenced by the large number of school policies already in place.

The school is commended for providing a wide range of programmes and subjects that maintains breadth and balance between technological, scientific, aesthetic and academic education. This also reflects the commitment of the school to cater for the range of abilities and needs of all its students and gives expression to the inclusive nature of the school.

A significant number of staff members are committed to co-curricular and extra-curricular activities spanning games and athletics, poetry and short story writing, quizzes, public speaking and debating as well as art competitions.

A range of methodologies was employed in the lessons visited. These included visual approaches, the use of ICT, role-play, pair and group work, case studies, discussion, worksheets and workbooks. The subject inspection reports share the observation that students were most engaged where lessons were supported by well-chosen and well-used active learning methodologies.

Provision is made for students with special educational needs (SEN) in line with allocated resources for learning support and resource hours. Members have developed their expertise in these areas and the level of organisation and policy development in the SEN department is commended.

Beech Hill College places a high priority on ensuring that appropriate and effective pastoral care systems are in operation in the school.

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

It is recommended that the senior management team provides time for a formal timetabled meeting, once per week, in order to discuss and review comprehensive, long term management and planning issues.

When planning the agenda for staff meetings, it is recommended that management rotates the location on the agenda for subject department planning, to avoid its time allocation being eroded should earlier agenda items over run.

It is recommended that the board and the school development planning team formulate an action plan to prioritise policies for review, ensure that all partners are appropriately consulted in the review process and verify that the wording of policies reflects the good practice already on the ground.

Student participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities is high and is affirmed and encouraged through the college newsletter and the local media. Further affirmation and celebration of student achievements could be achieved through corridor displays and notice boards. It is recommended that management provide a designated area and noticeboards for display of student achievements and awards.

It is recommended that the guidance planning team consult with the parents association to explore how best parental input can be incorporated into the guidance plan.

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

8. Related subject inspection reports

The following related Subject Inspection reports are available:

Subject Inspection of English – 13 February 2007
Subject Inspection of Gaeilge – 13 February 2007
Subject Inspection of Geography – 3 April, 2006
Subject Inspection of SPHE – 14 February 2007

Appendix

9. School Response to the Report

Submitted by the Board of Management

Area 1: Observations on the content of the inspection report

The Board of Management is very happy to accept the Final Report. It is satisfied that this was a necessary exercise in accountability conducted in a very professional manner by an expert team from the Inspectorate. The process made a profound impact on all the staff who serves at Beech Hill College. The process not only identified and affirmed good practice but it also made recommendations which will enhance the education service which the College will deliver into the future. The impact on staff morale from a positive Report of this type by an independent outside body cannot be accurately quantified.

The Board of Management noted in particular the following sentences that accurately identify the characteristic spirit of the school and the professionalism and dedication of the staff.

1. THE QUALITY OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT: The characteristic spirit of the school as summarised in the Mission Statement was identified as follows:

“were seen in the daily interactions of the staff and students and it was noted that a caring and friendly atmosphere predominated the learning and working environment”.
“the students met by the evaluation team commented on the friendly and respectful rapport between staff and students”.
“the students described the school as a friendly place with a good atmosphere and praised the many teachers who were supportive and generous with their time, particularly outside of school hours”.
“the Parents’ Council drew attention to the school’s open door policy and the open and caring atmosphere in the school”.
“members of the Board of Management emphasised the goodwill and commitment shown by teachers to their students both in the classroom and through the many co-curricular and extra-curricular activities taking place”.

2. THE QUALITY OF CURRICULUM PROVISION:

“The school is commended for providing a wide range of programmes and subjects that maintains breadth and balance between technological, scientific, aesthetic and academic education. This also reflects the commitment of the school to cater for the range of abilities and needs of its students and it gives expression to the inclusive nature of the school”.
“Beech Hill College is commended for the arrangements made to provide students and their parents with comprehensive and timely information regarding programmes ands subject choice”.
“The school is highly commended for offering students a diverse range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities”.

3. THE QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:

· “It was evident that learning activities were planned to match the range of abilities in classes”.

· “A range of methodologies was employed in the lessons visited. These included visual approaches, use of ICT, role play, pair and group work, case studies, discussion, worksheets, workbooks”.

4. QUALITY OF SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS:

· “Beech Hill College places a high priority on ensuring that appropriate and effective pastoral care systems are in operation in the school”.

· “The Class Tutor system is a core feature of the pastoral care structure in the school and tutors have ten minutes’ daily contact with the class group for which they are responsible”.

· “Provision is made for students with special educational needs (SEN) in line with allocated resources for learning support and resource hours. Members have developed their expertise in these areas and the level of organisation and policy development in the SEN department is commended”.

Area 2: Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection

At the most recent Staff Meeting a full review of the Report was conducted with the assistance of an outside facilitator. The objective of this exercise was to:

· highlight the positive elements in the Report

· discuss and consider the recommendations made

· prioritise recommendations for implementation.

The Board is aware that a number of recommendations have already been implemented by Senior Management and Subject Departments including:

1. Training for members of the Board of Management in early March.

2. The adoption of the Substance Use Policy.

3. The Guidance Planning team has already consulted the Parents’ Association.

4. Unsuitable flooring identified has been remedied.

5. Corridor displays have been upgraded to facilitate student affirmation.

6. The timing of subject department planning meetings is rotated on the agenda for Staff Meetings as recommended.