An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

Department of Education and Science

 

Subject Inspection of Special Educational Needs

REPORT

 

St Colman’s Community College,

Midleton Co. Cork

Roll number: 71050P

  

Date of inspection: 25 and 26 October 2007

 

 

 

 

Subject inspection report

Subject provision and whole school support

Planning and preparation

Teaching and learning

Assessment

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

 

 

 

Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Special Educational Needs

 

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Saint Colman’s Community College, Midleton, Co. Cork, conducted as part of a whole school evaluation. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching in provision for special educational needs (SEN) and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of students with special educational needs in the college. The evaluation was conducted over two days during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and members of the college’s special educational needs support team.

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

St. Colman’s Community College, Midleton, Co. Cork has an open enrolment policy. The college engages in inclusive practices which allow students to access, participate in and benefit from the learning experiences provided by the college. There is a considerable number of students with a wide range of needs presenting in the college, including students identified with low-incidence and high-incidence disabilities, students with learning-support needs and students requiring English language support. To meet these needs, the college is allocated 22 hours for students with learning support needs, with an additional resource allocation of 126.7 hours for students with low-incidence and high-incidence disabilities. It was reported during the inspection that an additional 21-hour resource teaching post was recently advertised. The school has set aside a number of dedicated rooms to provide for additional learning needs. These rooms are furnished with well-maintained resources. Further minor investments in information and communication technology  (ICT) facilities would be beneficial in some areas.

 

Classes are formed on a streamed basis, resulting in some students with special educational needs not having access to certain subjects. This practice restricts individual students’ subject choice and should be reviewed. Various modes of delivery are used to support student learning, including smaller class groups and individual or small-group withdrawal. Of late, team-teaching arrangements have been successfully implemented where, rather than students being withdrawn from class, two teachers work together in one classroom. Such a mode of delivery was seen to promote inclusive learning while addressing identified students’ specific learning needs.

 

Learning-support provision is well established in the school by a qualified, committed and experienced learning-support teacher. More recently, two staff members have secured recognised qualifications in special educational needs and these teachers dedicate considerable time and energy in ensuring quality learning for those students allocated additional resource hours. The core of the school’s special educational needs support team is comprised of the learning-support teacher and the two resource teachers. Interventions usually focus on specific language and mathematical needs while also striking a suitable balance between individual prioritised learning needs and access to the broader curriculum. There are a number of students with English as an additional language attending the school and their needs are met by two other teachers who have accessed training to fulfil such duties.

 

An examination of teachers’ timetables reveals that there are a large number of other teachers who are involved in the delivery of additional allocated teaching hours. As a result, concern was raised that it was difficult to co-ordinate practices between teachers when additional supports were delivered by a large number of teachers. To avoid fragmentation of students’ timetables and to promote meaningful collaboration between the support team and mainstream teachers it is strongly recommended that all known additional resource hours are factored into the timetable at the time of its construction. Due regard should be given, at this time, to reducing the numbers of teachers involved in the delivery of additional teaching and thus ensure that these hours are utilised to the optimal benefit of the students.

 

As witnessed in the high quality of the documentation presented, the core team members have engaged in developing the school’s special educational needs policy. These teachers’ sustained commitment and dedication is duly acknowledged. It is recommended that this, and other good work, be facilitated by the provision of a formal regular timetabled meeting between the members of the core support team.

 

It is clear that the school seeks to constantly improve the quality of provision for students with special educational needs. A notable feature of the school’s support team is the quality of their professional knowledge and their constant pursuit of professional learning. With regard to other colleagues, it is suggested that the Special Education Support Service website (www.sess.ie), could be of assistance in accessing professional learning and classroom resources. The college has established very good links with personnel from other schools who are involved in special education. Cluster meetings in the East Cork area are attended regularly. The college has just completed taking part in a Cork County Vocational Educational Committee (CCVEC) sponsored project, examining the links between special educational needs and information and communication technology (ICT). As this report highlights, the three core support-team members in this college have much to offer colleagues within their school and within the CCVEC scheme.

 

Planning and preparation

 

Planning and preparation at individual teacher level is very good. The challenge facing the college is to co-ordinate planning and preparation among the core team so as to maximise their impact, and consequently mainstream teachers’ impact upon student achievement and engagement.

 

Very good links have developed between the learning-support teacher and the many feeder-primary schools. Comprehensive planning for incoming students commences early in the new year. Data pertaining to students is gathered through a variety of means including engagement with primary school personnel, parents, students, representatives from external agencies and through a variety of standardised and diagnostic tests.  Such information is recorded appropriately and stored securely at all times. In light of the large number of schools involved it is suggested that other core team members be invited to assist in this important function. All students are tested in January before their entry and those identified for learning support are tested again in September. The benefits of the core team members retesting all students midway through second year was discussed. Such midpoint tracking and presenting of students’ progress in literacy and numeracy skills, combined with other student gains, will assist in encouraging and sustaining collaborative efforts among all staff.

 

The school is also commended for clearly documenting the role of the special needs assistant. The inclusive manner in which special needs assistants are involved in all aspects of school life reflects well upon all concerned. The forethought of the special needs assistant to observe activities in the primary school in advance of student transfer is deserving of much praise. The college is also aware of the need to plan for the learning needs of students who are exceptionally able and gifted and any future review of school policies should take account of such learning needs. The website of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (www.ncca.ie) is suggested as a further resource in this regard.

 

The college is engaged in individual education planning for students with special educational needs. Individual teacher planning was of a high standard. The lesson plans met the aims as documented in the short-term and long-term goals for individuals and class groups. A notable feature of the school is its promotion of peer-assisted learning. This was evident in many of the classes visited and, in particular, in the well-run paired-reading programme which involves Transition Year students assisting selected first-year students with their reading. It was reported that peer-tutoring also occurs among students studying English as an additional language. Such good practice has many benefits and all involved are deserving of much praise.

 

 

Teaching and learning

 

The quality of teaching and learning observed among students with special and additional educational needs was uniformly of a high standard. Lessons visited included lessons that were formed by individual and small-group withdrawal, or were formed by implementing team-teaching arrangements. In all lessons the content was appropriate and focused mainly on advancing language and mathematical skills. Lessons were also seen to take cognisance of the affective and social domains of learning. Teachers’ preparation and positive attitude to all learners helped to create an atmosphere that was conducive to learning and to teaching. Students responded well to various teaching strategies and were clearly accustomed to smooth transitions from one form of learning activity to another. Very good use of co-operative learning strategies was witnessed in a number of classes. Such practices were seen to enhance learning opportunities and to increase students’ participation in the lesson. Purposeful seating arrangements in some lessons further assisted co-operative practices. In all lessons observed, a good balance was struck between teacher and student activity. The continued sharing and extension of co-operative learning strategies between both the special educational needs support team members and between students’ other teachers is encouraged.

 

Teachers’ content-knowledge and pedagogical skills, combined with their knowledge of students’ interests and preferred learning styles, assisted in personalising the learning for each student. Lesson objectives were clarified for students at the beginning of the lesson and good use of praise and reiteration assisted students in sustaining their interest in the lesson. The questions framed by teachers attended to lower-order and higher-order thinking skills and all students were given every opportunity to participate. Students’ questions, in turn, were welcomed by the teachers and used to inform and guide the lesson. Lessons were well paced and good use of ‘wait time’ by teachers ensured that students were given every opportunity to succeed. It was also noted that, when necessary, other students were invited to respectfully assist each other. The mutual respect shown by students to one another mirrored the manner in which teachers interacted with all students. Students were encouraged to be responsible for their own learning and for storing their own work.

 

In many of the lessons observed the stated learning outcomes centred on the promotion of language skills. The standard at which the students read and comprehended was appropriate to their age and ability. Where witnessed, group and pair work allowed teachers to monitor individual progress and allowed students an opportunity to consolidate and learn from each other. Lessons, which were formed by individual withdrawal from mainstream classes, made good use of students’ assessed learning needs and learning styles.

 

A team-teaching lesson, where two teachers focused on promoting mathematical skills, was conducted in a manner that ensured student learning. Good co-ordination of teaching roles by the two teachers involved ensured that all learners participated and benefited from the lesson. The good use of co-operative learning engaged in by the students reflected the high quality of co-operative teaching they observed. In another lesson devoted to developing students’ mathematical skills, good use was made of students’ own interests to engage the class. As in all classes inspected, teacher-demonstration and preparation ensured that learning occurred, and at a pace suited to individual learners. It was also observed that gentle and constructive correction of students’ efforts was a common feature of classroom interaction between teacher and student.

 

The lessons for students learning English as an additional language were well constructed and assisted students to practise a variety of language skills. There was good use of flashcards and suitable texts in the lessons observed. Students were encouraged to actively engage in the lesson and the small class size ensured new skills were acquired and practised. The possibilities and benefits of monitoring students’ progress through audio-recording were discussed. 

 

It is a noticeable feature of St. Colman’s Community College that the quality of teaching and learning observed is of a very high standard and positively impacts upon all students’ learning and upon their sense of belonging in the college.

 

 

Assessment

 

The school engages in a comprehensive assessment of student learning. Students’ progress and achievement are communicated to home on a regular basis. Parents are facilitated, on request, to meet with teachers. Appropriate standardised and diagnostic tests are used to determine learning and inform teaching. An examination of suitable mathematical test materials is advised. Students’ progress is also assessed on a daily basis by subject teachers and by class-based examinations. Formal examinations take place at Christmas and summer. Students’ work is monitored, stored and used sensitively to assess and determine progress. The retesting of students’ language and mathematical development, using standardised tests, will complement other forms of assessment and is worthy of consideration.

 

In consultation with the local NEPS psychologist, the school adopts a systematic approach to arranging Reasonable Accommodations in Certificate Examinations (RACE). Students are facilitated in becoming familiar with the relevant accommodation provided and are assisted in accessing and practising these arrangements in the spring, when examinations are provided to prepare students for the state examinations in the summer. An extension of this good practice to include summer and Christmas examinations is recommended.

 

The school has a homework policy which adopts a whole-school approach to the issuing, completion and monitoring of homework. The policy predominantly focuses upon written homework. It is suggested that future consideration should be given to how best the school can facilitate various modes of homework presentation, correction and feedback in a manner that maintains high expectations and differentiates for ability levels. Students’ written work was found to be regularly corrected, and on occasions signed, dated and with concluding comments to encourage students in their learning. The schools’ stated aim of developing the whole person is witnessed in the many awards presented from within and from outside the school, which give due recognition to student engagement as well as achievement.

 

 

  

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

 

 

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

 

 

 

Post-evaluation meetings were held with the members of the school’s special educational needs support team and principal at the conclusion of the evaluation, when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.

 

 

 

 

Published, June 2008