The Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science undertook an evaluation of the teaching and learning in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and English in a sample of schools nationally.

This evaluation is the third in a series of thematic evaluations of aspects of the primary curriculum and is part of an ongoing review of curriculum implementation in primary schools. The purpose of this evaluation is to provide information on the extent of curriculum implementation in SPHE and English. The evaluation focuses on the teaching and learning in SPHE and English and on the quality of pupils’ achievement. This evaluation identifies and affirms good practice, and makes recommendations for teaching and the enhancement of pupils’ learning experiences and levels of achievement.

Two inspectors were involved in the evaluation in Dromore National School. The evaluation involved the observation of teaching and learning in different class settings, a review of planning and policy documents, and an evaluation of the progress of pupils, including those receiving supplementary teaching in English. A school questionnaire was administered and structured interviews with the principal and class teachers were conducted. Senior pupils and parents were invited to complete questionnaires with respect to issues related to SPHE. Drawing on the evaluations undertaken in the schools nationally, the Inspectorate will publish a composite report on the quality of teaching and learning of SPHE in primary schools. Data from the questionnaires will be aggregated for the composite report. The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report; a response was not received from the board.

1. School background and context

Dromore National School is a seven-teacher, efficiently functioning, mainstream primary school situated near the village of Crossroads, Co. Donegal close to the border with Northern Ireland. There are 148 pupils from junior infants to sixth class enrolled in the school. The pupils are mainly drawn from the local area. In the past year the enrolment patterns have extended to include pupils from backgrounds where English is not the first language. The school receives some additional resources under the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools rural plan (DEIS). These are both Department of Education and Science initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage and promote educational inclusion. A comprehensive plan is in place regarding the effective utilisation of these resources to enrich the educational experiences of the pupils. In 1996, the year when the last school report was issued, there were 160 pupils and a staff of six teachers. Pupil enrolment has dropped since that time but has, over the past four years, remained constant. An increase in pupil enrolment is expected in the future due to increased housing developments in the area. The school is under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Derry. It is reported that the board of management and the parents’ body are very supportive of the work of the school. The chairperson is a regular visitor to the school. He demonstrates a good understanding of the work of the school and the importance of teaching and learning matters.

The school leadership is commended for the positive school atmosphere that prevails in Dromore National School. It is reported that the implementation of the SPHE curriculum has contributed strongly to increased self-esteem, respect and empathy among pupils. The significant efforts of the principal and teaching staff in creating a commendable child-friendly school environment and in the development of effective discipline procedures are acknowledged. Classroom rules have been clearly established and all pupils co-operate with the teachers in implementing the school’s code of behaviour and in particular the anti-bullying policy. The weekly “Teacht le Chéile” or school assembly is effectively used by the principal and teaching staff to promote good behaviour and a positive approach to school life in general. The use of appropriate reward systems for pupils’ engagement in positive behaviours is acknowledged. The excellent school building contributes to the pride and positive morale of the entire school community. The school and its grounds are maintained in an attractive and child-centred manner.

Despite the pupil-friendly nature of this school and the wide programme of extra-curricular activities and supports on offer to the pupils, school attendance figures are a cause for concern. In the past school year a significant number of prolonged pupil-absence cases have been reported to the Education and Welfare Board. This poor attendance impacts negatively on pupil achievement. It is noted that the staff has identified school attendance as a priority issue. However, it is now strongly recommended that the board of management, in consultation with the staff and parent body, draws up a school attendance policy to encourage and promote better school attendance habits. A statement of strategies to encourage pupil attendance, including targeted measures to encourage better attendance by those who persistently do not attend, should be included. Linking with the local Education and Welfare Officer will be an important starting point in this process.

2. Provision and use of resources in sphe and english

The teaching staff comprises a teaching principal, five mainstream class teachers, a learning support teacher, a shared resource teacher and a shared language support teacher. Two teachers currently have provisional recognition from the Department. The DEIS co-ordinator spends two days a week in the school. Three special needs assistants are employed to support pupils with additional needs, enabling them to participate in school life as fully as possible. A full-time secretary provides very valuable support to the school management and the teachers. The pupils are distributed equally and appropriately among the teaching staff in compliance with Department requirements. It is reported that teacher rotation is not a common practice in the school. It is now recommended that a policy of staff rotation be drawn up so that teachers have the opportunity to experience a variety of classes and contexts, and are permitted to share expertise at different class levels for the benefit of the pupils.

Roles have been defined for the post holders and these are included in the school plan. These duties are currently carried out in a conscientious manner. All post holders are to be commended for their enthusiasm and flexibility. Posts have recently been effectively reviewed to respond to the needs of a changing school. The teaching staff attends nationally-delivered in-service in relation to the implementation of the primary curriculum as appropriate. They have also participated in in-school training in Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in recent years. Significant expertise exists among the staff in the Stay Safe Programme and the satisfactory manner in which this programme is delivered in the school bears testimony to this. The practice of providing opportunities for teachers to share their learning from participation in external courses is commended, as is the support for participation in continuing professional development generally. A senior staff member has been recently given the responsibility for the co-ordination of SPHE in the school. Considerable enthusiasm and innovation is evident in the activities that have been undertaken to date. Attractive samples of the pupils’ work in SPHE are displayed. Other illustrative materials that support the SPHE curriculum are exhibited. Classroom rules are displayed in all classrooms. Classrooms and ancillary accommodation are clean and sanitary. Appropriate toilet facilities are available to pupils and staff. Playground and recreational space available to pupils is very satisfactory. Department of Education and Science curriculum grants are appropriately utilised in the purchase and provision of resources to support pupils’ learning in SPHE. All teachers have considerable resource materials. Important materials, such as the Department's Relationships and Sexuality Education programme together with the Walk Tall and Stay Safe programmes, are used by all teachers. Consideration should now be given to auditing all SPHE support materials, including DVDs, posters and videos currently in the school. This audit should be included in the school plan, thus making these resources easily accessible to all teachers. The teachers also avail of resources from the wider community in support of the SPHE programme. For example, visits from the Gardaí assist in delivering the Walk Tall programme in the area of substance abuse and the road safety programme. The local public health nurse assists with lessons in personal health and hygiene. The Balor Theatre group have given supported the school significantly with their anti-bullying programme. Parents with young babies have been successfully invited into the school to support the RSE programme. Any external support provided to the school is carefully planned for and monitored by the principal and staff.

Department grants are used in an insightful manner to provide some important resources to support teaching and learning in English. There are two posts of responsibility holders in the school who have joint responsibility for planning for English. The commitment to detailing the range of resources used in individual planning and the manner in which resources, including information and communication technology (ICT), were used during the evaluation indicate the degree to which resources are embedded into pedagogical practice in the school. The teaching staff has sourced appropriate teaching resources for all levels, however, further supplementary reading activities and materials should be considered for the senior section of the school. Further stocks of library books have been sourced since the in-school evaluation. This initiative is commended. Effective use is made of visual and hands-on materials to present lesson content and to actively engage the children in their learning. Effective use is made of big books and posters for storytelling purposes and the level of engagement by pupils was good. All classrooms are print-rich with key language structures, vocabulary enrichment charts and word walls on display. A satisfactory range of emergent reading materials is available in most classrooms to promote emergent reading skills. Classroom and corridor displays that include the children’s written book reviews, creative writing and samples of writing across the curriculum are particularly noteworthy. The school library is a very bright and colourful room. There are displays of art-work of characters from various fairytales painted on the walls that makes it a very attractive place for pupils to choose books and read them. The central library is well stocked with a wide range of well chosen reading materials across a variety of reading genres. While some work has gone into developing a library system of coding and grading books, further plans are in place by staff to enhance this system. Some classrooms observed during the evaluation had attractive library displays. This now should be extended to all classes.

The classrooms observed were well equipped with ICT hardware and software. There is a technology coordinator in the school who supports teachers very well in the use of ICT in the classroom. He also provides staff training in the use of technology equipment. This is an invaluable resource for the school. ICT is used to provide differentiated learning for pupils with special educational needs. The computers are also used to facilitate children in devising, editing and presenting their written work. Pupils with significant literacy difficulties have been trained in the use of scanners, software and talking word processors to facilitate their learning across the curriculum. Children’s writer Liz Weir visits the school over a period of ten weeks to involve children in storytelling and composition of poetry. A very good booklet Tips for Parents – When a Child Starts to Read has been devised by the staff and circulated to parents to encourage parents to read with their children. This booklet should be further utilised to encourage parents to keep an interest in their children’s reading, not only at junior levels, but also at middle and senior levels. Members of the local community support the language programme in the school by involvement at parent-teacher meetings. Past pupils and local people are invited to share talent, history and expertise with the children. Pupils interview local people as a basis for writing their own books and articles for the school’s annual newsletter. This community involvement in the life of the school is commendable and should be strengthened further in the future. Staff members have liaised with other agencies to source appropriate resources to enhance teaching and learning resources for pupils who receive additional support in reading and writing. A staff member who has particular expertise in the area of psychology contributes by assessing and identifying pupils with learning difficulties at a very early stage. The teaching of English has been discussed at staff meetings. Recent decisions in this area of the curriculum include the further development of buddy and paired reading, the use of novels, review of handwriting, use of library and a phonics scheme. Three mainstream teachers and one support teacher have been involved in a cross border project organised by the Special Education Support Service (SESS) on Inclusive Dyslexia-Friendly Practice in the past school year. The school has also used the Primary School Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) cuiditheoir service to support literacy in the school. This continues to be a key priority for the school.

3. Quality of whole school planning in sphe and english

The principal and teaching staff, in consultation with the board of management, have devised a plan for SPHE in which the school’s vision and aims for pupils’ learning in SPHE are outlined. The school plan, however, lacks information on the programme to be delivered in SPHE at a whole school level. This should now be reviewed and the curriculum objectives for each class level should be clearly outlined. It is intended that the SPHE programme for each of the four stages of the primary cycle be implemented over a two-year period. To ensure the implementation of the programme as intended, it is further recommended that an implementation plan, detailing the specific strand and strand units to be addressed in each of the two years of the cycle, be formally included in grid form. Further consideration also needs to be given to the contexts through which SPHE is being taught in the school. In some sections it is very clear that considerable planning for the effective integration of SPHE with other subjects is undertaken. This is less evident in other sections and needs to be developed. The teaching staff currently has access to the school plan for SPHE through the principal’s office. A copy of the revised SPHE plan should be provided to all the teaching staff to allow teachers to base individual planning on the whole school plan.

Other organisational policies including the enrolment policy, the code of behaviour, the anti-bullying policy and the healthy eating policy support the SPHE plan. A commendable information booklet containing some key policies is sent to the homes of new entrants each year. Consideration should be given to including the school’s anti-bullying policy in this booklet to allow for further dissemination of the school’s solid approach to such behaviour. As a whole school response to the enrolment of pupils from backgrounds where English is not the first language, consideration should also be given to drawing up a policy on intercultural education. Parents currently may access all school policies through the principal’s office. It is now recommended that the SPHE programme be sent to each home, including the programme of RSE to be delivered to the pupils.

Evidence was provided to confirm that the teaching staff in consultation with the board of management has taken initial 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 Primary Schools (Department of Education and Science, April 2001). A designated liaison person has been appointed in line with the requirements of the Departmental guidelines. A draft policy is in place. Consideration should be given to clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of the board and all staff members, including support staff with regard to child protection within the school policy. It is now strongly recommended that the board completes and ratifies this school policy as a matter of urgency. A copy of this policy should be sent to all homes prior to ratification for parental input followed by the finalised policy when ratified by the board.

Planning for English is outlined in the whole school policy for English. This was formulated by the staff in consultation with the board of management and has been reviewed in January 2007. Ratification by the board is pending. The whole school policy for English gives details of overall aims. The policy outlines the school’s vision in relation to English as follows; Dromore NS cherishes all children equally and to aid them in achieving their true potential we hope to promote positive attitudes and to develop an appreciation of the value of language, spoken, read and written. English is allocated time at each class level in accordance with curriculum guidelines and discrete time is timetabled for oral language development. The process of language learning is developed through integrated activities, thematic and cross-curricular approaches. Detailed curriculum and objective-based planning for English is outlined very well in teachers’ individual yearly planning and preparation notes. It is recommended that a copy of these comprehensive individual yearly plans be attached to the whole school policy for English to further augment the structured systems of monitoring and implementation of the English curriculum that are already in place. This was discussed at the post-evaluation meeting. Members of staff discussed the systems of monitoring, assessment and record-keeping that are already in place in the school to ensure implementation of the curriculum and the review of pupil outcomes. This very significant work by staff in the area of planning, teaching, learning, assessment and record keeping is commendable and teachers should maintain this momentum. Pupils have made significant progress, based on early intervention strategies, which have already been put in place by the teaching staff to raise the standards in the school. Assessment tools in use across the school are outlined in detail in the whole school policy. Plans are also outlined in relation to organisational planning for English with specific detail in relation to timetabling, homework, library, resources and ICT, individual teachers’ planning and reporting, parental involvement and community links. It is evident that a lot of reflection and consultation has taken place among staff in drawing up this whole school policy and the individual annual plans for English. The members of the middle management team, in consultation with the whole staff, keep this English policy and its criteria for success under review on an annual basis.

There is a comprehensive whole school policy and plan for special educational needs (SEN), which outlines in its introductory statement that ‘Dromore NS has an exceptionally high proportion of pupils with SEN’. This plan outlines roles and responsibilities of staff in relation to SEN. Procedures for screening and assessment, planning, implementation and review of programmes for pupils with SEN are clearly defined in the plan. The stated aims in the plan are outlined in eight points, which include the following: to enable pupils with SEN to achieve adequate levels of literacy and numeracy before leaving school, to participate in their full class curriculum, to develop positive attitudes to self, school and learning, to enable pupils to become self monitoring and independent, to involve parents in supporting children’s learning through effective parent support programmes, to promote collaboration among teachers, to operate early intervention activities to prevent/reduce learning difficulties and to apply the three staged model of intervention. The policy is detailed and reflective of what is contained in the Learning Support Guidelines. The programme of delivering early intervention strategies at the junior section is commendable and, according to the teachers’ evaluations, pupil outcomes have improved. The teaching staff has now begun to develop further strategies to improve pupil outcomes in reading and writing in the middle classes, and particularly in the senior section of the school.

All teachers conscientiously prepare individual long-term plans and short-term schemes of work. In some sections teachers provide commendably clear two-year planning grids and outline most comprehensive plans of work for their classes over a two-year period. The quality of the long-term planning for SPHE in the junior section is of a very high standard and deserves particular commendation. Clear and comprehensive programmes of work are laid out for the junior classes with careful consideration given to the teaching methodologies employed, how tasks are differentiated for pupils with different learning abilities, the potential for integration across the curriculum, the use of a wide range of resources and the assessment of SPHE lessons. It is now recommended that all teachers plan in a similar manner using an agreed format for long-term planning. Effective use is made of planning templates by all teachers in respect of short-term planning. A review of the teachers’ monthly progress records indicates that all strands of the SPHE curriculum are covered. Teachers record progress in varying formats. It is recommended that all staff record progress in a similar and systematic manner, using the curriculum strand and strand unit names so that the monthly progress reports become a more useful tool for school management in reviewing the progress of curriculum implementation across the school.

The quality of planning for English in all classrooms is good, with commendable planning in some sections. Details in relation to methodologies, resources, differentiation and linkage are documented in most plans. This should now be the practice of all teachers. It is evident from the work observed in classrooms that individual planning and teaching methodologies in use are having an impact on children’s learning in all classrooms. However, there is a need to focus even more attention on pupil outcomes in some sections. There is evidence that teachers are aware of individual differences in all classrooms and careful attention is paid to pupils with special educational needs. The provision of collaborative approaches between support and mainstream teachers is satisfactory.

Planning for language support for newcomers to the school is based on individual needs in skills, grammar and vocabulary. Specific programmes are topic-based and the support teacher records progress. Class teachers maintain a separate evaluation. It is evident from teacher evaluations that these pupils have made very good progress in oral language, reading and writing in the past year.

The DEIS co-ordinator has a major role in this school with regard to the support and implementation of the comprehensive DEIS strategic plan. It is being implemented very well, focusing on the needs of pupils at the junior section of the school and supporting the parents in their children’s learning.

4. Quality of teaching and learning in sphe and english

The quality of provision in SPHE was evaluated on the basis of observation of teaching and learning, a review of samples of pupils’ work and interaction with the pupils in four of the mainstream classrooms. All teachers implement the SPHE curriculum as a core curricular subject. Due attention is afforded to the strands Myself and Myself and Others at a whole-school level and generally a satisfactory programme of SPHE is delivered across the school. A review of curriculum provision in the strand Myself and the Wider World in the middle and senior sections of the school is now recommended. Teachers are encouraging and affirming of their pupils and work hard to provide positive experiences in SPHE lessons that raise the self-confidence and self-esteem of the pupils. In some sections it is evident that SPHE lessons are based on the teachers’ observed learning needs of the pupils and this is excellent practice. Lessons are generally well constructed to ensure the maximum participation of the pupils in the learning process. Active learning opportunities are employed including talk and discussion, story, poetry, games and role-play. Such approaches are complemented by the use of an appropriate range of material resources. Excellent practice was noted in one setting whereby the lesson objectives and methodologies were clearly outlined to pupils at the outset of the lesson and reviewed with the pupils at the end. Consideration should be given to extending this effective teaching approach to all classrooms. The SPHE-rich environments in most classrooms and along the corridors are lauded and consideration should be given to the establishment of SPHE-specific areas in all class settings. A “pupil worry box” noted in one setting is of particular merit. Some teachers are to be commended for their very good use of circle time and the time afforded to developing the speaking and listening skills of the pupils. Pupils engage very well in lessons and enjoy giving opinions on issues being explored. It is apparent however, that the expressive language skills of some pupils are rather poor and are in need of attention. The pupils’ listening skills in some sections are also in need of further attention. Group work is used effectively in many sections and in classes where it is a regular feature of practice the pupils settle down to tasks easily and understand the rules of collaborative learning. Pupils’ desks are arranged in most classrooms in ways that facilitate group work. It is now recommended that the desks in all classrooms be arranged to facilitate group learning on a regular basis. The differentiation of tasks and learning outcomes in SPHE in respect of pupils with different learning needs and styles is undertaken effectively in some settings. In others there is no evidence of such practice and it is an area for development. In some classrooms the integration and linkage of SPHE with other subjects is carefully executed. This results in a comprehensive programme of learning for the pupils. The integration of SPHE with other subjects should be a regular feature of practice in every classroom.

At a school-wide level, a very positive emphasis is placed on the development of pupils’ health, through the promotion of healthy-eating practices and the school lunch scheme. It was noted during this evaluation that many pupils arrive very early at school. Management could consider the operation of a breakfast club in respect of such pupils as part of the DEIS programme. Pupils regularly engage in a wide range of physical activities, including competitive and non-competitive team games and aquatics. The pupils’ awareness of and care for the environment are developed through the promotion of composting and recycling initiatives through the Green School programme. An Taisce has awarded the Green Flag to the school for the pupils’ laudable environmental work. The decision-making role of the pupils in partnership with their teachers in the Green Schools’ Committee is laudable. The introduction of a pupils’ council would now further the very good work underway in the school in this regard. Pupils’ awareness and appreciation of the lives of those less fortunate than themselves are actively fostered in some sections with pupils actively fundraising for children with cystic fibrosis.

Most pupils display confidence in their SPHE learning. The majority of pupils talk confidently about themes explored and about the relevance of SPHE in their lives. The senior pupils are enthusiastic about themes they have studied including bullying, nutrition, hygiene, growing and changing and drugs. A comprehensive range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities is available to pupils funded in the main by the School Completion Programme. They engage in dance, Gaelic games, soccer, Spanish, swimming, quizzes, ICT activities, cross border activities, school tours, summer camps, school productions and dramatic activities. “Learning more about people from other cultures” was a theme identified by senior pupils for further study. This would indeed be very valuable to the pupils as they continue to welcome pupils from other backgrounds into the school. The manner in which the pupils and teacher have welcomed new pupils into the school to date is most commendable. The important work of the DEIS co-ordinator in this regard is now acknowledged.

The quality of provision in English was evaluated on the basis of observation of teaching and learning, a review of samples of pupils’ work and interaction with pupils in four of the mainstream classrooms. The quality of teaching methodologies employed by mainstream and support teachers is very good and these are targeted at developing a diverse range of skills in the children. Teachers are keenly aware of the need to improve their pupils’ literacy levels and show considerable dedication to this goal. The differentiated teaching approaches and engagement of pupils in learning is good in all classrooms. However, the level of attainment in standardised tests reveals low scores in some classes. Further links should be established with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and Special Education Support Service (SESS) to assist in further planning for interventions to improve standards in English for pupils who are underachieving in standardised assessments.

Oral language is accorded a central role at planning and implementation level at all class levels. Thematic approaches are used in some classrooms as a framework for implementation of curricular objectives. Many of the themes facilitate linkage and cross-curricular approaches. This is commendable practice and could be extended to all classes. There was some very good practice observed during the evaluation in the teaching of oral language and in the teaching of the novel and poetry. This contributes to the overall positive language experience for pupils. The provision of well-developed and clearly targeted print-rich environments is a notable feature of most classrooms. The emphasis at the junior section on reading is developed by listening and responding to stories from big books and the development of vocabulary using puppets and visual aids. Word checklists are kept and specific pupils are targeted for further development of sounds and oral language. This work is commendable and it is now recommended that even further experiences be given to pupils in letter identification and sounds in other contexts. Some very good integration of rhymes and rhythm to develop syllable sounds within words was observed during the evaluation The effective work in oral cloze procedure is praiseworthy at the junior section. The standard of reading in some classes is good. However, in the case of some pupils, particularly at the senior section of the school, there is a need to focus on word attack skills, comprehension, vocal clarity and voice projection when reading. Further reading experiences including parallel readers, unseen texts and supplementary reading activities would assist in broadening the current provision for reading at the senior section. The teaching of poetry is used to good effect to engage pupils in collaborative learning at the senior section and this method could be used further to strengthen pupils’ experiences of reading across the curriculum. Further planning for opportunities for reading across the curriculum should be undertaken in order to raise the standards of reading particularly at the senior section of the school. It is noted that a significant number of pupils in some classes are achieving low scores on reading attainment tests. There should be prioritisation of teaching and learning in literacy throughout the school to include additional focus on the development of reading fluency of unseen texts and planning for broadening the range of contexts in which pupils can read across the curriculum.

Pupils in the middle section of the school displayed good comprehension skills following a short test in comprehension. The quality of children’s writing in some classes is very good, while in other classes the quality is fair to unsatisfactory particularly at the senior section of the school. The presentation of pupils’ work in copybooks is generally very good and well monitored. Further attention is required at the senior section of the school with regard to sentence structure, layout and content when writing stories or reports. Handwriting across the school is generally very neat and of a good standard. Some classes had very good book reviews in portfolios. The corridors were adorned with very good examples of children’s book reviews and creative writing. This adds to the overall celebration of pupils’ reading and writing in the school. Pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively and some very good examples of process writing were observed during the evaluation in the senior section. It was evident from some very good examples in the pupils’ copybooks and portfolios that the pupils were writing in different genres across the school. The use of ICT to present pupils’ work is particularly praiseworthy. This good practice should be consolidated and supplemented by giving pupils further writing and reading experiences across the curriculum to assist in raising the standards in literacy.

Pupils are catered for satisfactorily by the support teachers in that specific resources are in place and used effectively for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). They are implementing various reading and writing programmes, using information technology, very well. Individual profile and learning programmes (IPLPs) are in place and pupil progress is recorded by support teachers and shared with class teachers regularly. The support teachers have very good structures in place for liaising with class teachers on a monthly basis and as a group once a year to discuss the implementation, monitoring and review of programmes. Support teachers meet with parents to discuss the outcome of assessment results and the learning targets in the IPLPs. Provision is also made for on-going support in classrooms for pupils for whom supplementary teaching has been reduced or discontinued. Some supplementary teaching takes place in the classroom and, where withdrawal is deemed the appropriate intervention, pupils are withdrawn for instruction. Evidence from teacher discussions during the evaluation and from assessment outcomes reveal that pupils are progressing at their own pace. While class teachers and support teachers’ work closely in the implementation of IPLPs, it is recommended that further in-class support be considered for pupils with identified needs as another approach to supporting these pupils. Regular contact is maintained with parents through verbal or written contact throughout the year. Parental contact is encouraged at all times and support teachers and class teachers are available at annual parent-teacher meetings to discuss pupil progress. The school has a designated NEPS psychologist who visits the school regularly and consults with staff on the progress of pupils with SEN.

5. Quality of assessment in sphe and english

The main assessment tool employed by teachers to evaluate the pupils’ learning in SPHE is that of teacher observation. In some sections this is supported by the teachers’ use of anecdotal notes of their observations and this is good practice. The use of teacher observation is complemented by the use of tasks and displays. SPHE tasks are, in the main, a combination of teacher-devised tasks and tasks drawn from SPHE-related workbooks. Some teachers require pupils to use dedicated SPHE copybooks or SPHE folders. Consideration should now be given to the manner in which pupils’ completed works are collated on a whole school basis. The effective use of digital photography to record the engagement of pupils in a wide variety of extra-curricular and co-curricular tasks is acknowledged. All teachers demonstrate keen awareness of their pupils’ learning strengths and needs. Particularly commendable is the research carried out in one section on pupils’ preferred learning styles. The reflective practice noted, based on the results of this class-based research, is praiseworthy. Teachers meet parents formally to discuss pupils’ progress annually. Written reports, including a section on the pupils’ social and personal development are sent to parents at the end of the school year.

As there are a number of isolated instances of very good practice with regard to the assessment of SPHE, a whole-school approach to the assessment of SPHE is now recommended. This approach should be recorded in the school plan. Careful consideration should be given to sharing effective practice, looking particularly at what teachers will observe and record with regard to their pupils’ progress, achievements, skills development and attitudes in SPHE. The assessment section in the curriculum will be an important starting point in this regard.

Support teachers work closely with classroom teachers to implement school policies on screening pupils for learning difficulties, interpreting the outcomes of diagnostic assessments and providing supplementary or differentiated teaching in English. While the staff have identified significant prevention strategies at the junior section of the school with very positive results, even more attention could now be given to maintaining and consolidating these prevention strategies by stretching and developing these interventions to include the middle and senior sections of the school, particularly those pupils who are achieving low scores in standardised test results. Various screening and assessment procedures are utilised, coupled with teacher observation to identify pupils in need of additional support. The scores from these tests are analysed and interpreted by support teachers and following this preliminary screening, further diagnostic assessments are considered where pupils have received low scores. This good practice is supplemented by consultation with staff and the parents.

6. Future development of sphe and english

Dromore National School provides a secure, happy and child-friendly school environment for its pupils. The underlying principles of the SPHE curriculum are clearly embedded in classroom practice and in the ethos governing the school. The principal, teachers and support staff display commitment to the holistic development of their pupils and receive commendable support from the board and the parents in this regard. The pupils are commended for their positive behaviour and for their enthusiastic approach to learning. The staff in this school is committed to providing an enriching and stimulating learning experience for the children. While the quality of teaching is good and some pupils achieve high levels of attainment, standardised tests results in reading reveal that standards are below average in some classes. The staff is keenly aware of the need to extend and develop further initiatives in liaison with other agencies to raise the literacy standards.

A number of themes for future development are identified and these include:

The school’s child protection policy should be completed as soon as possible. A copy of this policy should be sent to all homes prior to ratification for parental input followed by the finalised policy when ratified by the board.
The board, in consultation with the staff and parent body, should draw up a school attendance policy to encourage and promote better school attendance habits.
There should be prioritisation of teaching and learning in literacy throughout the school to include additional focus on the development of reading fluency using unseen texts and planning for broadening the range of contexts in which pupils can read across the curriculum.
Further links with the National Educational Psychological Service and the Special Education Support Service should be made in order to target additional interventions for pupils presenting with low scores in reading in standardised assessments.
Teachers’ individual yearly plans should be attached to the whole school plan for English in order that all teachers can have an overview of the programmes and methodologies in place at all class levels.
The revised SPHE programme should be sent to each home, including the programme of Relationships and Sexuality Education to be delivered to the pupils.
A whole-school approach to the assessment of SPHE is recommended.

Conclusion

The Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science wishes to acknowledge the contributions made by the principal and teachers during the course of the evaluation. It is hoped that this report will be directly useful to the school as a basis for review and development of practice at school level. It is anticipated that the composite report on the quality of teaching and learning of SPHE will serve as a valuable reference at system level and will inform the further development of policy and provision for the teaching of SPHE.

Táthar fíorbhuíoch d’fhoireann na scoile as a gcuid tacaíochta le linn na hoibre seo.