An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

 Department of Education and Science

 

Subject Inspection of Home Economics

REPORT

 

Saint Patrick’s Girls’ Secondary School

Gardiner’s Hill, Cork

Roll number: 62730N

  

Date of inspection: 20 March 2007

Date of issue of report: 6 December 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 Home Economics

 

 

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in St. Patrick’s Girls’ Secondary School. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Home Economics and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day 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 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 subject teachers. The board of management of the school was given an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report; the board chose to accept the report without response.

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

Home Economics is a very popular subject on the curriculum offered in St. Patrick’s Girls’ Secondary School, Gardiner’s Hill, Cork. As a subject, it is well provided for and supported. Students’ access to Home Economics is very favourable. This follows from a recent decision to make it a compulsory subject for all junior cycle students attending the school. While Home Economics is offered as an optional subject in Transition Year (TY), access to the subject for students is advantaged by the fact that it is offered in two out of the four TY subject blocks. TY students who opt to study Home Economics do so for the full year. This is commended. In addition, an open system of subject choice in senior cycle also guarantees unrestricted access to the subject for almost all students. Uptake levels in senior cycle are most impressive. Home Economics students, in both junior and senior cycle, are encouraged by their teachers to work towards taking a higher-level paper in the state examinations. An analysis of students’ results in these examinations would suggest that there is further scope for judiciously encouraging an even larger cohort of the student body to take the higher level option.

 

In general, all home economics classes are organised on a mixed ability basis, with one smaller class group being formed in first year for students who, for a variety of reasons, might find it difficult to achieve in a mixed-ability setting. Management seeks to ensure that classes assigned to teachers in first year and fifth year are retained by that same teacher for the remainder of each respective cycle. This is noted as best practice. 

 

A number of measures have been put in place to support students in the task of decision making relating to subject choice. These include inputs from the subject teachers, group sessions with the guidance counsellor, and also, as required, the option of availing of individual, one-to-one appointments with the guidance counsellor. Parents who have concerns relating to this area are encouraged to contact the school in order to arrange to speak with the appropriate staff members. The guidance counsellor is also available to meet all parents during each of the parent-teacher meetings. It is suggested that some consideration be given to the organisation of an information evening for the purpose of informing parents in relation to subject choice and any related matters.  

 

Overall, the timetabling of Home Economics in the school is very satisfactory. Sufficient time is allocated to the subject, both in junior and senior cycle. Double periods are provided to support the delivery of the practical components of both syllabuses. Most class groups benefit from a very even distribution, over the weekly timetable, of contact with the subject. Future timetabling should strive to make this the benchmark for all class groups in Home Economics. Significant efforts are also made to avoid the consecutive timetabling of the kitchen, thereby ensuring that all class groups and all students are provided with the means to access the practical food studies components of both syllabuses.

 

The resouring of Home Economics has been prioritised by management. This is nowhere more evident than in the recently renovated kitchen. The kitchen itself, while relatively small, is cleverly designed, beautifully laid out and appropriately equipped. This can be attributed in no small way to the foresight, expertise, determination and commitment of the members of the home economics department. Despite the room’s size, an intelligent and ergonomic design ensures that it can accommodate twenty-four students during practical, food-studies lessons. For health and safety reasons, it is recommended that management ensures that this is the absolute maximum number of students timetabled for the room at any one time. The plan to provide for smaller class sizes, which was outlined to the inspector by management on the day of the inspection, is welcomed and fully endorsed. In light of this, and the fact that Home Economics is compulsory in junior cycle in the school, the board needs to give some serious consideration to planning for the provision of an additional kitchen. The existing kitchen also houses a ceiling-mounted data projector which, incidentally, was put to good use over the course of the evaluation. While it is recognised and acknowledged that the teachers have access to the school’s ICT room, in time, consideration ought to be given to networking the home economics kitchen to broadband so that the data projector can be put to even greater use. A separate textiles room, which like the kitchen doubles as a classroom for theory lessons, has also been provided. This is very positive. While the department is not allocated an annual budget, every effort is made by management to meet the department’s requests for additional resources.

 

Management is to be praised for providing time over the course of the school year to facilitate subject department meetings and the associated collaborative planning that attaches to such gatherings. These meetings take place, on average, once every term. The school’s engagement with the School Development Planning Initiative is also applauded. Input from the associated personnel is helping to guide subject-department planning in the school.

 

While the department is to be praised for the compilation of a subject-specific health and safety statement, it is recommended that a more clinical approach be adopted to this matter. This might, for example, involve carrying out an audit of the room. Such an audit should aim to identify the hazards attached to working in the room, the degree of risk associated with each hazard and then the control measures that either need to be put in place or must be followed in order to reduce the likelihood of the hazard occurring. The outcomes of this audit should provide the basis for the classroom rules.

 

Planning and preparation

 

It is very clear that the home economics department has readily embraced the concept and practice of collaborative subject planning. A subject co-ordinator, who very commendably is appointed on a rotational basis, oversees the planning work that is undertaken by the home economics department. In addition to the formal subject department meetings which are held once a term and in order to progress planning, the home economics teachers also meet informally on a regular basis during non-timetabled class periods. The very good practice of minuting the outcomes of each meeting is well established in the home economics department. The department is encouraged in its efforts to ensure that prior to each meeting an agenda is determined.    

 

The department is in the process of compiling a home economics plan. It is very positive to note that a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities for Development and Threat) analysis has been completed by the department. This should help to determine a long-term plan for the development of the subject in the school as the outcomes of the analysis will provide a focus for future planning in the subject. Currently there are two versions of the home economics plan. It is recommended that the ‘good’ copy of the plan be married with the ‘not so good’ copy of the plan. This would give rise to what would be referred to as a ‘working’ document. The nature of a subject plan implies that such a plan will always be a work in progress. Ideally it is a document that is referenced on a very regular basis, as opposed to one that might be perfectly bound and shelved with a limited role to play in informing and guiding the day-to-day work of the subject department.

 

Programmes of work have been agreed by the members of the department for each year group. It is very positive that these are reviewed on an annual basis. In time the programmes should be further developed. Suggested enhancements would include provision in the programmes for the following areas; suitable methodologies and resources, the integration of topics, links between theory and practical work, assessment procedures, homework exercises and, when and where applicable, student revision. The syllabus and teacher guidelines, as opposed to textbooks, should provide the focus and direction for such planning.   

 

In light of the need to provide for students with special educational needs, the teachers in question have compiled a home economics word bank. This is issued to all students but is of particular benefit to those who might be somewhat challenged by new terminology and the subject-specific, abstract concepts that they are required to know and understand. Initiatives, such as this, which attempt to make learning more accessible to students, are applauded and further encouraged. In recent times this has also proved very useful to students for whom English is their second language. Firm lines of communication have been established between the home economics teachers and the resource teacher in the school. This is very positive as it greatly assists the teachers in providing for the very specific and identified educational needs of a number of students. Students with resource entitlements are also assisted by the resource teacher to advance the project and journal work required for Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate Home Economics respectively. 

 

Photographic evidence, reviewed on the day of the inspection, was illustrative of some fine examples of the department’s provision for a number of cross-curricular learning experiences for students. Home economics students, together with business students, for example, have been facilitated and encouraged to organise a number of projects combining the creative and culinary expertise of the former group of students with the entrepreneurial and marketing proficiency of the latter. The potential for student learning in such projects is significant. The department also strives to extend student learning beyond the classroom through the organisation of a range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities, including guest speakers, cookery demonstrations, field trips and competitions. The additional effort required for both of these areas is acknowledged, highly praised and fully encouraged.

 

The department’s plan to develop a room based, subject-specific resource library is fully advocated, particularly in light of the emphasis placed on independent student research and learning in both home economics syllabuses. The department is to be credited for recognising the role that information communication technologies (ICT) can make to the area of planning and preparation. Some members have even availed of the appropriate continuing professional development (CPD) in order to up skill in relation to the use of such technologies. This level of interest and commitment is applauded.

Teaching and learning

 

As appropriate, the content of each of the lessons observed on the day of the inspection reflected what had been outlined in the relevant, planned programme of work. Lessons themselves demonstrated a clear purpose, although best practice was where the lesson’s aims and objectives were openly shared with students as lessons commenced. It is strongly suggested therefore that this approach be incorporated into all lessons. It is commendable that a number of resources, designed to support teaching and enhance student learning, were utilised over the course of most lessons. In addition to students’ textbooks, resources incorporated included; a PowerPoint presentation, pre-prepared acetates, food samples, worksheets, and handouts. Significant efforts were made as lessons commenced, as well as over the course of lessons, to integrate work previously covered with the new work being introduced to students. This helps to make learning more relevant and more meaningful and is therefore very creditable. It also reflects one of the approaches espoused in syllabus guidelines.

 

Overall, lessons were well structured. On occasions, however, the planned lesson content was a little too ambitious. This resulted in certain parts of the lesson being rushed. The outcome of this can be that student understanding and learning is somewhat compromised. Another effect of an over ambitious lesson plan is that little or no time can be provided as the lesson draws to its conclusion for the provision of a lesson summary and for the checking of student understanding and learning. While recognising the pressure on teachers to cover all aspects of both syllabuses, it is recommended that when planning and delivering lesson content, greater consideration should be given to the maxim: ‘quality versus quantity’. Furthermore, provision should always be made for a lesson summary that also provides for an evaluation of the intended student learning.

 

In general, lessons were appropriately pitched, taking cognisance of students’ levels and the associated syllabus requirements. This was not the case, however, in one lesson observed, where the topic being explored with students did not reflect the depth of treatment required in the syllabus. As a result, and where applicable, it is recommended that careful consideration be given at lesson planning stage to syllabus content and students’ level. Despite the points made previously with regard to pacing and pitching, the instruction provided to students was clear and accurate. 

 

Different strategies were employed by teachers in the delivery of lesson content. These included some brainstorming, board work which was accompanied by student note-taking, a lecture-style presentation which was supported by a PowerPoint presentation, some product investigation, worksheet completion and teacher demonstrations. While the varied approach to lesson delivery is commended, over and above the use of questioning, the theory lessons observed tended to be dominated by teacher input as opposed to student activity. This effectively meant that it was the teachers and not the students who were doing the majority of the work. It is recommended that the department explores and adopts strategies that would provide for the greater involvement of students, both in the lesson and in their own learning. One small suggestion, for example, might be to explore the use of mind mapping rather than the traditional note-taking approach when presenting and exploring a topic with students. Furthermore, when planning and delivering lessons, some consideration might also be given to how the lesson might seek to provide for the preferred learning style of the variety of students in a class. While it is important not to categorise any individual as solely a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner, it is worth considering that every student does have a habitual learning style which tends to dominate and so it is worth exploring how this might be provided for.

 

Practical and demonstrations lessons were very much designed with a view to providing opportunities for independent student learning. In a demonstration lesson, very effective use of student worksheets, in combination with teacher talk and students’ textbooks, ensured that students were required to play an active role in the lesson, seeking out for themselves information such as required equipment and the next steps in the making of the dish being demonstrated. The completed worksheet was to be used by the students to guide their own practical work in the next lesson. A review of students’ efforts as the lesson drew to a close helped to ensure the accuracy of students’ work. This approach is praised. In a practical lesson visited, a number of students in the class were practicing for the imminent practical food-studies examination. The remaining students observed their peers at work. A task-based activity, designed to fully engage the students not cooking on the day, would have provided for their greater involvement in the lesson and would have helped to ensure that they accessed, in a more structured way, the learning potential that the lesson offered. It is recommended that this be taken into consideration when planning such lessons in the future. Practice lessons of this nature should also seek to provide students with whole-class reminders relating to for example, best practice. It would also be important that students’ mistakes are corrected as they occur.     

 

In a junior cycle lesson that involved the preparation of apples subject matter that was common to both Home Economics and Science was introduced by the teacher. It was highlighted to students that apples, when left exposed to the air, go brown. Students were duly informed that this was as a result of enzyme activity, a topic that they either had also explored or would be exploring in Science. This very natural cross-curricular linking of two subject areas is praised. It is suggested that more time be given to developing this approach further in class by elaborating more fully on the relevant theory. This approach will help to consolidate student learning, be that past learning or future learning. Scope for this also exists with other subjects such as, for example, Art, Business, Geography, History and SPHE.

 

As alluded to previously, questioning was used throughout lessons to involve students in the lesson content. Questions were used effectively to examine previous knowledge, to ensure students’ understanding of new work as it was being presented and to keep students focused on lesson content. It is recommended that, when asking questions, some consideration be given to providing for a greater balance of global and directed questions.

 

Teacher student interaction was notably positive. Students responded enthusiastically to questions posed, with some students demonstrating considerable ease in contributing questions or comments of their own. All student contributions were acknowledged and appropriately affirmed. Students were well behaved and focused on lesson content.  

 

Assessment

 

It was very positive to note that homework was assigned in each of the lessons observed. Best practice was where this built upon work covered during the actual lesson itself. The maintenance of homework records by teachers is also applauded. The regular monitoring of students’ homework was apparent in some students’ copybooks. Where applicable, teachers are encouraged to further develop this area of their work. While a formal home economics homework policy has not been devised, as of yet, from speaking with the teachers on the day of the inspection much discussion has taken place around the area. The department is encouraged therefore to set about documenting the outcomes of these discussions and marry them with the observed and reported practice in order to formulate a more formal department policy.

 

The school is very committed to the formal assessment of students’ progress and achievement and to keeping parents or guardians informed in this regard. Students are assessed formally four times over the course of the school year. These assessments are followed by the issuing of progress reports which are posted home. In addition to this, unit or topic tests are organised as appropriate. Home economics students are required to maintain a test copy in addition to the normal copybook they use for class work and homework. The test papers reviewed on the day of the inspection reflected, in part, the layout and style of questions provided in the state examinations. This approach should be strengthened in the department. It is very commendable that the formal result issued to third-year students is an aggregate mark, reflecting their achievement in the three examinable components of the syllabus namely, practical, project and written work. This excellent practice should be extended to all year groups. The structured approach to student assessment that was evident, which highlights the importance of assessment whilst ensuring a high degree of openness and accountability, is applauded.

 

Records of students’ progress and achievement are systematically maintained by the teachers.  Records relating to attendance, late arrivals, homework completion, behaviour and compliance with school rules are also maintained. These are used to inform feedback provided to parents in reports and at parent-teacher meetings. The comprehensiveness of this record keeping system is to be praised.     

 

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 teachers of Home Economics and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.