A whole-school evaluation of Carrick-on-Shannon Community School was undertaken in January 2009. This report presents the findings of the evaluation and makes recommendations for improvement. During the evaluation, the quality of teaching and learning in three subjects was evaluated in detail. One subject was evaluated prior to the whole-school evaluation. Separate reports are available on these subjects (see section 7 for details). 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.

Introduction

Carrick-on-Shannon Community School is located in the town of Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim. This school was opened in 1994 following the amalgamation of Marymount College and Carrick-on-Shannon Vocational School. It operates under the joint trusteeship of the Marist Sisters and County Leitrim Vocational Education Committee. Currently, there are 574 students enrolled in the school including 20 students studying Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. Sixteen percent of the student population do not have English as their first language.

Carrick-on-Shannon Community School is the only post-primary school in this town. The school draws from several feeder schools within the immediate catchment area and beyond. These include Annaduff, Kilnagross, Aughrim, Dangan and Drumboylan national schools.

1. quality of school management

1.1 Characteristic spirit of the school

The school’s mission is ‘to provide for the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and emotional education for the students within its care’. According to its mission statement, the school seeks to establish and foster attitudes, values and behaviour consistent with its Christian ethos. In line with this, the school’s ethos, practices and policies focus firmly on the development of the students in a holistic way and the school has successfully created an environment that caters well for all ranges of student ability.

In its practices, the school has created an inclusive environment where all students are welcomed. The broad and balanced curriculum, the development of a range of support structures for students and the welcome of the school for students of all religious faiths, and of none, provide evidence of this. It was noted that the school’s commitment to inclusion is not fully reflected in its mission statement. When it is next reviewed, it is suggested that the school ensures that the wording of the mission statement fully reflects the inclusive nature of the school’s operation.

The mission statement recognises the importance of partnership with parents and the community and it is clear that the school is very conscious of its responsibility to the local community. It provides a range of adult education courses and makes its sporting facilities available to interested groups. In turn, the school makes optimal use of local GAA pitches and work experience opportunities. It is well supported by the local drama group for its bi-annual musical productions. Links have been established with St Vincent de Paul, St Ciaran’s Special School and the Dock, a community arts centre where drama and writing workshops are held. In particular, the school works in close partnership with the local education centre. The deputy principal plays a key role as part of the centre’s management structure. The staff has also attended many in-service courses provided by the centre.

During the evaluation, the calm and welcoming atmosphere that prevails in the school was frequently mentioned to inspectors as one of its distinguishing features. The inspectors considered that the well-organised daily regimes that have been established play an important role in maintaining this healthy sense of order and security for all members of the school community.

1.2 School ownership and management

The board of management is appropriately constituted under the Articles of Management for Community Schools. The current board was formed in October 2008. Three board members have held office since the school first opened; others are serving their second term of office while the remainder are new. The chairperson is elected annually and the current chair, who is also the deputy principal, has held office for the last eight years. Some board members have received training. Meetings are held each month and more often if necessary. Proper procedures are in place. An agenda is provided prior to each meeting and this always includes a verbal report from the principal on the operations of the school. Minutes of board meetings were provided to the evaluation team and it was reported that decisions are reached by consensus. The parent and the teacher representatives provide verbal feedback to their respective sections of the school community although the content of those reports is not strictly agreed. It is recommended that time be set aside towards the end of all board meetings to determine the feedback to be given to the respective constituencies.

Members of the board reported that they are aware of the statutory requirements of their role as laid down in the Education Act, 1998. They recognise that the day-to-day management of the school lies with principal and deputy principal and they entrust this responsibility to them. The board has been consulted on all school policies, as appropriate.

The board has established four sub-committees, which include one for finance and one for discipline. The board has identified a number of challenges facing it. Amongst its main concerns are: maintaining numbers for enrolment, integration issues arising from the increasing diversity of the student population, and ensuring the sustainability of the PLC and transition year (TY) programmes. This is an opportune time for the board, in collaboration with other members of the school community, to develop a strategic plan of action to address these and the other challenges that have been identified by the school. This is recommended.

The board expressed its confidence in the school principal. In particular, his focus on ensuring that the school is fully inclusive of all students was acknowledged. There is a very positive and supportive relationship between the board and the senior management team. This is due in part to the fact that both principal and deputy principal are long-serving members of the board. The board is very supportive of the continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers and greatly appreciates the wide range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities that is made available to students.

1.3 In-school management

The senior management team consists of the principal and deputy principal. Both members of the senior management team were first appointed to their positions when the school amalgamated and they have held office since. A wealth of experience and wisdom is evident within this team. It is clear that the principal and deputy principal work well together and that they manage the day-to-day running of the school effectively. They have adopted a traditional approach to management whereby they have retained responsibility for a high proportion of the routine tasks which support the smooth running of the school. They meet very regularly during the school day and at the end to review day-to-day issues. They maintain a prominent presence in the school. They have actively promoted the school development planning process, the expansion of the curriculum, the development of the school’s student support structures and the creation of an inclusive and caring ethos. While each has individual duties it is very clear that they work closely together and collaborate on all issues. Both have received training from the Leadership Development for Schools (LDS) initiative and the principal has acted as mentor to newly appointed principals.

The school has an allocation of nine assistant principal posts and fourteen special duties posts. Some of the duties between post-holders overlap. The principal has reviewed the responsibilities of posts with individual post-holders but no formal review of the schedule of posts has been conducted. It is recommended that the schedule of posts be reviewed collectively by the board, senior management and staff to ensure that it is meeting the current needs of the school. There should be an equitable balance of workload across all posts and no unnecessary overlap of duties.

The duties assigned to assistant principals are wide and varied. These duties make some good use of the leadership capacities of this middle management team. The evaluation team found that assistant principal post-holders were committed to fulfilling their duties effectively but that the full potential, and the willingness, of this middle management team to support senior management is not currently optimised. This needs to be addressed. It is therefore recommended that senior management should meet with all assistant principals as a group to explore and agree ways in which the capacity that exists can be further harnessed in mutually beneficial ways. Since there are good levels of communication on an individual basis between post-holders and senior management and since productive meetings with the assistant principals as a group have taken place on previous occasions, this process should have fruitful outcomes for both senior and middle management.

Those assistant principals who are year heads currently undertake other additional duties such as the book rental scheme, uniform, stocktaking and Gaisce. It is recommended that the role of year head be re-examined. Consideration might now be given to devolving additional duties from year heads to other post-holders or to members of staff wishing to broaden their skills and experiences. This would enable year heads to focus on monitoring and on following up on students in their care and to play an increased role in supporting the curricular needs of these students. For example, year heads could become more involved in the placement of students in classes and in the movement of students between subjects or levels. More time would also be available for year heads to regularly check the student journal. This, in turn, would increase the journal’s effectiveness as a means of communication between school and home. Furthermore, in the interest of further developing the leadership potential of all members of the assistant principal team, it is recommended that some rotation of duties takes place. In particular, each post-holder should, over time, be given an opportunity to gain experience as a year head.

Year heads meet once per term with senior management and all minutes are recorded by the deputy principal. The delegation of this responsibility among year heads would develop further the leadership potential of this team. This is recommended. Furthermore, it is recommended that more regular meetings of year heads be timetabled to further support them in carrying out their duties and to ensure that management is kept well informed of any issues. Year heads currently do not have any office space from which to conduct their business. It is recommended that this should be addressed at the first available opportunity. An office would facilitate meetings between year heads and parents and the secure storage of files and other relevant documentation. Each year, the principal meets all post-holders as a group and oral progress reports are made. This is good practice. The provision of an annual written report by each post-holder to the board and senior management would provide a more permanent record of progress and assist in the future development of middle management roles. This is recommended.

Effective communication systems are in place in the school. Regular staff meetings are held. The staff is given prior notice of each meeting and members are invited to contribute to the agenda. Minutes are kept by the deputy principal. This role could be distributed to members of staff by rotation. The principal usually chairs the meetings. The school’s information and communications technology (ICT) facilities are used most effectively as a means of communication; for example, ICT is used for notices and updates on day-to-day issues and in tracking attendance and monitoring student behaviour and, each morning, the intercom is used to communicate a ‘Thought for the Day’ followed by the daily announcements to the school.

In accordance with legislative requirements, the school has an admissions policy in place. However, this should be reviewed so as to ensure that the criteria for admission to the school are clear and presented in order of priority. Well-established systems are in place for the management of students including a code of behaviour which outlines an explicit ladder of referral to be followed when specific issues arise.

A student council has been formed and its members are democratically elected. It is representative of all year groups. Training has been provided by the local Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP). All members wear a badge so that they are identifiable. A notice board and the school website are used as modes of communication. Regular meetings are held and minutes are taken. The student council has played a key role in leading the introduction of fresh fruit and water into the tuck shop, making changes to the school uniform and organising the fashion show. Future plans include the organisation of a whole-school quiz. The principal is invited to attend all meetings. Consideration should now be given to the automatic provision of minutes from all meetings to the principal.

The school has a parents’ association. The current association was established in February 2008 after a significant gap of several years. Members are elected at the annual general meeting and meetings are held each month. The senior management team provided training to the association. The principal attends all meetings. Parents expressed their appreciation of the work of the senior management team, student support structures and the extracurricular activities available in the school.

The parents’ association plays an important and constructive role in the life of the school. Its activities, to date, have included the following: consultation on school policy development, notably in relation to mobile phones, uniform and attendance; organisation of a table quiz and the Leaving Certificate graduation evening. It is suggested that the parents’ association should use the school website as a means of communication with the wider community.

Documents made available indicated that there is ongoing communication between the school and parents. School reports, parent-teacher meetings and the student journal are the main means of communication. Currently, parents do not routinely check the school journal each week. The establishment of such an expectation would enable parents to keep informed of students’ progress, their application to their work and their behaviour. This is recommended.

Student attendance is monitored through the e-portal system. All absenteeism is diligently and promptly followed up. For example, mobile phone text messages are automatically sent to parents whose child is absent.

1.4 Management of resources

In the current year the school provides thirty hours of tuition per week, thus exceeding the minimum weekly instruction time required by Circular Letter M29/95 Time in School. The school’s staffing allocation from the department for the 2008/09 year is 41.08 whole-time teacher equivalents (WTE) and three special-needs assistants. This allocation includes 1.09 WTE for Guidance and a 0.5 WTE allocation for home-school-community liaison (HSCL).

The school makes optimal use of its teaching resources. Deployment of teachers is in line with their qualifications, skills, knowledge and interests. Teachers have the opportunity to teach a range of levels, year groups and programmes as appropriate within their subject areas. This good practice helps to build capacity and ensures that the school is not overly dependent on particular members of staff. The timetabling of classes in most subjects is broadly in line with the recommendations of the relevant syllabuses.

The members of the secretarial, caretaking and cleaning staffs provide effective and valuable support for the day-to-day running of the school. Commendable efforts are made to ensure that the school building is attractive. The school is very well maintained, both inside and out. The walls on the corridors are freshly painted. Classrooms are generally teacher-based and many of them contain attractive displays of students’ work and subject-specific material.

The cultivation of environmental awareness is a feature of Carrick-on-Shannon Community School. There was a notable absence of litter throughout the school and grounds. The school makes efforts to recycle waste by providing bins at strategic locations throughout the school. Students are also expected to play an active role in maintaining the school and this is commended. A most significant development has been the engagement with the Green-Schools programme which is facilitated by a teacher. The school hopes to obtain the Green Flag shortly.

It is good to note that planning for ICT is ongoing and that the school is committed to supporting teachers in optimising the use of ICT in lessons. The school has invested considerable resources into developing its ICT systems. All classrooms have a computer and a data projector. A Smart Board is available for teachers’ use. Training has been made available for staff. The school is currently examining the impact that ICT is having on teaching and learning. This culture of self-evaluation is commended and is further encouraged.

A caring and supportive environment has been created for staff. They are strongly encouraged to engage in continuing professional development. The board pays for one subscription per subject department for membership of the relevant subject association. New teachers are very well supported through the mentoring programme that is in place in the school.

2. Quality of school planning

2.1 The school plan

School development planning was initiated formally in this school in 1996. The school first engaged with the support service of the School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI) in 2002. At that time, the needs of the school were examined and five committees were established. These addressed discipline, motivation, staffing, admissions and curriculum. As a result, policies in these areas were developed and ratified by the board of management. Several other policies have also been developed in a similar way. All policies are currently being reviewed. This commitment to updating policies is commended. However, to ensure sufficient time to scrutinise each policy thoroughly, the review process should focus on a limited number of policies at any one time. This is recommended. During the evaluation, advice was provided in the school with regard to a number of policies. The school is making full use of its website to ensure that all policies are widely available and this is very good practice.

The school has yet to develop a school plan as envisaged by the Education Act, 1998. While it is evident that planning is ongoing in the school, the outcomes of this work have yet to be organised into a cohesive and accessible document. The plan should be divided into permanent and developmental sections. To support the writing of the school plan, a number of templates are readily available from the School Development Planning Initiative (SDPI) at www.sdpi.ie. Guidelines regarding the content and layout of a school plan are also available. In compiling the necessary documents, particular attention should be given to recording the review and evaluation practices which the school has adopted.

A number of challenges and areas for development were identified by members of the school community during the whole-school evaluation. As recommended earlier (section 1.2) the development and implementation of a systematic plan of action to tackle all planning issues with an outline of a defined timeframe should be considered. This could become the core of the developmental section of the school plan.

The role of school development planning co-ordinator was established in 2002. It is part of the duties assigned to a special duties teacher. Currently, this post-holder is responsible for keeping policies up-to-date in line with current legislation. The co-ordinator and the principal have attended in-service courses provided by the SDPI. The duties attached to this post should be reviewed so as to broaden the range of responsibilities held. The role of school development planning co-ordinator could, for example, include compiling feedback from staff during the current review of policies, as well as leading the development and review processes.

Confirmation was provided that, in compliance with post-primary Circulars M45/05 and 0062/2006, the board of management has formally adopted the Child Protection Guidelines for Post-primary Schools (Department of Education and Science, September 2004). Confirmation was also provided that these child protection procedures have been brought to the attention of management, school staff and parents; that a copy of the procedures has been provided to all staff (including all new staff); and that management has ensured that all staff are familiar with the procedures to be followed. A designated liaison person (DLP) and a deputy DLP have been appointed in line with the requirements of the guidelines.

3. Quality of curriculum provision

3.1 Curriculum planning and organisation

Carrick-on-Shannon Community School provides the widest possible range of mainstream second-level programmes. These are: the Junior Certificate Programme (JC), the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP), Transition Year (TY), which is optional, the established Leaving Certificate (LC), the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (LCA) and two Post-Leaving Certificate courses (PLC). Repeat Leaving Certificate (LC) students are also catered for in the school and a small number of adult education courses have been developed. The courses provided reflect requests from the local community and the availability of suitably qualified tutors. Information in relation to these courses is provided in local newspapers, the parish newsletter and flyers are sent home each term. The provision of such courses reflects the school’s proactive approach to addressing community needs.

There is a very wide and balanced range of subjects on offer to students. In the junior cycle, all students are expected to study eleven core subjects—English, Irish, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, Physical Education (PE), Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Civic, Social and Political Education, Religious Education (RE) and Computers. Students also choose four subjects from French, German, Music, Technical Graphics, Materials Technology (Wood), Home Economics, Business Studies, Art, Technology and Metalwork.

Students following the established Leaving Certificate programme study three core subjects—English, Irish and Mathematics. These students also choose four option subjects from a list of sixteen subjects comprising French, German, Art, Music, Chemistry, Business Organisation, Engineering, Building Construction, Technical Drawing, Agricultural Science, Geography, Home Economics, Biology, Physics, History and Accountancy.

A Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, based on the approved curriculum framework, is delivered in each of the three years of the junior cycle. Two teachers deliver the programme. To comply with Departmental regulations, there is a need to devise an agreed school policy and a suitable Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme for senior cycle pupils. The RSE policy should identify clearly the organisational structures that are in place for the programme. Reference information for this key policy area is available on the Department’s website (www.education.gov.ie) under School Policies & Plans. The school might also find it useful to refer to the recently developed TRUST (Talking Relationships Understanding Sexuality Teaching) resource for teaching senior cycle. It consists of a DVD and twenty accompanying lessons and is available through the training programme for senior cycle RSE.

Transition Year (TY) was added to the school curriculum in 2008 and a TY co-ordinator was appointed. A TY plan was made available during the evaluation but this document lacked sufficient information to indicate the full extent of the programme. It is recommended that this be addressed. Optimal use should be made of the templates available at www.slss.ie and of the department guidelines Writing the TY Programme as an additional supportive tool. Currently, TY activities such as outings and visiting speakers occur on various days of the week, thus impacting on other scheduled activities. In the interest of maintaining continuity for other subjects, it is recommended that all such activities should be timetabled for the same afternoon each week as far as possible.

Co-ordinators of TY, LCA and LCVP play an active role in the organisation and monitoring of work experience. Students are well supported in the preparation for, the execution of and reflection upon their work placement. Documentation in relation to all of these aspects was provided to the inspection team. In particular, the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) co-ordinator has developed a database of employers and has made it available to the co-ordinators of other programmes. Employers provide a written report which is given to the relevant programme co-ordinator shortly after students complete their work experience.

A large cohort of students follows the Leaving Certificate Vocational (LCVP) programme. Alternative arrangements have been put in place for those who are not taking LCVP when the link modules are being taught. These allow them study ICT.

A PLC programme is also offered to students. The recent decline in student uptake of this programme was identified as a key issue by the school. Graduation ceremonies are held for PLC students upon completion of the programme. This is good practice as it indicates the level of importance that the school attributes to this programme.

In general, teachers are allocated to programmes following consultation with senior management. Consequently, all programmes have a core teaching team. Meetings of these teams have been held. In some cases, minutes of meetings were available. It is recommended that all co-ordinators ensure that minutes of all meetings are taken and filed for planning purposes.

An interim review of the TY programme has taken place. This is good practice. Such a review is important, not least because it can inform planning at subject department level and whole-school level. It is recommended that programme co-ordinators of LCA, LCVP and TY initiate systematic reviews of programme content and of programme implementation in consultation with teachers, students and parents.

3.2 Arrangements for students’ choice of subjects and programmes

Students and parents are well informed regarding programme and subject choices. An information evening is held for parents of third-year students where they receive detailed information regarding all programmes and subjects. Parents of prospective LCA students are provided with further information at a subsequent information night. The guidance counsellor plays an integral role in these events. A menu of subjects is provided to students in both junior and senior cycle and option bands are formed around their choices.

In-coming first year students are divided into two bands. Students in band one are placed in mixed-ability class groups. Band two comprises students with additional educational needs including those students for whom English is an additional language (EAL) and students with identified special educational needs (SEN).

Good systems are in place for the transfer of primary students to the school. These include visits to the primary school by the principal, an open night for prospective students and parents and a two-day orienteering induction programme. All first-year students are met by the year head, guidance counsellor, home-school-community liaison co-ordinator (HSCL) and chaplain upon entry. These meetings are arranged to ease the transition from primary and to identify at an early stage any particular needs the students may have. A mentoring programme is also in place. Overall, provision in this area is very good.

At the end of first year, all students in band one sit a common test in English and Mathematics. Based on this, classes are set in these subjects so that higher, ordinary and foundation level courses can be taught separately. These are good practices.

Students following the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) are provided with the full range of subject options and are generally set in the second band. These students are integrated into mainstream classes for all optional subjects. Additional support is provided in English and Mathematics in a small class setting with SEN students. JCSP students have participated in several initiatives as part of their JCSP studies. These include Maths for Fun, Make a Book, Science for Fun and a Reading Challenge. This is commended.

3.3 Co-curricular and extracurricular provision

Students can avail of a wide range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Sporting, cultural and educational activities are on offer, contributing to the holistic development of the students. These activities are managed by teachers and they owe much of their success to the commitment and dedication of the staff involved. Commendably, the homework policy makes specific reference to extracurricular activities and requires students who miss class, due to participation in an activity, to assume responsibility for completing any assigned homework.

A post-holder monitors all extracurricular sporting activities to ensure that facilities are readily available. Consideration might now be given to the development of a central file detailing the names of all students and the activities in which they are involved. Such information would provide useful records for school management, and particularly year heads, when compiling student profiles such as references for entry to third-level education or for employment

Management and staff actively encourage all students to participate in the activities provided. Particularly noteworthy is the celebration of the diverse cultures in the school as part of the co-curricular programme. Most recently, an international cultural day was organised.

4. Quality of learning and teaching in subjects

4.1 Planning and preparation

The school facilitates subject department planning through the provision of time for planning meetings. Best practice was observed where minutes were recorded for these meetings. Each subject department is coordinated by a subject coordinator who is appointed annually. In some cases, this role is rotated by agreement. Each subject department has been allocated an electronic folder on the school’s e-portal system for the storage of all plans and resources. However, the extent to which these facilities are being used varies.

In all subject departments evaluated, a collaborative approach to developing the subject department plan has been adopted. Subject departments have been provided with a template to support the writing of subject plans.

In most subjects evaluated, schemes of work had been developed for the different year groups. In some instances, work has already begun on the inclusion of learning outcomes and methodologies. This is good practice and should be extended to all subject department plans. Some schemes of work are electronically stored on the school’s e-portal system and readily available. This is very good practice. It is recommended that all teachers and all departments should ensure that all plans are readily accessible on the e-portal system. TY plans were viewed for a number of subject areas. Plans included a range of projects, exercises and cross-curricular links.

Subject departments have developed a range of resources to support teaching and learning. ICT has been used effectively in the development of many of these resources. It is good practice that the resources are shared amongst the teachers and are available on the e-portal.

4.2 Learning and teaching

In all of the subjects evaluated, teachers had prepared thoroughly for the lessons. Much attention was given to the choice and preparation of materials and resources to support the classroom activities. Good routines were noted at the beginning of theory and practical lessons to help students settle and focus on the work.

In a number of instances, good practice was noted where teachers shared the learning outcomes of the lessons with the students. This was most successful where the learning outcomes were recorded on the whiteboard or on a PowerPoint presentation and teachers referred to each outcome as the lesson progressed. More use of this type of strategy is recommended.

Great efforts were made to help the students link new concepts to prior learning. Lessons were well structured and, in general, they were presented at a pace that was appropriate to the ability of the students. Instruction was clear and accurate. There were some good examples of activities which challenged students during lessons. Teachers used a range of methodologies, including ICT, to help students understand and engage with the content of the lessons.

Very good practice was observed when methodologies allowed the students to engage actively with the lessons and in such cases there was a clear focus on the development of independent learning. In some cases teacher-led activities dominated the lesson. In order to accommodate the varying learning styles of students and to ensure that all students have the opportunity to engage actively with the content of lessons, the greater use of active learning methodologies is recommended. The sharing of good practice in this area should be incorporated into subject planning. Classroom activities were well managed and the learning environment was positive. Students were encouraged and affirmed for their efforts.

4.3 Assessment

Regular in-house assessments take place at Christmas and summer, with mock certificate examinations for Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate students in the spring. Questioning strategies were used in class to check on understanding and on students’ progress in the lessons. It is recommended that teachers ensure that the questions posed in class are well spread amongst all class members to avoid the lesson being led by the more vocal students.

Homework assignments were purposeful and regularly assigned. The homework exercises were also used to reinforce learning achieved in class. Exercises were regularly marked. In some subjects comment-only marking was used most effectively to allow for meaningful constructive feedback to students.

5. Quality of support for students

5.1 Inclusion of students with additional educational needs

The school has an ex-quota allocation of one learning support teacher and one resource teacher. In addition, the school currently has an allocation of 2.82 whole-time equivalent (WTE) posts to support students who have English as an additional language (EAL) and 2.24 WTE posts to provide for special educational needs. It also has 0.94 WTE posts to support students from the Traveller community.

The school uses the resources it receives for special educational needs in a variety of ways. The special education needs (SEN) department is co-ordinated by a member of staff who holds a specialist qualification in this area. There is no clearly defined core SEN team. In the junior cycle, in-class support is provided through the formation of small class groups for English and Mathematics. On occasion, some team teaching occurs. It may be appropriate to consider an increased level of team teaching. A small number of teachers have been timetabled to provide tuition other than English and Mathematics to the students who are identified with SEN at set times during the week. These teachers and those teaching English and Mathematics to these students meet formally with the co-ordinator once per term. Thereafter, all information is exchanged informally. It was unclear that a coherent, support programme which addresses the specific learning needs of students with special educational needs has been developed by this teaching team. It is strongly recommended that the school reviews its approach to the planning and provision of learning support. The formation of a core team of SEN teachers should be considered in this regard.

The evaluation team identified a number of concerns in relation to the model of support used by the school. For example, it does not include the withdrawal of students. Neither does it provide for the delivery of support to students in band one class groups in junior cycle. Also, the arrangement referred to in section 3.2 of this report whereby students identified as having additional learning needs are assigned to designated small class groups has serious shortcomings. The main one is that, since it requires the student to remain in the assigned class for the full academic year, it does not facilitate the discontinuation of support when a particular learning need has been addressed.

Whilst there are commendable elements in the support programme that is available in the school, it was difficult to establish whether the allocation for learning support available to the school is being used in its entirety for this purpose. This must be addressed at the earliest opportunity. It is recommended that the school reviews its approach to the provision of learning support and that the publication Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs - Post-Primary Guidelines (Department of Education and Science, 2007) be consulted.

A planning folder for the SEN department was available and this provided some details of the planning that is ongoing. However, a formal SEN department plan has not yet been compiled. It is recommended that the SEN department should work systematically towards the development of a formal plan in line with other programme and subject departments in the school. A register detailing students in need of learning support is a necessary support to SEN planning. This is recommended. Guidance on developing an SEN plan can be obtained from the School Development Planning Initiative at www.sdpi.ie. Individual education plans have been developed for some SEN students. This is optimal practice.

The learning support policy document was developed and ratified by the board in 2008. It is suggested that it be scheduled for a future review. At that time, the document should be reconceptualised and re-titled as a Whole School Policy on Inclusion with reference to section 2:4 of Guidelines referenced above

All staff have recently received in-service training regarding dyslexia. The school should now consider further professional development activities for all staff to equip them with the necessary skills to work with SEN students in their care. It is recommended, that the school conducts an audit of staff training needs in relation to SEN and facilitates training as required. This would be a practical way of providing support for individual staff and a means of updating the existing skills base.

There is one classroom dedicated to resource and learning support use. This is situated in a pre-fabricated building set apart from the main school. This room contains some subject-related materials and two storage presses. All psychological reports are stored in the principal’s office where they can be accessed as the need arises.

There is good support given to exceptionally able students. For example, students can enter the Talented Youth Programme, run by Dublin City University (DCU) and they avail of training for the International Mathematical Olympiad. Support is also provided to students in need of anger management through the Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP). The school’s involvement with the Key Programme and Lett Programme, a cross-border initiative, is commended, again indicating the school’s commitment to being a caring and inclusive school.

At the end of the academic year, a Positive Awards Night is held to celebrate the achievements of all students supported by the SEN department. It is acknowledged that the SEN department is endeavouring to reward these students for their work and progress. Consideration should now be given to the integration of this ceremony with the annual school award ceremony. This would ensure that these students are recognised as equal members of the main student body. It would also further reflect the spirit of inclusion that is prevalent across many of the school’s practices. This is recommended.

Systems are in place to assess the language proficiency skills of EAL students using the Oxford Placement Test. EAL students in the junior cycle are set in the second band class groups for English and Maths together with SEN students, some of whom have been granted an exemption from Irish on the basis of special educational need. This system should be reviewed as the learning needs of EAL and SEN students differ. EAL support is delivered in the context of support for the full class group and is not specifically targeted at additional language learners. It is noted that no language support is provided to those students who are following the LCA programme.

While acknowledging that the school is committed to monitoring the arrangements for language support, management must ensure that the specific needs of EAL students are addressed. The allocation for EAL provision is intended for direct support of students and its primary aim is to bring students to the levels of proficiency in English that they need to access the full curriculum. Circular Letter 0053/2007 provides advice on the role of the EAL support teacher and on the flexibility available to schools in the deployment of support. The EAL programme, teaching strategies and assessment procedures used to provide such support should now be documented into a formal planning document. It is essential that EAL students’ language proficiency be systematically assessed, as advised in the circular and that all such assessments are documented and maintained centrally. Consideration should be given to the provision of EAL support in small group settings, thus broadening the opportunities for students to practise the language in a natural way and to converse with one another. In addition, it is recommended that an agreed school policy to guide and underpin EAL provision should be developed as a matter of priority.

A small number of students from the Traveller community are currently enrolled in the school. The school is advised to keep its use of its allocation for Travellers under review in order to ensure that maximum value is obtained from the resources provided.

5.2 Guidance and student support in the whole-school context

The school receives twenty-four ex-quota hours per week from the Department of Education and Science for Guidance. An additional two hours is allocated by the school from other resources. This commitment by management to the provision of Guidance is commended. A qualified guidance counsellor is allocated twenty-two of the ex-quota hours and a subject teacher is allocated the remaining four hours. The guidance counsellor and teacher of guidance work in close co-operation in the planning and delivery of the guidance programme. The guidance counsellor delivers the guidance programme to senior-cycle students and, in co-operation with the chaplain and home-school-community liaison (HSCL) co-ordinator, meets first-year students on an individual basis. The guidance programme for junior cycle students is planned and delivered in collaboration with the teachers of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE). This is commended as good practice. Guidance classes are not timetabled but, when necessary, classes are delivered by the teacher of guidance, having made arrangements with the relevant subject teachers. This teacher is timetabled for one guidance class per week with Transition Year (TY).

The teacher of guidance also assists third-year students in making subject choices for senior cycle. It is recommended that the balance of provision between junior and senior cycles and between class-based and one-to-one guidance be reviewed in the course of planning. Some of the activities currently covered in the senior cycle programme could be introduced in junior cycle.

Facilities for Guidance are good but there is no dedicated classroom for Guidance. It is recommended that in future reviews of accommodation, consideration should be given to providing a guidance classroom.

Guidance planning is well advanced in the school. The planning to date has been carried out by the guidance counsellor, the chaplain and the teacher who is allocated guidance hours. It is recommended that a planning team should include representatives of students, parents and the local community. The following documents are recommended as aids to the planning process: Guidelines for Second Level Schools on the Implications of Section 9 (c) of the Education Act 1998, relating to students’ access to appropriate guidance, published by the Inspectorate of the Department and Planning the School Guidance Programme, published by the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE). A template, designed to assist schools in developing their guidance plan is available on the Department’s website (www.education.ie). All planning and supporting documentation should be assembled, put into sequence and collated as one document. The final plan, following the guidelines and the sequence outlined in the Department’s template, should also be assembled into another single document. When ratified by the board of management, the plan should form part of the school plan.

The guidance counsellor is facilitated to attend CPD events organised by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (IGC) as well as other relevant CPD events. The guidance counsellor attends some sessions of the programme of support for counselling which is funded by the Department. Regular attendance at these sessions is recommended.

It is very clear that there is a whole-school approach to the care and support of students. Meetings held with the care team, year heads and tutors in conjunction with the guidance and learning support departments provided evidence of the extent of the support and care that exists within the school. The mentoring programme for first-year students is operated by Leaving Certificate students as part of their Gaisce award. Training in mentoring is provided for the students by the South Leitrim Neighbourhood Youth Project (NYP).

Student support is further enhanced through the care structures that are in place in the school. Regular in-formal meetings are held between the guidance counsellor, the HSCL co-ordinator, and the school chaplain and each maintains records of issues discussed at such meetings. In addition, representatives from the NYP have come to the school to provide additional counselling to the students. The HSCL co-ordinator has established close links with parents in the community.

The school has also established links with Delphi Outdoor Education Centre to provide additional support for students who have experienced loss or bereavement. Following a selection process, up to twelve students are brought to Delphi for counselling and for esteem-building exercises. The project has been in operation for six years and is reported to be very successful. A qualified psychologist also comes to the school to address these and other students as a further support.

6. Summary of findings and recommendations for further development

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

· The school’s ethos, practices and policies focus firmly on developing students in a holistic way and on ensuring an inclusive learning environment for all.

· The board of management is appropriately constituted and proper procedures are in place.

· Members of the senior management team work closely together and manage the school effectively.

· Levels of communication within the school are very good.

· A student council has been formed and its members are democratically elected.

· The parents’ association plays a constructive role in the life of the school.

· The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum and all mainstream second-level programmes are available to students.

· There are very good support systems in place for students to ease the transition from primary to post-primary school.

· In each of the four subjects evaluated, there was evidence that a collaborative approach had been taken to the development of the subject department plan.

· There is a whole-school approach to the care and support of students and effective systems are in place.

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

· The schedule of duties for posts of responsibility should be reviewed collectively by the board, senior management and staff to ensure that it meets the current needs of the school in the best

possible way. The roles of assistant principals, in particular, should be examined.

· In the admissions policy, the criteria for admission to the school should be sufficiently clear and prioritised.

· The school should now develop a school plan; it should start by collating all planning documentation that is currently available.

· There is a need to devise an agreed school policy and a suitable Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme for senior cycle pupils.

· The school should now evaluate the manner in which it is supporting SEN students; attention should be given to the model of delivery, the utilisation of the full allocation of resources available and

the development of planning.

· The current arrangements for supporting EAL students should now be reviewed. An agreed school policy to guide and underpin EAL provision should be developed as a matter of priority.

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.

7. Related subject inspection reports

The following related Subject Inspection reports are available:

· Subject Inspection of English – 20 January 2009

· Subject Inspection of Home Economics – 21 January 2009

· Subject Inspection of Guidance – 21 January 2009

· Subject Inspection of Music – 25 January 2008

Published October 2009

Appendix

8. School response to the report

Submitted by the Board of Management

Area 1: Observations on the content of the inspection report

The B.O.M. wish to thank the Inspectorate for the in-depth evaluation conducted. We welcome the report which affirms the work of the B.O.M., staff, parents and pupils. We welcome (i) the recognition of the good working relationships and collaborative approach within the school (ii) the recognition of the broad curriculum provided (iii) the whole school support systems and care that was evident.

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

The B.O.M. acknowledges the recommendations made and commits itself to continue, within the limits of its resources, with the process already begun, of their implementation. We too thank the Inspectorate team for their professional approach to the process over the entire week.