Curriculum and School Development

SDPI Summer School

Thursday 23 June 2005

Gary Donnchadha Senior Inspector Office of the Chief Inspector

Outline

SDP role in schools

The Evolving Education Landscape: System Change and Development The Programme of Inspection in Schools / WSE

Thematic or Programme Evaluation

SDP and External Evaluation Discussion

SDP role in schools

Parents

Pupils

Teaching and Learning

SDP

Action planning and monitoring

Leadership and Management

Ethos - Characteristic Spirit

System change and development

Education legislation o Education Act (1998) - Education Welfare Act (2000) - Teaching Council Act (2001) Education for Persons with Special Needs Act (2004) Restructuring in the Department of Education and Science Service Delivery through Agencies

o (NCCA) (NEPS) (SEC) (NEWB) (NCSE) (10 Regional Offices)

o Development of Services to Schools o School Development Planning, Curriculum Support, Education Centres

Public Sector Management Reform Strategic Management Initiative (SMI)

Planning for school and system improvement

Continuum of Teacher Education SLSS

Curriculum Development and Review

School Development Planning Initiative

School and System improvement

Leadership Development in Schools

Quality of External Evaluation

Professional Bases for Teaching

Monitoring and Reporting on Outcomes Resource Supports for Students

The Inspectorate

A centralised Inspectorate: primary and second level

Statutory remit under the Education Act 1998 o A programme of inspection in schools: 8,000 inspections 2001 to 2004

o Promoting compliance with regulation and legislation

o Advisory role for schools and for the Department o Contribution to policy development

Strategic change in the Inspectorate

150/170 inspectors under the Chief Inspector organised in two subdivisions:
Regional Subdivision and Policy Support Subdivision

Range of evaluation models

Primary
o Teachers on probation o Tuairisc Scoile (School Report) o WSE

o Thematic / Focused Evaluations

Post-primary o Subject Inspection o WSE o Thematic / Focused Evaluations

Subject Inspection
Post-Primary Subject Inspection
Number of subject inspection reports issued from September 2001 to December 2004

Affirm good practice Promote continuing improvement Discussions with Principal and subject teachers

Classroom observation Feedback / Report

From WSI to WSE

WSI Consultative Conference in 1996
o White Paper Charting Our Education Future o A guiding rationale for WSI

WSE Pilot Project in 1998/1999 o WSE based on partnership and co-operation o 35 participating schools The key word is ownership.

Evolution of WSE

Whole School Evaluation

Purpose
Provide an external perspective on the work of the school Affirm good practice Identify constructively areas for improvement Facilitate school self-evaluation Assure quality in education system

Whole School Evaluation

Teachers Public / Taxpayer

Principal

Minister for Education

Pupils

In-school Management

SDP support

Inspectors

Board of Management

Parent Representatives

WSE Framework

Area 1: Quality of school management

Area 2: Quality of school planning Area 3: Quality of curriculum provision Area 4: Quality of learning and teaching Area 5: Quality of support for students

WSE evaluation team

Reporting Inspector responsible for the overall management of the process Supporting Inspector assists the Reporting Inspector
The Reporting and Supporting Inspectors attend and chair all of the meetings during the WSE process
other than those taking place as part of the subject inspections

Subject Inspectors carry out subject inspections as part of the process

WSE Initial Phase

Initial Phase
Meetings with CEO of VEC, BOM, Parents, staff

Documentation / Information from school

Mission Statement, Timetable, Prospectus, School plan (including all policies), Handbooks/Journals, Staffing, Curriculum (planning, options, assessment, etc.), Extra-curricular activities, etc.

Information from other sources

SEC, Administrative sections of DES (e.g. Building Unit), VEC, etc.

WSE In-School Phase

In-school Phase
Review of documentation, meetings, observation, subject inspections

Meetings with;
Senior management Middle management Education support team School planning team Pastoral care team Student Council representatives other

Subject Inspection within WSE

Preliminary meeting with subject teachers

Discussions around whole school provision, planning and preparation and assessment

and achievement

Evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching

Observation of a range of lessons, interaction with students, discussions with teachers,

review of documentation

Feedback meeting with subject teachers / principal

Discussion of main findings and recommendations

Evidence gathering for WSE

Planning Documentation

Observation of Teaching and Learning

Assessment Records

School Information Form

Interaction with Pupils

Discussion with School Personnel

WSE Final Phase

Final Phase
Meetings with senior management, staff, BOM

WSE report is factually verified with principal Individual Subject Inspection Reports appended Report cleared by Inspectorate and issued to school

and follow up development activity in schools

WSE FAQ

Information on WSE for schools? Reporting on individual teachers? Resource implications of recommendations? Follow-up to WSE? Timing of WSE and the School Year? Reviewing the process?

Literacy and Numeracy in Disadvantaged Schools

12 of the 100 most disadvantaged Primary Schools

Poverty - drug abuse, lack of effective

parenting

Widespread low achievement Absenteeism is a major problem for some pupils Between 9% and 40% absent for more than 30 days Poor attendance has serious, long-term educational consequences

Pupil achievement

Literacy

Mathematics

The report highlights serious levels of low achievement among pupils Very few pupils in the top category of achievement Almost two-thirds in lowest achievement band in Mathematics

Management and Planning in the Schools

One-third of the teachers had 3 years teaching or less 9% of teachers not qualified - High teacher turnover in a few schools

Most felt unprepared for teaching in disadvantaged schools

not MORE planning! - more FOCUSED planning delegation of curriculum leadership

should plan for improvement in literacy and

numeracy additional non-contact time is required to support school planning and review

An Evaluation of Curriculum Implementation

Primary School Curriculum (1999) an exciting opportunity for change and renewal in primary schools
Inspectors observed teaching and learning Reviewed whole-school planning, classroom planning and childrens work Interviews with class teachers and principals

Whole-school planning: Primary Curriculum

Effectiveness of whole-school planning
80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

72% 37% 48%

English

Visual arts

Mathematics

Effective school plans - a collaborative and consultative process Subject co-ordinators played an important role in whole-school planning Structure of the curriculum positive response from teachers for the Mathematics and Visual Arts curricula Planning for English challenges for the future

School Development Planning in action

Understanding school Vision and a strategic perspective on school change Supporting constructive change in school context and culture

Realistic expectations and professionalism in the change leadership role

o Making connections in the teaching / learning process o Making connections in the functioning of the school as an organisation

Supporting school leadership to promote excellence in the school

principal
Professional leadership for teaching, learning and assessment

Making Connections for School Improvement

School to classroom classroom to school

Translating whole school teaching, learning and assessment policies into classroom actions Connecting class-based teaching, learning and assessment and whole school policy and practice

Improving teaching, learning and assessment in the school

Professional development and expertise of teacher in teaching, learning and assessment

SDP support

teacher

Managing and monitoring implementation of plans

Balanced Scorecard Planning models in industry [ref: Kaplan and Norton] Clarity in major goals and in particular objectives specific initiatives tied to the

achievement of objectives eg development of teaching methods

Emphasis on making the priorities everybodys everyday business Setting of targets and monitoring progress towards achievement of objectives o What are the observables of improvement?

SDP and Evaluation

SDP and WSE / Subject Inspection focusing on school improvement Evaluation capability as central in both SDP and WSE
o Sources of data for evaluation and effective analysis o Reporting on the findings of monitoring and review

SDP and follow-up actions recommended in WSE / Subject Inspection SDP and WSE / Subject Inspection as mutually supportive processes

Discussion

Contact: Gary Donnchadha Senior Inspector Office of the Chief Inspector Department of Education and Science Telephone +353 1 889 6425 Fax: +353 1 889 6541 gary_odonnchadha@education.gov.ie