School Self-Evaluation Report

School self evaluation of learning and teaching is part of the on-going work of Callystown National School. The focus of the school self evaluation for 2014/15 is year 2 of numeracy and the introduction of a plan for literacy to improve standards in writing.

The school will continue building on the improvements achieved in the field of mathematical word problems. This is the second year under the school’s three year cycle of review of core subjects.

The school has decided to focus on writing genres for school self evaluation in literacy. A number of initiatives and strategies are being used to improve the learning and teaching of writing.

This year’s review will employ the evaluation process and report structure as outline by the Department of Education and Skills. 

School Context

Callystown National School is situated in Clogherhead, a fishing village in Co. Louth. The village has seen a rapid growth in population over the last 10 years.

The school is under the patronage of the Archbishop of Armagh. The school has 301 pupils (167 boys and 134 girls), 11 classroom teachers, 3 full time LS/RT teachers, 1 shared LS/RT teacher and 1 part time resource teacher (6 hours per week) and an administrative principal. The school also has 1 full time SNA. There is also a part time secretary and caretaker.

The school has doubled its enrolment in the last 10 years, however numbers have stabilised in the last three years. The school has seen two large extensions to accommodate the growth in numbers. A sports hall has been built onto the school, substantially funded by the generosity of the school families and the local community.  The increase in numbers has brought to the school children from many different nationalities and also many families who have had no previous connection to the village.

The school has eight pupils with low incidence special education needs and two pupils who have access to the support of an SNA.

The findings:

This is year 2 of the school self evaluation process. The staff decided to focus on literacy as the core subject for consideration.

In order to gather evidence for a programme of improvement, the school employed a number of strategies of investigation:

• Analysis of Micra T scores from 2011-14
• Staff discussion during Croke Park planning time
• A literacy questionnaire given to all parents in March 2013.
• A questionnaire given to pupils by teachers on word problem solving in October 2014

The findings were as follows:

Micra T Scores:

• Overall numeracy scores show percentile scores above the national average (average percentile 2011/12 ~ 50, 2012/13 ~ 58, 2013/14 ~ 53)
• On average 76% of pupils have STen scores of 5 or greater
• 5% of pupils have STen scores of 3 or less

Staff Discussions

• Teachers report that attainment trends are good.
• Teachers report that there is a wide range of pupil home experience with regard to reading and literacy.
• Teachers report that it is a significant challenge to differentiate for the vast range of literacy abilities found in each class.
• The introduction of Reading Recovery for younger pupils has been of great benefit.
• The introduction of Lift Off to Literacy for pupils from Senior Infants to Second class is significantly improving reading standards.
• The introduction of outside support readers for second class should continue the good foundations of reading already established in junior classes.
• Teachers of 3^rd and 4^th class will pilot a literacy hour station, involving ability novels, literacy box and vocabulary work.
• Teachers report that the teaching of comprehension is a challenge and that there is a need to get more suitable content.
• Teachers think that there should be a different strategy of attack each month on comprehension.
• There is a need to practise of more Cloze Procedure.
• Short term ability groups have been effective in the opinion of teachers. 

Parents’ Questionnaires

• 93% of parents report that their children likes reading.
• 82% of parents report that there child likes learning to spell.
• 77% of parents report that their children like writing stories . 

Pupils’ (4^th class to 6^th) Questionnaires on Writing

•  Liked writing activities
  • 33%      of pupils  a lot
  • 60%      of pupils a little.
  • 7%         not at all.
• When I write the most important thing for me is
  • 47%      The story/ idea
  • 30%       Presentation/handwriting
  • 23%       Spelling/ Grammar/ Punctuation
• What different kinds of writing are there
  • 50%        Handwriting
  • 35%        A little understanding of the different genre
  • 15%          A good understanding of genre
• See Questionnaire results report for other information. 

Previous Targets:

As this is a new format for evaluation in literacy, there are no previous targets.

See school self evaluation for numeracy with regard to targets in word problem solving. 

Summary of school self-evaluation findings 

Strengths:

• Callystown National School has a conscientious, dedicated, innovative staff, open to new ideas and initiatives and focussed on providing the best possible educational opportunities for its pupils.

• Attainment levels in numeracy and literacy are above the national norms.
• Pupils display positive attitudes towards numeracy and literacy.
• Learning support initiatives in numeracy (Station teaching, Maths Recovery, and short term ability groups etc) are having positive outcomes.
• Recent literacy initiatives in class (Lift off to Literacy, Outside support readers, supplementary reading programmes, senior literacy hours, library expansion) are having positive outcomes.
• Learning support (Reading recovery, group and individual support, in class support among others) is helping pupils who face challenges with literacy. 

Areas for Improvement for year 1 Literacy:

• Pupils need to learn better strategies in learning to write for the different genre.
• Pupils understanding of the different elements of each genre are to be taught.
• Pupils awareness of the need to focus on the structure, content and syntax will have to be heightened.
• Developing strategies to support teachers in the presentation of lessons on the different genre will be developed and introduced.

The following legislative and regulatory requirements need to be addressed: 

• Following last year’s annual report the school has
  • Introduced a new policy on Anti Bullying and has brought in the programme Anti Bullying Campaign.
  • The school has developed and ratified a new Data Protection Policy.
  • The school is currently reviewing and revising its RSE programme and will receive PDST support in September and the new policy will be ready for ratification to BOM for October meeting. Following ratification the policy will be made available to parents and the programme taught forthwith. 

Appendix to School Self-Evaluation Report:

legislative and regulatory checklist

Issue	Relevant legislation, rule or circular				Is the school fully meeting the requirements of the relevant legislation, rule or circular?	If no, indicate aspects to be d