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Inspectorate Publications - Evaluation Reports & Guidelines
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The Inspectorate publishes a range of reports and other publications to advise and support schools, policy makers and the wider educational community. The main types of publications are:
- National reports on different aspects of the school system: these reports provide findings and recommendations arising from our analysis of school evaluations and from the research we conduct on specific themes or subjects. They often include examples of best practice and can be used by schools to improve teaching and learning.
- Guides and information notes about how we carry out inspections: these provide information on different types of inspection such as Whole School Evaluation (WSE), subject inspection, incidental inspection
- Inspectorate Code of Practice which sets out the standards we have for our work
- Procedures for Review of Inspections which can be used by a teacher or a Board of Management who is dissatisfied with an inspection
- Publications to support school self-evaluation
Guide to Early Years Education Inspections
This guide outlines how the Inspectorate of the Department conducts early years education inspections and was first published in 2018.
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A Review Of Early Years Education Focused Inspection: April 2016 – June 2017
This Review of the first year of Implementation of Early Years Education-focused Inspection provides the first detailed, composite evaluation of the nature and quality of early childhood education provision and practice under the ECCE Programme.
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Inspectorate Supporting Schools and the Department January-March, 2021
Briefing for Education Partners 19 January 2021
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Resumption of Schooling Autumn 2020: Report on analysis of data from principals
This report presents an analysis of data from the Inspectorate’s advisory sessions with principals and other school leaders during the period 01 September 2020 to 25 September 2020.
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A Guide to Inspection in Primary Schools
This guide sets out how we conduct inspections in primary schools and is effective from 01 September 2016. It replaces previous guides which described each inspection model individually. This guide was developed in the light of our experience in schools and in consultation with the education partners.
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Looking at Our School 2016 A Quality Framework for Primary Schools
Looking at Our School 2016: A Quality Framework for Primary Schools has been written following extensive consultation with students, teachers, parents, school leaders, management bodies and other education professionals and a wide range of other bodies.
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School Self-Evaluation Guidelines 2016-2020 Primary
These revised Guidelines have been prepared by the Inspectorate to provide practical support to schools in continuing school self-evaluation. They reflect feedback from schools and the education partners on the original Guidelines and more broadly on their experience of the school self-evaluation process to date.
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Science in the Primary School
Science in the Primary School reports on the implementation of the 1999 science curriculum as this was in evidence during inspections carried out in forty primary schools during 2007.
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EAL in Primary Schools
This report presents the findings of a thematic evaluation of provision for pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) in Irish primary schools. The evaluation was conducted in 2008 and was intended mainly to inform a Value-for-Money (VFM) review of EAL provision in primary schools that was being undertaken by the Department of Education and Skills.
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School Size and the Quality of Teaching and Learning
This report has been produced by the Inspectorate’s Evaluation Support and Research Unit. The focused research question was: to investigate if relationships exist between the school-level quality data that were collected by the Inspectorate in a sample of primary schools and school size as given by a school’s enrolment.
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Incidental Inspection Finding A Report on the Teaching and Learning of English and Mathematics in Primary Schools
This report is based on the outcomes of unannounced (incidental) inspections completed in over 450 primary schools throughout all parts of the country between October 2009 and October 2010. During these visits, inspectors observed over 800 English lessons and over 500 lessons in Mathematics.
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Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) in the Primary School
In 2007, as part of its ongoing evaluation of curriculum implementation, the Inspectorate conducted a thematic evaluation of SPHE in forty primary schools. This report presents the findings from that evaluation.
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Irish in the Primary School
A substantially changed curriculum for Irish and accompanying guidelines for teachers were published in 1999 as part of the revised Primary School Curriculum. This report, based on detailed inspections in forty schools and observations in 159 classrooms during 2005, provides an analysis of the extent to which the aims of the revised curriculum are being achieved in schools.
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An Evaluation of Planning in Thirty Primary Schools
This is a composite report based on the evaluation of whole-school planning activities in thirty primary schools during 2004.
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Irish in Primary Schools Long Term National Trends in Achievement
This report contains results relating to Irish Listening, Speaking and Reading. In addition, in the case of Irish Listening and Speaking where we have comparative data from 1985, we examine long-term trends in achievement in the three kinds of schools.
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Learning to Teach - Students on Teaching Practice in Irish Primary Schools
Learning to Teach is a report describing an evaluation by the Inspectorate of the Department of Educationand Science of the quality of teaching of a sample of students from five teacher education colleges in Ireland.
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An Evaluation of Curriculum Implementation in Primary Schools - Mathematics and Visual Arts
This is the first evaluation undertaken by the Inspectorate of the implementation of the Primary School Curriculum (1999). The evaluation focused on the effectiveness of curriculum implementation in English, Visual Arts and Mathematics in eighty-six primary schools.
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Succeeding in Reading? - Reading Standards in Irish Primary Schools
Succeeding in Reading? - Reading Standards in Irish Primary Schools
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50 School Reports: What Inspectors Say
Fifty School Reports: What Inspectors Say comments on quality and standards in a small number of Irish primary schools. It is based on an analysis of the Inspectorate’s findings from fifty school reports furnished on a variety of primary schools during the 2001/2 school year.
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Inspectorate Supporting Schools and the Department January-March, 2021
Briefing for Education Partners 19 January 2021
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Resumption of Schooling Autumn 2020: Report on analysis of data from principals
This report presents an analysis of data from the Inspectorate’s advisory sessions with principals and other school leaders during the period 01 September 2020 to 25 September 2020.
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Modern Foreign Languages: A Report on the Quality of Practice in Post-Primary Schools
This report is designed primarily to provide a picture of the quality of teaching and learning of modern foreign languages in post-primary schools and to help schools and/or individual teachers bring about improvement in modern foreign languages (MFL) teaching and learning.
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Quality Indicators
Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Quality Indicators
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A Guide to Inspection in Post-Primary Schools
This guide sets out how we conduct inspections in post-primary schools and is effective from 01 September 2016. It replaces previous guides which described each inspection model individually. This guide was developed in the light of our experience in schools and in consultation with the education partners.
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Additional Appendix (1.9) to A Guide to Inspection in Post Primary Schools
Appendix 1.9 Evaluation of Provision for Students with Additional and Special Educational Needs in Post-Primary Schools is published as an additional appendix to A Guide to Inspection in Post-Primary Schools 2016.
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Looking at Our School 2016 A Quality Framework for Post-Primary schools
Looking at Our School 2016: A Quality Framework for Post-Primary Schools has been written following extensive consultation with students, teachers, parents, school leaders, management bodies and other education professionals and a wide range of other bodies.
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School Self-Evaluation Guidelines 2016-2020 - Post-Primary
These revised Guidelines have been prepared by the Inspectorate to provide practical support to schools in continuing school self-evaluation. They reflect feedback from schools and the education partners on the original Guidelines and more broadly on their experience of the school self-evaluation process to date.
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Looking at Mathematics: A composite report, based on findings of subject inspections in Mathematics conducted in the 2009-2010 school year
Looking at Mathematics is a composite report, based on the findings of subject inspections in Mathematics during which inspectors observed almost 400 lessons, interacted with students, examined students’ work and had discussions with teachers, co-ordinators of Mathematics and members of in-school management.
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Looking at Social, Personal and Health Education: Teaching and Learning in Post-Primary Schools
Looking at Social, Personal and Health Education is a composite report, based on the findings of subject inspections in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), including Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), carried out in 63 post-primary schools during the 2010/2011 academic year.
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Looking at EAL (Post-Primary Schools)
This report presents the findings of an Inspectorate evaluation of provision for students who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) in Irish post-primary schools.
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Looking at Biology
This composite report provides a detailed insight into students’ experience of Biology in the senior cycle. It provides an analysis of the quality of teaching and learning arising from fifty-seven subject inspections carried out between the 2006/07 and the 2009/10 school years.
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Guidelines for Evaluators
These guidelines form part of a suite of evaluation instruments developed as part of the Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) project.
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet
Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet 2
Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet 2
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Report of the Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level(EFLUSL) Project
This report describes the development of the EFLUSL project, and provides an analysis of the findings of the evaluation reports in the schools that participated in trials of the instruments. The report is a rich source of information on the national contexts for language teaching in the seven participating countries.
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Quality of Teaching and Learning in [Target Language]
Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Quality of Teaching and Learning in [Target Language]
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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Student Questionnaire
Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Student Questionnaire
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Looking at Guidance
Looking at Guidance is based on fifty-five inspection reports carried out from September 2006 to May 2007. The report presents findings on the quality of Guidance provided to students in post-primary schools based on observations of practice, discussions with managements, staff members and students, examination of documents by the inspectors, and students’ responses to a questionnaire.
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ICT in Schools Inspectorate Evaluation Studies
This report examines the extent to which ICT has been used in schools at both primary and post-primary levels and, more importantly, assesses the impact that ICT has had on teaching and learning, including the ways in which ICT is used to support the learning of students with special educational needs.
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Looking at Home Economics
This report is based on an analysis of the findings of subject inspection reports on the quality of teaching and learning in Home Economics in fifty post-primary schools. The subject inspections were conducted between February 2006 and April 2007, and all the reports were published on the web site of the Department of Education and Science.
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Looking at Geography
This report is based on the findings and recommendations made by inspectors in fifty schools where subject inspections were carried out between January 2006 and October 2007. The reports analysed have resulted from inspections carried out as part of whole-school evaluation (WSE) and stand-alone subject inspections.
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Looking at Materials Technology (Wood) and Construction Studies
Looking at Materials Technology (Wood) and Construction Studies is a composite report based on the subject inspection reports issued to schools following inspections.
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Looking at Music
Looking at Music is the result of an analysis of inspection reports undertaken in schools between January 2006 and May 2007. Inspectors of Music conducted the inspections in a range of second-level schools and across a variety of school programmes.
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Looking at Science
Looking at Junior Cycle Science is based on the outcome of subject inspections carried out by inspectors of the Department of Education and Science in post-primary schools in the years 2004–06. As well as commenting on current practice in post-primary science education, the report is aimed at promoting good practice in schools.
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Pressing the Right Buttons - Calculator Use in Schools and in Junior Cycle Mathematics
Summary Report on Phase II of the Study of the Effects of Calculator Use on Mathematics in Schools and in the Certificate Examinations
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Looking at English - Teaching & Learning English in Post-Primary Schools
This composite report is the product of an analysis and synthesis of inspection reports on the teaching and learning of English in seventy-five post-primary schools. The inspections were carried out between January 2005 and May 2006.
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Looking at Irish at Junior Cycle
This composite report provides a summary and interpretation of individual subject inspection reports on Irish at junior cycle in 75 second level schools, representing 10% of all second level schools. The reports relate to the 2004-2005 school year, a time prior to the publication of school inspection reports.
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Review of Guidance in Second Level Schools
This report is based on the findings from the four strands of a top to bottom review of guidance in second level schools in Ireland, carried out between the autumn of 2003 and the spring of 2005.
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Looking at History - Teaching & Learning History in Post-Primary Schools
This report has been compiled on the basis of the findings and recommendations made by inspectors of History in a total of fifty schools where subject inspections were carried out between September 2004 and May 2006.
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Implementing the Revised Junior Certificate Science Syllabus - What Teachers Said
This report examines the teaching of science to Junior Certificate students in post-primary schools in Ireland. It is based on responses to a questionnaire completed between March and May 2006 by science teachers in schools participating in the third cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (also known by the acronym ‘PISA’, and described in the next section) in 2006.
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The Junior Certificate School Programme - Building on Success
The Junior Certificate School Programme - Building on Success
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Inspection of Modern Languages: Observations and Issues
This composite report, Inspection of Modern Languages: Observations and Issues, is the product of an analysis and synthesis of 45 individual modern language inspection reports completed between November 2001 and January 2003.
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Inspection Request Review Form
This form should be used by a teacher or the chairperson of a board of management (acting on behalf of the board) to request a formal review of an inspection in accordance with Procedure for Review of Inspections on Schools and Teachers under Section 13 (9) of the Education Act (1998) (Department of Education and Science, 2006).
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Ready for Tomorrows World? - The Competencies of Irish 15 year olds in PISA 2006 - Summary Report
Ready for Tomorrows World? - The Competencies of Irish 15 year olds in PISA 2006 - Summary Report
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Educational provision for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder: Special Classes attached to Mainstream Primary Schools in Ireland
Published April 2021
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Letter to schools on the Evaluation of Provision for Students with Additional and Special Educational Needs in Post Primary Schools
Letter to schools on the Evaluation of Provision for Students with Additional and Special Educational Needs in Post Primary Schools 5 February 2019
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Review of the Pilot of a New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
Review of the Pilot of a New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Pupils with Special Educational Needs
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Report of an Inspection of Middletown Centre for Autism
This report sets out the findings of an evaluation of the services provided by the Middletown Centre for Autism. It examines the quality and extent of the provision, its impact and outcomes, parental appreciation, schools’ and professionals’ views and the overall effectiveness of the provision and their relation to autism service providers.
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Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs Post Primary Guidelines
Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs Post Primary Guidelines
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An Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders
An Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders A Report by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science 2006
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An Evaluation of Special Classes for Pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder
This report presents the findings of an evaluation of the provision of education for pupils with specific speech and language disorder (SSLD) in special classes in mainstream primary schools. The Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science (DES) conducted the evaluation in 2002.
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Evaluation of the Support Teacher Project
This report presents the findings and recommendations of an evaluation of the Support Teacher Project following a series of Special Educational Needs (SEN) inspections in DEIS primary schools.
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Findings of Joint Inspectorate and NEPS Visits to Education Settings in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs)
Findings of Joint Inspectorate and NEPS Visits to Education Settings in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs) June 2018
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Education of Children in Detention and Care: Evaluation of Schools at High Support Units, Special Care Units and Children Detention Centres
A composite report based on evaluations conducted from 2013 to 2015
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Looking at Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Post-Primary Schools
Looking at Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Post-Primary Schools
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Looking at Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Primary Schools
Looking at Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Primary Schools
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An Evaluation of Planning Processes in DEIS Primary Schools
In 2010, the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills undertook an evaluation project to report on the quality of school-based action planning processes in primary and post-primary schools participating in DEIS. This report presents the findings from the evaluation of planning processes in 18 primary schools participating in DEIS.
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An Evaluation of Planning Processes in DEIS Post-Primary Schools
In 2010, the Department of Education and Skills conducted an evaluation of the school-basedaction planning processes underpinning the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) initiative in primary and post-primary schools. This report outlines the findings of the evaluation from 18 post-primary DEIS schools.
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Effective literacy and numeracy practices in DEIS schools
This publication describes effective literacy and numeracy approaches used in eight schools participating in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) action plan, the action plan for educational inclusion of the Department of Education and Science.
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Literacy and Numeracy in Disadvantaged Schools: Challenges for Teachers and Learners - An Evaluation by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science
The purpose of the evaluation was to identify school variables that impact on the development of literacy and numeracy skills and to recommend policies and strategies that would enable schools to improve children’s achievements in literacy and numeracy.
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Survey of Traveller Education Provision
This Survey of Traveller Education Provision is published following an extensive survey of the participation and inclusion of Traveller pupils in a number of primary and post-primary schools. Findings in the publication are based on quantitative and qualitative data gathered by inspectors in schools and during focused interviews with parents, pupils, and teaching staff.
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Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections Letter to Schools for Issue
Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections Letter to Schools for Issue 21 January 2019
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Guide to Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections
This guide sets out how we conduct Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections in Irish primary and post-primary schools, centres for education and other learning settings and is effective from January 2019. The Guide was developed in the light of our experience in schools and in consultation with the education partners as required under Section 13(8) of the Education Act 1998.
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Guide to Inspections of Courses in Irish-Language Colleges (Coláistí Gaeilge)
This Guide provides information on the model of inspection used by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education (DE) to evaluate educational provision in courses provided by Irish-language colleges.
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Composite Report on Irish-Language Colleges 2014
This composite report presents the findings of inspections carried out by the Inspectorate, Department of Education and Skills, on Irish-language colleges in 2014.
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Chief Inspector’s Report January 2013 – July 2016 (Executive Summary)
The Chief Inspector’s Report 2013-2016 reports on quality and standards in the primary and post-primary schools and centres for education that were inspected by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills between January 2013 and July 2016.
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Chief Inspector’s Report January 2013 – July 2016
This Chief Inspector’s Report from the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, covers the three-and-a-half year period from January 2013 to July 2016. It summarises the key findings that inspectors have made as they have conducted inspections in schools and centres for education, and in the latter part of the period, in early years settings.
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A Co-professional Approach to Inspection for Accountability & Improvement
Inaugural Public Lecture to mark the incorporation of the Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection within the DCU Institute of Education Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector, Department of Education and Skills Dublin City University, St Patrick’s Campus Thursday, 11 May 2017 at 6.00PM
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Code of Practice for the Inspectorate
The Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills works to improve the quality of teaching and learning for children and young people in Irish schools, centres for education and other settings and to support the development of the Irish educational system. We do this through providing high quality evaluation, analysis and advice.
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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Briefing note
Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Briefing note
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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Main Report
This report covers the work undertaken by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. It presents an account of many of the major aspects of our work over the three-year period and some key findings about standards in schools attended by primary and post-primary students.
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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Minister Quinn’s speech at launch
Speaking Notes of Minister Ruairí Quinn, TD, Minister for Education and Skills at the launch of The Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12 at the Department of Education and Skills Monday, 4 November 2013, 11.00AM
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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Presentation
Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Presentation Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector Department of Education and Skills
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Chief Inspector's Report 2001-2004
This Chief Inspector’s Report describes the work of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science during the period January 2001 to December 2004.
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A Report of a Customer Survey by MORI Ireland on behalf of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education & Science
A Report of a Customer Survey by MORI Ireland on behalf of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education & Science
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Publication of School Inspection Reports - Guidelines
These guidelines set out the general principles and procedures in accordance with which the Inspectorate publishes school inspection reports.
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Review of education provision in schools attached to CAMHS units
Child and Young Person Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
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STEM Education 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts
This report presents the findings of an Inspectorate evaluation of the implementation of the first phase of the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 in a sample of Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings, and primary and post-primary schools during the period January 2019 to December 2019.
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Digital Learning 2020: Reporting on practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts
This report presents the findings of an evaluation of digital learning, conducted by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, in a sample of early learning and care (ELC) settings, primary schools and post-primary schools, during the period January to December 2019.
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Beginning to Teach
This report is intended for teachers, principals, school management, initial teacher education providers, support services for schools funded by the Department of Education and Science, and policy-makers. It will also assist the recently established Teaching Council in considering this important phase of the teaching career.
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Change, Challenge, Risk and Opportunity - Joint Managerial Body (JMB) Education Conference
Keynote Address Dr Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector Department of Education and Skills Monday, 15 September 2014 Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin
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Procedure for Review of Inspections on Schools and Teachers under Section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998
Procedure for Review of Inspections on Schools and Teachers under Section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998 September 2015
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PISA Mathematics - A Teacher's Guide
The focus of this guide is on the performance of 15-year olds in Ireland in mathematics in 2003, relative to their counterparts in other participating countries. The guide also examines factors associated with students’ performance in mathematics, and consider similarities and differences between PISA mathematics and Junior Certificate mathematics.
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The Quality Assurance of Irish Schools and the Role of Evaluation: Current and Future Trends
The Professor Seamas Ó Súilleabháin Memorial Lecture 2012 National University of Ireland – Maynooth Dr Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector, Department of Education and Skills Wednesday, 2 May 2012 at 6.30pm
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Joint Evaluation Report: Dissolving Boundaries Programme 2010/2011
Joint Evaluation Report Department of Education and Skills Inspectorate - Republic of Ireland Education and Training Inspectorate - Northern Ireland Dissolving Boundaries Programme 2010/2011
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An Evaluation of Youthreach
Since 2006 the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills has been involved in evaluating the quality of the education and training provision in Youthreach centres funded by the Department. This report is based on the findings and recommendations from twenty-five of these evaluations.
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