Publication
Archive - Inspectorate Publications
- Published on: 27 February 2024
- Last updated on: 30 March 2026
Primary
Inspectorate Supporting Schools and the Department January-March, 2021
Briefing for Education Partners 19 January 2021
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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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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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Succeeding in Reading? - Reading Standards in Irish Primary Schools
Succeeding in Reading? - Reading Standards in Irish Primary Schools
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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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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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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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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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Post Primary
Inspectorate Supporting Schools and the Department January-March, 2021
Briefing for Education Partners 19 January 2021
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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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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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The Junior Certificate School Programme - Building on Success
The Junior Certificate School Programme - Building on Success
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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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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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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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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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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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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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Special Educational Needs
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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Social Inclusion
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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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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Others
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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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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