2.4 Overview of inspection activity
2.4 Overview of inspection activity
The Inspectorate engaged in a wide range of evaluation and advisory activity
The tables in this section provide an overview of inspection activity in schools and ELC settings in the period September 2016 to the end of 2020. They also provide an overview of the advisory visits conducted by the Inspectorate and of inspections carried out by the Inspectorate on behalf of other sections in the Department, such as the monitoring of the summer programme for pupils/students at risk of disadvantage or pupils/students with special educational needs. These include Youthreach centres in which inspections are carried out on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Irish language colleges in which inspections are carried out on behalf of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and agricultural colleges in which inspections are carried out on behalf of Teagasc.
Table 2.3: Inspections in early learning and care settings
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years Education Inspection (EYEI) | 267 | 656 | 616 | 589 | 120 | 2248 |
| Follow-through Inspection (ELC) | - | 26 | 77 | 80 | 12 | 195 |
| Totals | 267 | 682 | 693 | 669 | 132 | 2443 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Table 2.4: Inspections in primary schools
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Evaluations | 63 | 154 | 221 | 177 | 60 | 675 |
| Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections (Initial) | - | - | - | 13 | 19 | 32 |
| Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections - Primary (Final)54 | - | - | - | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| Evaluations of Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Schools (Primary) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 50 |
54 A CPSI comprises an initial and a final inspection. In a number of instances, the final inspection in a school was not completed in the same calendar year as the initial inspection.
| Follow-Through Inspections (Primary) | 82 | 165 | 129 | 140 | 42 | 558 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incidental Inspections | 163 | 286 | 282 | 374 | 89 | 1,194 |
| Evaluations of Provision for Pupils with Special Educational Needs55 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 40 | 16 | 84 |
| Whole School Evaluations - Management, Leadership, Learning | 62 | 102 | 104 | 97 | 30 | 395 |
| Whole School Evaluations | 15 | 38 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 75 |
| Supporting the Safe Provision of Schooling (SSPS) Inspections | - | - | - | - | 431 | 431 |
| Totals | 403 | 764 | 763 | 883 | 698 | 3,511 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Table 2.5: Probationary visits in primary schools
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of visits to probationary teachers | 603 | 3,352 | 2,572 | 1,090 | 118 | 7,735 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
55 During these evaluations, inspectors visit both mainstream and support classes, but do not conduct these inspections in special schools.
Table 2.6: Inspections in post-primary schools
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections - Post-primary (Initial) | - | - | - | 11 | 15 | 26 |
| Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections - Post-primary (Final) | - | - | - | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| Evaluations of Action Planning for Improvement in DEIS Schools | 10 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 48 |
| Evaluations of Provision for Students with Special Educational Needs | - | - | - | 22 | 5 | 27 |
| Follow-through Inspections | 34 | 98 | 75 | 108 | 12 | 327 |
| Evaluations of Schools at Special Care Units, and Children Detentoi n Centres | 1 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 24 |
| Incidental Inspections | 100 | 165 | 129 | 154 | 29 | 577 |
| Programme Evaluations | 6 | 25 | 23 | 17 | 7 | 78 |
| Subject Inspections | 120 | 275 | 252 | 282 | 59 | 988 |
| Whole School Evaluations-Management Learning Leadership | 36 | 79 | 78 | 65 | 24 | 282 |
| Supporting the Safe Provision of Schooling (SSPS) Inspections | - | - | - | - | 276 | 276 |
| Totals | 307 | 658 | 570 | 694 | 441 | 2,670 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Table 2.7: Inspections in centres for education
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluations of Centres for Education | 4 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 17 |
| Supporting the Safe Provision of Schooling (SSPS) Inspections | - | - | - | - | 33 | 33 |
| Incidental Inspections | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 25 |
| Follow-through Inspections | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Totals | 12 | 6 | 19 | 15 | 37 | 89 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Table 2.8: Advisory visits to support SSE
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schools and special schools | 1 | 11 | 600 | 723 | 83 | 1,418 |
| Post-primary schools | 7 | 303 | 299 | 249 | 17 | 875 |
| Totals | 8 | 314 | 899 | 972 | 100 | 2,293 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Table 2.9: Other forms of evaluation and advice
| Sept – Dec 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluations of Coláistí Gaeilge (Irish Language Colleges in the Gaeltacht) | 25 | 27 | 28 | 21 | 056 | 101 |
| Evaluations of summer Continuing Professional Development courses for primary teachers | 40 | 42 | 41 | 44 | 54 | 221 |
| Evaluations of Teagasc Colleges | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme: Advisory visits to schools | - | 161 | 195 | 162 | 8 | 526 |
56 Coláistí Gaeilge were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme: Case Study Visits | - | - | - | 18 | 1 | 19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hearings under Section 29 of the Education Act | 49 | 199 | 256 | 288 | 182 | 974 |
| Inspections carried out in the context of Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Inspections conducted for the purpose of school recognition | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 5 |
| Inspections in European Schools | 19 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 33 | 98 |
| Inspections of campaí samhraidh for children (Irish- medium summer camps) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 29 |
| Inspections of summer literacy/numeracy camps for children | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 44 |
| Inspections of summer provision in schools attached to Special Care Units | - | 3 | - | - | - | 3 |
| Inspection visits conducted in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 4 |
| School Excellence Fund DEIS: Advisory visits to schools | - | 40 | 130 | 130 | 119 | 419 |
| School Excellence Fund Step Up: Advisory visits to schools | - | - | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| Visits to schools to support the quality assurance of international assessments | - | - | 157 | - | - | 157 |
| Totals | 146 | 506 | 835 | 693 | 432 | 2,612 |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
Thematic reports were published on a range of areas
The Inspectorate publishes a range of reports and other publications to advise and support schools, policy makers and the wider educational community. These include national reports on different aspects of educational provision across the various sectors. Reports provide findings and recommendations arising from the Inspectorate’s analysis of school evaluations and from research conducted on specific themes or subjects. The findings of these reports help to inform policy and practice in these aspects of provision. The reports often include examples of best practice and can be used by schools to improve aspects of their practice.
During the period covered by this report, the following thematic reports were published:
■Modern Foreign Languages: A Report on the Quality of Practice in Post-Primary Schools (2020)
■Digital Learning 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care,
Primary and Post-Primary Contexts (2020)
■STEM Education 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care,
Primary and Post-Primary Contexts(2020)
■Education Provision for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Special Classes Attached
to Mainstream Schools in Ireland(2020)
Two composite reports on inspection findings on the quality of educational provision in Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí, Irish-medium schools outside of the Gaeltacht, that covered the period 2017 to 2020, were published in Spring 2021:
■Irish-medium Primary Schools Outside of the Gaeltacht: What Inspectors had to say
■Irish-medium Post-Primary Schools Outside of the Gaeltacht: What Inspectors had to say
A range of Inspectorate research reports were published arising from a programme of research and advisory work with schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2020, the series had included seven reports and a summary report:
■Resumption of Schooling Autumn 2020: Report on analysis of data from principals
■Return to School: Report on analysis of data from principals, October and November 2020
■Return to School: Report on focus groups with pupils and students, September and October 2020
■Return to School: Report on focus groups with pupils and students, November 2020
■Return to school: Report on findings of surveys in primary schools, post-primary and special schools,
October 2020
■Return to School: Report on findings of surveys in primary schools and special schools, December 2020
■Return to School: Report on findings of surveys in post-primary schools, December 2020
■Return to School: Summary of research, September-December 2020
All of these thematic and research reports can be accessed at www.gov.ie57.
57 The suite of return to school reports is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-andspecial-schools/#reports-and-other-information. An earlier report is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/87634- resumption-of-schooling-autumn-2020-report-on-analysis-of-data-from-principals/
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