2.8 Future directions

2.8 Future directions

The Inspectorate’s strategic plan was aligned with national priorities

The Inspectorate’s strategic planning process includes consideration of medium-term and longer-term strategic goals for the work of the Inspectorate. This process takes place in the context of the broader Strategy for the Department and the education system that was set out by the Minister for Education in the Statement of Strategy 2021-2023.

The strategic planning process involves the identification of priorities for the work of the Inspectorate and necessary actions to achieve these priorities. The process provides an opportunity to reflect on the work of the Inspectorate, on how the needs of the education system are evolving and on how the Inspectorate needs to adapt and develop its activities in response. The resultant plans and priorities focus on how inspection and advisory work will be developed and implemented.

The Inspectorate’s strategic plan for the period 2017-2019 informed key developments in the Inspectorate’s work over that period. Considerable progress was made in addressing the priorities that had been identified for the 2017-2019 period, as outlined in this report including:

■affirming our commitment to working collaboratively with children and young people,

teachers, early years educators, school leaders and school management bodies in the development of our inspection processes as evidenced in the development of early years education inspections

■advancing the inclusion of the voice of pupils/students and parents in our evaluation

and advisory work

■supporting the embedding of Looking at Our School 2016 more deeply in the school system

■extending the range of evaluations

■improving the inspection of child protection arrangements in schools

■extending our oversight, evaluation and reporting role in priority areas such as STEM,

Digital Learning, SEN and Gaeltacht Education

■improving the Inspectorate’s levels of engagement with early learning and care settings,

schools and centres for education through evaluation visits, and also in the case of schools and centres for education through an expanded number of advisory visits.

Strategic planning is complete for the period 2021-2024

The Inspectorate Strategic Plan 2021-2024 was developed at a time of great change, challenge and upheaval for children and young people in Ireland. The adaptations that had to be made to education during the COVID-19 pandemic provided us with an opportunity to refine and refocus our priorities. In building on the learning and change in the COVID era, we identified a number of important themes for our work in the 2021-2024 period. These include:

■fostering improved and innovative educational partnerships

■ensuring that our inspection system and research activity can help to identify

and target resources effectively

■communicating with greater impact

■improving how we use data.

In preparing the Inspectorate’s strategic goals and actions for 2021-2024, representatives from a variety of stakeholders were invited to meet with Inspectorate senior management to give their perspectives on the following themes:

a. The changing needs of children and young people

b. The changing work of the adults who support learners

c. Challenges for the Inspectorate

Reflections were then shared with the wider Inspectorate, and all inspectors were involved in drafting the strategy for 2021-2024. The contributions from the various stakeholders greatly enriched inspectors’ insights and understanding with regard to the challenges and successes being experienced across the education system.

Arising from this process of consultation and review, we have set out our Strategic Plan for the next four years under three main goals:

■GOAL 1: Setting standards and promoting excellence

■GOAL 2: Promoting innovation through collaboration

■GOAL 3:Working to become a citizen-centred, learning organisation in an ever-changing environment

Each goal has three strategic actions. These strategic actions will inform the targets we select for our annual Business Plans during the timeframe and enable us to measure the progress we make in achieving our goals.

Setting standards and promoting excellence

Promoting innovation through collaboration

Working to become a citizen-centred, learning organisation in an ever changing environment

• We will advise, evaluate and set standards to promote excellence

• We will develop innovative inspection practices

• We will promote a culture where all staff are inspired, empowered and enabled to innovate

• We will promote a culture of self-evaluation throughout the system

• We will promote effective engagement with all stakeholders

• We will address the development needs of our staff to equip them with the essential skills needed to deliver for the citizen

• We will be strategic in informing policy development and implementation

• We will ensure our work is of the highest professional standards

• We will enhance collegiality and interdependence within the Inspectorate