1.3 Policy development: primary and

1.3 Policy development: primary and post-primary education

The Department’s 2016-2019 Action Plan for Education set the framework for educational policy development

The Department’s Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 set the overall policy framework for the development of the Irish education system for the period to which to which the report refers. This plan aimed to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. The Action Plan for Education framework involved the development of detailed annual action plans and the publication of quarterly progress reports and end-of-year reviews.

As part of the 2016-2019 Action Plan, the Department launched a range of national initiatives and placed considerable emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, as well as creativity, digital technologies, education for sustainable development, and wellbeing. The introduction of these key strategies addressed several areas where curriculum development was needed. However, the simultaneous implementation of a number of strategies in a relatively short period of time posed challenges for schools.

Considerable investment was made in infrastructure and Gaeltacht education, and the progression of new curricula and subject specifications at primary and post-primary level.

The Department of Education published a number of key documents and strategies for schools

The period 2016-2020 saw the publication of a number of key policies and strategies by the Department (Figure 1.2). It also saw the publication of policy and strategy documents or the establishment of initiatives by other Government Departments, which had important implications for educational provision (Figure 1.3). During this period, progress was also made in the implementation of previously published policies and strategies such as the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, and the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland, 2014-2020 (Information on progress made in implementation of the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is provided in Chapter 9).

The documents published during the 2016-2020 period emphasised the need to develop educational provision to suit the changing needs of young people, and a commitment to listening to the voice of learners in key aspects of educational policy making. The publication of new strategy documents and the review of existing policies and strategies marked a renewed commitment to supporting the wellbeing of learners, and to ensuring that they developed the necessary competencies in literacy and numeracy, STEM, digital learning and modern foreign languages. The commitment of the Department and the Government to the promotion of Irish was evident in the publication of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education in 2017 and the inclusion in the Action Plan 2018-2022 associated with the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish language 2010-2030 of specific actions in relation to the teaching of some subjects through Irish in English-medium schools. The publication of a new Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) plan in 2017, DEIS Plan 2017, also highlighted a renewed commitment by the Department to improving education outcomes for children and

15 Further information is available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/f8319-national-childcare-scheme/

young people at greatest risk of disadvantage and social exclusion. Other events such as the establishment of Creative Ireland in 2017 and the launch of the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making in 2019 also had important implications for educational provision in terms of promoting creativity and enhancing engagement with learners. Promoting the voice of children and young people was a key consideration for the Department and the Inspectorate in the development of policies and practice during the 2016-2020 period. Whole-of-Government policy strategies and frameworks such as Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020 and First 5: A Whole-of-Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 also influenced educational policy and provision during the 2016-2020 period.

Two sets of publications during the 2016-2020 period had significant implications for the quality of care and provision in schools. The first set, Looking at Our School 2016: A Quality Framework for Primary Schools (LAOS) and Looking at Our School 2016: A Quality Framework for Post-Primary Schools, were published in 2016. These were the first-ever quality frameworks for Irish schools, and their publication was widely welcomed throughout the education system. They set out, for the first time, a set of standards in teaching and learning, and in leadership and management for the school system.

During 2016 and 2017, the Department also undertook an extensive review of its child protection procedures for schools in collaboration with the education partners. This culminated in the publication of new Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools in December 2017 to coincide with the commencement of the Children First Act, 2015 by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. These new procedures provided for an increased rigour in supporting and monitoring child protection in schools and settings.

Figure 1.2: Key Department of Education initiatives and publications 2016-2020

Looking at Our School 2016, A Quality Framework for Primary Schools andLooking at Our School 2016, A Quality Framework for Post-Primary Schools, were launched in October 2016. These quality frameworks provided a set of clear, definable standards to promote a shared understanding of, and discourse on, quality in teaching and learning and in leadership and management in primary and post-primary schools. As such, they were designed to inform both internal evaluation (school self-evaluation (SSE)) and external evaluation (school inspection).

Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017: These procedures gave direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in relation to meeting their statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015, and in the implementation of the best practice guidance set out in the Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017). During the period to which this report refers, the Inspectorate advised, evaluated and reported on the implementation of these Procedures in a range of ways though all of its inspections in primary and post-primary schools.

The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (and annual action plans 2017-2019): The Digital Strategy set out a clear vision for integrating digital technology into teaching, learning and assessment practices in schools over five years. To progress its implementation, the strategy was supported by annual action plans in 2017, 2018 and 2019. A cross-sectoral evaluation of the use of digital technologies in ELC settings, primary schools and post-primary schools was conducted by the Inspectorate in 201916. At the time of writing this report, a consultation process for the development of a new digital strategy for schools had commenced.

16 Department of Education and Skills (2020) Digital Learning 2020: Reporting on practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c0053-digital-learning-2020-reporting-on-practice-inearly-learning-and-care-primary-and-post-primary-contexts/

The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011-2020): Interim Review 2011-2016; New Targets 2017- 2020: The National Strategy: Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life 2011-2020 set out a vision for raising standards in early learning and care, and school settings. The Report of the Interim Review 2011-2016, published in 2017, highlighted that, while there were significant achievements in literacy, there remained a need to improve achievement in numeracy, and to address the gap in achievement between learners in schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage and those in other schools. The Report put forward new priority actions and targets deemed necessary to enhance learners’ achievements in numeracy and to advance other key priorities such as tackling educational disadvantage, enabling higher-achieving learners to reach their full potential, improving literacy for, and through, the Irish language and enhancing the digital literacy skills of learners.

The Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice: was published by the Department in 2018 and refreshed in 2019. The Policy Statement provided a definition of wellbeing, and an overarching structure that encompassed existing, ongoing and developing work in the area of wellbeing in education. It was informed by international research and practice and the many relevant policies and guidelines that were already available to schools and centres for education including Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum at primary level, and the Junior Cycle Wellbeing Programme at post-primary level. The Policy Statement set out the ambition and vision that the promotion of wellbeing would be at the core of the ethos of every school and centre for education in Ireland. It included the intention that all schools would embark on their wellbeing promotion process by 2023. In view of the impact of COVID-19 on school activities, this date was changed to 202517.

The STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026 and STEM Education Implementation Plan 2017-2019: The STEM Education Policy Statement provides a roadmap for collaborative action between the Department of Education and other stakeholders. It also serves as a resource for schools and settings in planning the provision of a high quality STEM experience for children and young people of all abilities. A cross-sectoral evaluation of how the STEM education plan was being implemented was conducted by the Inspectorate in ELC settings, primary and post-primary schools in 201918.

Languages Connect - Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026 and Languages Connect Implementation Plan 2017-2022: The Strategy was developed in the context of Action 1.6 of the Department’s Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 which aimed to enable learners to communicate effectively and improve their competence in languages. The Strategy, supported by the Implementation Plan, aims to increase the uptake of key foreign languages generally and, in particular, the number of schools offering two or more foreign languages and the number of students sitting two languages for state examinations. In 2020, the Inspectorate published a report19 on the findings of subject inspections on modern languages carried out between October 2016 and September 2019. The report also included a section on the experience of children in early learning and care settings and primary school, whose mother tongue is not English, of learning an additional language.

17 Department of Education Circulars 0018/2021, 0032/2021 and 0033/2021 advised schools of the updated requirements. 18 Department of Education and Skills (2020) STEM Education 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/065e9-stem-education-2020-reporting-on-practicein-early-learning-and-care-primary-and-post-primary-contexts/ 19 Department of Education and Skills (2020) Modern Foreign Languages: A Report on the Quality of Practice in Post-primary Schools. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d4504-modern-foreign-languages-a-report-on-the-quality-ofpractice-in-post-primary-schools/

The Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022 (2016): This was the first Gaeltacht-specific education policy in the history of the State. It is intended to help fulfil the ambition in the Government’s 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 to maintain and extend the use of Irish as a spoken language. Its overarching goal is to ensure the availability of a high quality and relevant Irish-medium education experience for all young people living in Gaeltacht areas and, in this way, to support the use of Irish as the main language of families and of Gaeltacht communities. Specifically, the policy aims to ensure that a sufficient number of schools and ELC settings use Irish as the language of communication and instruction for all areas of learning (apart from English and other languages), in each of the Language-Planning Areas within the Gaeltacht (as set out under the Gaeltacht Act 2012).

The DEIS Plan 2017, which replaced the Action Plan launched in 2005, set out the Department’s vision for future intervention in the area of social inclusion in education policy. The plan set out new goals to be achieved in relation to improving outcomes for children and young people in primary and post-primary schools, particularly for those in communities at risk of disadvantage and social exclusion. Further information on this plan and progress on its implementation is provided in Chapter 6.

Figure 1.3: Other Government Department initiatives and publications impacting on educational provision 2016-2020

20-Year Strategy for the Irish language 2010-2030 and the associated Action Plan 2018-2022: These included the Department’s commitment to explore a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to implementing partial immersion in Irish in schools and early years settings. A three-year CLIL20 project commenced in September 2019 with the aim of improving learner competence, confidence and disposition towards Irish in English-medium ELC settings and in primary and post-primary schools.

Creative Irelandwas established in 2017 following the success of Ireland 2016, the State initiative to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Easter Rising. Creative Ireland is a five-year, all-of-Government culture and wellbeing programme that aims to inspire and transform people, places and communities through creativity. The Programme is built around the key themes: Creative Youth, Creative Communities, Creative Places, and Creative Nation.

TheNational Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making 2015-2020: The aim of the strategy was to ensure that children and young people have a voice in their individual and collective everyday lives. The strategy was guided and influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights21.

20 A CLIL approach provides for the delivery of aspects of the curriculum through a language that is not the medium of instruction in the school. 21 In 2021, the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making was published.

Better Outcomes Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020(launched in 2014): This was the first overarching national policy framework for children and young people (aged 0-24 years). The Policy Framework adopted a whole-of-Government approach that aligned government commitments to children and young people with five national outcomes: active and healthy; achieving in all areas of learning and development; safe and protected from harm; economic security and opportunity; connected, respected and contributing. It set out transformation goals for achieving these outcomes for children and young people.

First 5, A Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028(launched in November 2018): This whole-of-Government strategy sets out a road map to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families over the next decade. It aims ensure that every child has positive early experiences and can make a great start in life. It sets out a road map for change and development over the coming decade. One of the key goals of the strategy is the reform of the ELC system, including a new funding model.

The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland, 2014 -2020: one of the key strategies underpinning the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019, aims to ensure that education contributes to sustainable development by equipping children and young people with the relevant knowledge, the key dispositions and skills and the values that will motivate and empower them through their lives to become informed, active citizens who take action for a more sustainable future. More detail on this strategy is provided in Chapter 9.

Curriculum developments in schools included the roll-out of a revised primary language curriculum and the implementation of junior cycle reform

As noted above, a number of strategy documents that were launched in the period had medium and long-term implications for curriculum provision in areas such as STEM, Languages and Digital Learning. More immediately, primary schools were involved in the roll-out of the Primary Language Curriculum (PLC) which began with Junior Infants to Second Class during the 2016/17 school year and was available for all class levels during the 2019/2020 year. The PLC has the same structure and strands for both English and Irish, and is designed for pupils of all abilities in all primary schools: English-medium schools, Gaeltacht schools and Irish-medium schools, and special schools.

At post-primary level, the phased implementation of curriculum and assessment changes at Junior Cycle continued, with all revised curriculum specifications in place for the student cohort that commenced Junior Cycle in September 2019. These curriculum changes are discussed in more detail in later chapters, but it should be noted here that both sets of changes posed implementation challenges and required significant investment in teachers’ professional development.

There has been extensive consultation on the development of a legislative framework to provide for a student and parent charter for schools

The Department engaged in extensive consultation on the development of a legislative framework to provide for a student and parent charter during the period to which this report refers. This work culminated in the publication of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 in September 2019. The Bill, which at the time of writing has been passed by the Seanad, is continuing through the legislative process in the Dáil. It is expected that the Bill will be re-named the Education (School Community Charter) Bill.

The main aim of this proposed legislation is to improve how schools engage with members of the school community, which includes children and young people, their parents and school staff. It will require all schools to have a Charter in place. One of the key concepts of the Bill is the need for a school to consult with students, parents and staff on individual school plans, policies and activities. Once the legislation is

enacted, work will commence on developing the national charter guidelines in consultation with the education partners. Those guidelines will be designed to assist schools in how they consult with, seek feedback from, and respond to children and young people in schools, their parents and school staff.

The Charter is intended to strengthen the involvement of parents, children and young people in their schools.

The Irish Government’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities brought new obligations in relation to inclusion in education

The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted in 2006 and signed by Ireland in 2007. The Government formally ratified the Convention in April 2018 and Ireland submitted its first progress report to the UN in December 2020. The progress report outlined developments across a range of societal domains, including education. These included the introduction and development of the Access and Inclusion Model of support for children with special educational needs in early learning and care settings, the introduction of the School Inclusion Model and the introduction of a new Batchelor of Education programme (primary school teaching) for deaf students.

The Irish Government’s ratification of the CRPD brought new obligations and reaffirmed long-standing commitments regarding an inclusive approach in our education system. These included the provision of ‘reasonable’ accommodation in schools and the inclusion of learners with disabilities in the general education system. In addition, Article 24 (2) of the CRPD obliges States Parties22, among other things, to ensure that children can access an inclusive, quality and free education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live23.

The UN Committee responsible for monitoring has advised education systems that operate systems that are similar to Ireland’s of the need to be more inclusive. The UN Committee also recognised that such major change takes time to implement and accepted the concept of progressive realisation of policy intent over a period of time.

Figure from page 23

22 States parties are countries that have ratified or acceded to the international treaty 23 United Nations, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Article 24 Education. Available at: https://www. un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/article-24-education.html