10.4.3 Successes and challenges
10.4.3 Successes and challenges
Schools reopened successfully despite experiencing significant challenges
The Inspectorate research findings indicated that schools reopened successfully thanks to a combination of their very effective preparation and the supports provided by the Department and other partners. However, this success came at a cost for many school leaders who reported, during discussions with inspectors, that they experienced significant pressure and high stress levels. Also, while many principals reported high levels of compliance and success with the implementation of the new protocols and routines, some reported challenges. For example, in some schools where space was limited, it was difficult to implement physical distancing protocols. Focus group discussions with pupils and students indicated that, overall, children and young people were very pleased to be back in school and were happy to be reconnecting with friends. However, some pupils and students identified gaps in communication and reported that they felt that they were not being included by their schools in the consultation and information process related to school rules and new protocols.
An additional specific burden reported by principals was the challenge posed by COVID-related teacher absences. In the Inspectorate’s return-to-school survey of principals in the September to December 2020 period, only 30% of primary principals (including special school principals) and 10% of post-primary principals reported that they were able to access suitable substitute cover for all absences (Table 10.3). This finding underscores the importance of the work that was undertaken by the Teaching Council and the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) in relation to bolstering the number of registered teachers making themselves available for substitute work through the Sub Seeker portal.
Table 10.3: Principals’ responses to the survey statement ‘I have been able to access substitute cover when a teacher has been absent in my school’.
| I have been able to access substitute cover when a teacher has been absent in my school | ||
|---|---|---|
| Answer | Primary schools (including special schools)* | Post-primary schools |
| Every time | 30.2% | 10.3% |
| Most times | 30.2% | 41.0% |
| Sometimes | 37.2% | 46.2% |
| Never | 2.3% | 2.6% |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
- Five special schools were included in the survey, out of a total sample of 100 primary schools
Schools reported good provision for pupils’ and students’ wellbeing; some staff had concerns in relation to their own safety
Principals reported considerable successes in the area of wellbeing during the September to December 2020 period. These included high levels of teamwork and collaboration, and regular communication in both the creation of a calm school environment and in assisting pupils and students to re-establish a regular routine. While the surveys indicated that teachers, parents, and pupils and students were generally very positive in relation to how their school was providing for pupils’ and students’ wellbeing, a considerable proportion of principals and teachers reported that they, themselves, did not feel safe in school (Table 10.4).
Table 10.4: Principals’ and teachers’ responses to the survey statement ‘I feel safe in my school’
| I feel safe in my school | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary schools (including special schools)* | Post-primary schools | |||
| Principals | Teachers | Principals | Teachers | |
| Strongly agree | 25.6% | 23.6% | 33.3% | 16.7% |
| Agree | 46.5% | 40.1% | 35.9% | 30.9% |
| Don’t know | 11.6% | 14.8% | 20.5% | 18.0% |
| Disagree | 16.3% | 15.6% | 7.7% | 24.0% |
| Strongly disagree | 0.0% | 5.9% | 2.6% | 10.4% |
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
- Five special schools were included in the survey, out of a total sample of 100 primary schools
While teachers adapted their methods of providing feedback to pupils and students in the online environment, provision of feedback was a challenge for teachers during the return to school period
To suit the needs of pupils and students in the online environment, teachers had to adapt their methods of providing feedback to them on their progress. However, the Inspectorate’s research in the September to December 2020 period indicated that there was a difference between primary pupils and post-primary students in their level of satisfaction with teacher feedback (Table 10.5; Table 10.6). In surveys conducted in December 2020, a majority (58%) of post-primary students agreed that only ‘some’ teachers provided them with regular feedback on their learning, while most (76%) pupils in primary and special schools agreed that their teachers did so.
In focus group interactions with pupils and students in primary and post-primary schools in November 2020, the difficulty of getting one-to-one feedback, whether in the classroom or for homework, emerged as an issue arising from the arrangements in place in their schools to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Table 10.5: Pupils’ response to the survey statement ‘My teacher tells me how I am getting on with my learning’ (Primary)
Table 10.6: Students’ response to the survey statement ‘My teachers let me know how I am getting on with my learning’ (Post-primary)
I AM NOT SURE
I AM NOT SURE
NO YES
NO YES
My teacher tells me how I am
My teachers let me know how
getting on with
I am getting on with my learning
31.2%
75.8%
YES
YES
57.7%
11.1%
17.1%
7.1%
my learning
Source: Inspectorate, Department of Education
There is an opportunity to build on teaching and learning successes, particularly in relation to the use of digital technologies
In the area of teaching and learning, successes reported by principals and pupils/students included the broader range of teaching methodologies being used. This included greater use of the outdoor environment and the more frequent use of digital technologies in lessons.
It was clear that the period of school closures had brought about an enhanced level of capacity in schools to engage with digital technologies to support learning. Early indications from the parent surveys of April 2020, particularly at primary level, were that a high proportion of schools were not equipped to engage effectively with students in the online environment. In response to this, Circular 0074/2020, published in November 2020, required all schools to have a communication and learning platform in place that would support students in the event of a partial or full school closure in the future. It was clear that the requirements of the circular, as well as the learning from schools’ own experience, led to considerable improvements in the capacity of schools to engage with pupils and students in the online environment. School principals and Youthreach co-ordinators who spoke to inspectors described pupils’ and students’ high levels of enthusiasm about their new learning, and praised the creative and innovative approaches used by many teachers. Pupils and students who participated in focus groups were very positive about the increased use of digital technologies by their teachers. It is essential that schools are supported to build on their enhanced level of digital capability and continue to expand their use of digital technologies as a teaching and learning tool. Without support, there is a risk that the great progress that has been made will dissipate over time.
Figure from page 299
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