Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 3

Written Answers. - Primary Schools Inspectorate.

Willie Penrose

Question:

45 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff in and role of the primary schools inspectorate; the frequency with which schools and teachers are inspected; the other duties or responsibilities of inspectors; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of the current provision. [2775/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Excluding senior management posts, there are 70 serving primary school inspectors at this time, 12 of whom were recruited within the past year. As with all other Divisions within my Department, staffing levels are kept under continual review.

The role of primary inspectors is encompassed in the statement of statutory functions of my Department's inspectorate as set out in section 13(3) of the Education Act, 1998. Those functions include the following: to support and advise recognised schools, teachers and boards of management on matters relating to the provision of education, through evaluation of the organisation and operation of schools and the quality, effectiveness and standards of education provided therein, including the quality and effectiveness of individual teachers; to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the provision of education in the State; to conduct research into education and to support policy formulation; to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching, development, promotion and use of Irish in schools, and to advise on any matter relating to education policy and provision, including curriculum, assessment and teaching methods.

Primary schools are inspected on a cyclical basis in line with annual inspection targets. At present, a comprehensive school report – Tuairisc Scoile – is furnished on a primary school approximately every six years following a detailed school inspection. The work of individual teachers is inspected in accordance with the rules for national schools and this relates largely to teachers on probation and those experiencing professional difficulties. Inspectors also become familiar with the ongoing work of schools and teachers through frequent incidental inspection visits to schools.

In addition to formal inspection activity, primary inspectors are also engaged in supporting the implementation of the revised primary curriculum and the associated in-career development programme for teachers, promoting school development planning and school self-evaluation, contributing significantly to the analysis, design and, where appropriate, implementation of special needs provision, through, for example, direct management of visiting teaching services, design of curriculum and teacher guidelines, assessing and advising on applications for special examination arrangements, involvement in specialist task forces and on admissions committees of special education facilities planning for the education of refugees and asylum-seekers, supporting the implementation of a wide variety of schemes and initiatives targeting pupils in schools serving disadvantaged areas, participating in cyclical national and international surveys of educational attainment, monitoring the quality of pre-service and in-career education of teachers.