Vol. 536 No. 6
234 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the use of Drumcondra English profiles for measuring children's achievement in oral language, reading and writing is not mandatory on all national schools; and if, in view of this fact that is not mandatory, he will state the proportion of schools which use this profile. [15235/01]
A range of assessment instruments is used by class and learning support teachers on a voluntary basis because they find them useful. Such tests are used to monitor pupils' progress and to detect and diagnose early difficulties. The Drumcondra English profiles are an additional such resource and it is hoped that teachers will incorporate them into their existing assessment practice as they find useful. Judgment on their usefulness is a matter best left to individual teachers and schools and that is why their use has not been made mandatory. My Department does not have any information on the number of schools which use these profiles.
