Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 November 2021
91. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the non-essential school inspections visiting schools given the evolving and growing concern of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57310/21]
View answerThe Inspectorate of my Department is very conscious of the impact that the Covid pandemic has had, and continues to have, on the work of schools. It has adjusted its inspection programme for schools in the light of this context and is planning further adjustments. To date in the current school term, the inspection programme has been confined to essential inspection activities in the following areas:
(1) Sustaining Safe Provision of Schooling (SSPS) inspections have been undertaken to monitor the implementation of anti-Covid measures that ensure that schools are safe working and learning environments; these inspections are required under the national "Work Safely Protocol COVID-19 National Protocol for Employers and Workers" and reported upon regularly to the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of An Taoiseach;
(2) Child protection inspections, which monitor the implementation of the Department’s Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools 2017 in fulfilment of the Minister’s obligations under the Children First Act 2015;
(3) Inspections of schools located in Special Care Units and Child Detention Centres where educational provision is made available to children who are detained under court orders (these facilities are required to be inspected annually because of the high vulnerability of the learners concerned);
(4) Essential follow-up inspections to monitor the implementation of urgent recommendations arising from previous child protection and other inspections;
(5) A programme of incidental (short) inspections, which are notified in advance and which in the current term have been focussed on: monitoring anti-bullying measures in schools; the use of shortened timetables for students; and the provision of advice and support to schools as they seek to address the learning needs of students whose learning has been affected by the Covid pandemic; all three of these issues have significant consequences for the learning and wellbeing of students;
(6) A small number of inspections of special education provision, focussed on monitoring how well the needs of very vulnerable learners are being addressed, particularly in the light of the impact that Covid has had on provision for children with high levels of special educational needs.
All other types of inspection (such as whole-school evaluations, curriculum evaluations, subject inspections, inspections of DEIS action planning, etc.) have been cancelled in the current term. This was notified to schools in Circulars 32/2021 and 33/2021.
In light of the evolving situation in schools concerning Covid-19 and the difficulties faced by schools in obtaining substitute teachers, the Inspectorate has decided to restrict the inspection programme further from this week. Inspections in categories (1)-(4) above, which are regarded as essential for the safety and welfare of children will continue; the programme of short inspections for the purposes of monitoring anti-bullying measures, the use of shortened timetables, and provision for learners severely affected by the pandemic will be minimised, with most inspections postponed to later in the school year.
As set out in Circulars 32/2021 and 33/2021, the inspection programme will be kept under review in the light of evolving public health advice.
