Olwyn Enright
Ceist:1 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science her proposals for the release of information regarding the way in which schools operate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27796/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 11 October 2005
Ceisteanna (1)
Freagraí ó Béal (5 píosaí cainte)
As the Deputy will be aware, I am determined to provide more information, for parents in particular, about our schools in a way that ensures a fair and comprehensive picture of all the different activities in a school. As I said on many occasions, I am strongly opposed to the publication of crude league tables based solely on examination or test results. Such tables provide an unbalanced and grossly limited indication of a school's performance.
In contrast to school league tables, school inspection reports from whole school evaluations and other inspections, when read in their entirety, can provide balanced and well-informed information on schools. The whole school evaluation process involves an examination of all the varied activities of a school, from the quality of teaching and learning to the availability of extra-curricular activities and the implementation of policies in areas such as bullying and health and safety. The inspection process also includes consultation with the school's board, parents and staff members, and at second level, with the school's students. These reports can, therefore, provide valuable information on the educational and social opportunities provided by a school. The comments they contain are fully sensitive to the context in which the school operates in a way that is not possible with league tables.
Given the breadth of the contents of whole school evaluation reports, the publication of these and other school inspection reports could go a significant way to addressing the real needs of parents, students, teachers and others for better information on schools. The type of information provided will help parents who need accurate and balanced information. They also contain valuable information that will be of interest to schools who may wish to learn from the experience of others.
I am determined to progress this matter in a sensible and responsible way and to ensure that the views of all the education partners are considered before the publication process is finalised. During the summer, I put in place a mechanism whereby this can take place. The inspectorate of my Department has held no fewer than 20 meetings with interested parties over the past month and is preparing draft guidelines for the publication of inspection reports which will be circulated shortly to the education partners. Responses to the draft guidelines will then be sought and a final draft of the proposals will be submitted to me in December.
I intend that the publication of school inspection reports will commence from January 2006 for all inspections carried out from the start of the calendar year that year. While I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the consultation process, the discussions held to date have been fruitful and constructive. Each of the partners realises the need to address the information deficit that exists at present in terms of ensuring full public access to balanced information on schools. This is especially important to those like myself who are opposed to the publication of league tables based on results and want to find a better way. I am confident the considered and responsible approach we are taking to the publication of inspection reports will lead to much greater availability of information on schools without inadvertently pitting schools serving entirely different communities against each other in crude comparisons of academic performance alone.
I welcome the progress that will be made by January 2006. The Minister referred to whole school evaluation and other reports. What does she mean by "other reports"? How far does she intend to go with whole school evaluation reports? I acknowledge what they will contain but I am concerned parents will not be given a clear enough picture. Information about the ethos of a school and boards of management should be included. Witnesses attending the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science highlighted difficulties parents faced in obtaining information from boards of management. I support the concept of whole school reports, as everything will be open, but it is important that parents should have access to all information, including details of results in schools to which they may send their children. I agree that crude league tables should not be developed but information about everything in a school cannot be given to parents if one of the core parts of education, the examination process, is ignored.
Whole school evaluation and subject inspection reports will be published. A significant number of subject inspection reports take place each year whereby all the teachers are inspected. These reports will be published, as will thematic inspection reports on, for example, Gaeilge, English and mathematics in the primary curriculum. The chief inspector's report referred to these topics this year. Composite reports will also be published, for example, on Gaeilge in the second level curriculum. These reports will give us a broad view of individual schools and the teaching of subjects throughout the system.
I appreciate the Deputy's comments on school ethos and boards of management but the reports take account of the context of the school, which comprises not only its geographic environment or catchment but also the ethos and the situation in which it is working. Many schools are good at issuing brochures and general information that captures that. However, they do not issue information that will be contained in the whole school evaluation reports. The Deputy commented previously about the publication of results. It would be naive to expect that we would not end up with league tables based on results if schools were to publish their results but schools have become open in their dealings with parents and parents, rightly, are demanding of schools regarding the information they provide. I hope, by going down this road with the Department providing the information it has nationally, which is professionally compiled in conjunction with schools, the schools will be encouraged to provide extra information of value to parents. They should not, however, provide information on results.
There are ways and means to prevent the publication of crude league tables. However, I refer to the "rate my teacher" fiasco earlier this year. Has the Minister considered giving a role and a say to students in the publication of the various reports so that a positive environment can be created for them to give their opinions on what is happening as distinct from publishing anonymous ratings on a website?
One of the central parts of the whole school evaluation of second level schools is the involvement of students, who will meet inspectors and fully participate in the process. This reinforces the fact it is a whole school evaluation because it involves everybody. I look forward to the valuable process that will commence in January.