Whole-School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning REPORT. Enniscorthy Vocational College Enniscorthy, County Wexford Roll number: 71630K

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1 An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna Department of Education and Skills Whole-School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning REPORT Enniscorthy Vocational College Enniscorthy, County Wexford Roll number: 71630K Date of inspection: 16 May 2012

2 Whole-School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning A whole-school evaluation of management, leadership and learning (WSE-MLL) was undertaken in May 2012 in Enniscorthy Vocational College. This report presents the findings of the evaluation and makes recommendations for improvement. During the evaluation, the inspection team met with the school s board of management, in-school management, groups of teachers, parents and students. Inspectors also reviewed a range of school documentation and responses to questionnaires and examined other data in relation to the operation of the school. As part of the evaluation, a range of lessons across a number of subject areas was inspected. The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report, and the response of the board will be found in the appendix of this report. Introduction Enniscorthy Vocational College operates under the patronage of Co. Wexford Vocational Education Committee (VEC). The school is co-educational with an enrolment of 425 postprimary students and 308 Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) students. The school s enrolment has increased in recent years and it is anticipated that this trend will continue into the future. The school has been sanctioned a unit for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The school offers the Junior Certificate, the Junior Certificate Schools Programme (JCSP), the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). In addition, a wide range of PLC courses is available. The school participates in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) initiative. Recent significant infrastructural investment has provided a modern campus. 1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 1.1 Key Findings The board of management is fully cognisant of its legislative and statutory obligations, fulfils its role effectively and is a support for in-school management. Senior management has successfully managed considerable change and development for the school community. There is a comprehensive and clear school plan in place; however, the developmental planning needs to be further advanced. Management and staff prioritise the care and holistic development of all students in the school through a comprehensive range of supports. The school has a broad and balanced curriculum and strives to cater for its diverse student cohort. The school has benefited significantly from a comprehensive building programme. Teaching and learning observed was mostly good, with scope for development in some lessons and examples of exemplary practice in a small number of lessons. Many of the recommendations from previous subject inspections have been implemented with some scope for development in the area of subject planning. 2

3 1.2 Recommendations for Further Development The board should play an overarching role in continuing to support the school s ongoing development. The principal, with support from the deputy principal and middle management, should focus on leading the school community to progress a shared strategic vision for Enniscorthy Vocational College. School management and staff should continue to review and monitor the relative merits of mixed ability versus streaming as a basis for class formation. Teachers should engage with collaborative practices to progress subject planning and review lesson planning to incorporate more effective use of ICT and other available resources. 2. QUALITY OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP 2.1 School ownership and management the Board of Management Composition, functioning and fulfilment of statutory obligations The board of management is appropriately constituted and effectively carries out its statutory and legislative obligations. The board is very supportive of the school and of inschool management. Members of the board have received appropriate training. Senior management informs the board of all relevant school organisational details. The board is also appropriately made aware of serious discipline issues and endeavours to adopt a fair and balanced approach when addressing such matters. The board has ensured that there is a school plan in place and contributes regularly to policy formation and ratification. The board of management should issue an agreed written report to staff and the parents association following each board meeting in order to enhance effective communication among all education partners. In order to inform itself of trends and patterns in student attainment, the board of management should ensure that an analysis of student performance and attainment in examinations is conducted by senior management and reviewed annually which should assist in future planning. Confirmation was provided that the board of management has formally adopted the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools without modification and that the school is compliant with the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. The parents association is well established and contributes significantly to the work of the school. Representatives expressed their high regard for school management and staff and articulated the view that the school is a supportive and caring environment. These views were endorsed by responses from the parent questionnaires. The parents association has a role in policy review and carries out successful fundraising initiatives. The school s priorities for development A school plan entitled School Development Plan March 2012 provides a comprehensive overview of the organisational details of the school, of school policies being reviewed and ratified and of some key priorities for future development. The board and the school community have engaged with the outcomes of the recent evaluations. The DEIS evaluation has led to the identification of many developmental priorities which include teaching and learning, attendance, attainment and the development of literacy and numeracy. 3

4 Work in some of these areas has begun with the introduction of an electronic system to assist in the monitoring of attendance and the appointment of co-ordinators and assistant co-ordinators for the development of literacy and numeracy. To further progress these priorities, realistic and achievable targets with specific timeframes should be identified. In order to progress these targets and DEIS planning in general, school management should consider the appointment of a DEIS co-ordinator. Notwithstanding the nomination of a coordinator whose role would include overseeing the realisation of the targets in a systematic way, the realisation of DEIS targets should be seen as a shared responsibility for the entire staff. The board should, in consultation with the school community, develop a shared strategic vision for the school s ongoing development. 2.2 Effectiveness of leadership for learning Senior management, comprising the principal and deputy principal, has complementary skills, which enables it to work as an effective team. Senior management has successfully managed significant change and development in the school community. The principal describes his role as having responsibility for overall financial management of the school, construction of the timetable for delivery of the school s curriculum and the management of school resources. The deputy principal s role encompasses a range of duties including school development planning, monitoring of student attendance, application of the code of behaviour and assisting in the co-ordination of PLC. The role of the principal in leading the school s ambitious building programme is acknowledged. The recent completion of this project will allow both the principal and deputy principal to devote time to leading learning and progress some of the priorities in relation to teaching and learning and student attainment. Senior management have availed of continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities and have brought their expertise to bear on many aspects of school organisation such as the development of a comprehensive code of behaviour. The middle management team comprises eight assistant principals and thirteen special duties posts. A recent review of posts of responsibilities has taken place. All duties now relate to curricular, administrative or pastoral care areas and these support the current needs of the school. The reinstatement of regular meetings between senior management and assistant principals is welcomed as it should provide greater opportunities for devolved leadership. To assist in the successful realisation of the identified priorities of the school, it may be necessary to devolve some of the duties currently undertaken by the deputy principal to middle management. Staff members are facilitated to attend in-service courses and are supported if they wish to undertake further studies. Many teachers are currently studying or have completed additional courses in education. For example, a sizeable cohort of staff has successfully completed the Post-Graduate Diploma in School Planning. The skill set that teachers have obtained during such CPD could be further utilised particularly in the area of school development planning. Communication channels in the school are facilitated by a comprehensive daily staff newsletter and through regular announcements. A number of staff subgroups have been established in order to progress areas of school policy development. For example, a whole school guidance plan was successfully devised and progressed and is awaiting ratification by the board. Staff is consulted on the drafting of all school policies and is given an opportunity to provide views and recommendations. This demonstrates some examples of good quality leadership of staff. 4

5 Leadership of students Evidence gathered during the evaluation indicates that the school staff strives to provide a caring and supportive learning environment for students. A range of support structures is in place to positively encourage and support students. These include a care team; the class tutor and year head system; the guidance service; the successful first year induction programme; the Meitheal team and a range of services provided by the school completion personnel. The recently ratified code of behaviour is comprehensive and details the roles and responsibilities of students and school staff. It outlines a clear ladder of referral with sanctions identified at each stage in the process. The implementation of aspects of the code of behaviour was observed during the evaluation and overall student behaviour was observed to be very good. Student attendance is a specific DEIS target and is a cause of considerable concern to management and staff in recent years. Significant time and resources have been allocated to the tracking of student attendance. This is undertaken by personnel from the school completion programme, senior management and through an electronic monitoring system. School records indicate that a small improvement has been recorded for this school year. Attendance at school will need further ongoing monitoring with specific strategies to achieve further improvements in line with the DEIS targets. The appointment of a Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) co-ordinator should contribute to the realisation of DEIS targets for student attendance. The school operates a forty-two class period week. Management has increased instruction time for the vast majority of students to comply with circular Time in School M29/95. However, the current practice of allocating 26 hours tuition time to the LCA groupings should be addressed in order to ensure that all students are in receipt of 28 hours tuition time. The school endeavours to offer a broad and balanced curriculum and a range of programmes to suit a very diverse student cohort. A significant choice of optional subjects is available to students. Senior management is encouraged to review and reflect on the optimum utilisation of available resources, so that the decisions in relation to class formation, subject choices and staff deployment are underpinned at all times by educational principles. A curriculum review group with representation from senior management and staff should be established to explore the optimum delivery of the curriculum within school resources. In this context, the reinstatement of the Transition Year programme should be explored. The school deploys a combination of banding, streaming and mixed ability practices in class organisation in first year. Two discrete streamed JCSP classes are formed with the remaining first-year students assigned to one of three mainstream JC class groups. The JCSP is a programme designed to be delivered in an integrated manner, therefore, procedures and practices in relation to class formation in first year should be reviewed. Senior management and staff should continue explore the relative merits of mixed ability versus streaming for junior cycle classes. In addition, this should provide the opportunity for staff to discuss the impact of class formation on student motivation and attainment. As illustrated in, for example, the increase uptake of higher level JC English. Guidance provision and practices are very good. A whole-school guidance plan has been recently drafted and is awaiting ratification by the board of management. All students engage with guidance at key transitional stages. 5

6 The student council was re-activated in recent years. Student council minutes are recorded but should be retained electronically. The student council has had opportunities to provide suggestions for policy review. The students spoke very positively about the recent improvements in school facilities. They mentioned in particular the increased use of ICT and said that this had enhanced teaching and learning considerably. The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities and sports that help to engage and motivate students. In conjunction with the Arts Council, the school provides students with opportunities to access music tuition and there is a successful school orchestra in place. 2.3 Management of facilities The recent completion of the new school building has provided Enniscorthy Vocational College, with additional specialist rooms and excellent ICT facilities. Students and parents who completed questionnaires as part of the evaluation indicated a strong sense of pride in the new school and its facilities. School management and staff are commended for the quality of care taken to maintain all facilities and the school environs. All classrooms are well maintained with many having displays of subject specific materials and samples of student work. The school has a JCSP library, which is well resourced and is a warm and welcoming place for students. Access to the library and utilisation of its resources are optimum. The new school building also has enhanced sporting facilities, including a fully equipped gym, which is utilised by both staff and students. 3. QUALITY OF LEARNING AND TEACHING 3.1 The quality of learning and teaching Twenty-three lessons were observed as part of the evaluation across a range of subject areas, programmes and year groups. Teaching and learning observed was mostly good, with scope for development in some lessons and examples of exemplary practice in a small number of lessons. Most lessons began with a roll call and an outlining of lesson aims and objectives on the whiteboard. In practical subjects, there was particularly good advance readiness of resources and materials needed for the lessons. In general, lessons were well planned and prepared and, in most cases, a good pace was maintained throughout. Teachers are encouraged to revisit the learning objectives at the end of lessons in order to recapitulate and to consolidate student acquisition and retention of information. In many lessons, a good range of active methodologies was observed. Students worked independently at times with some teacher assistance and there were many instances of very effective pair work and group work noted also. In lessons where pair and group work were prevalent students worked well and were generally engaged in the learning process and with the work in hand. However, these methodologies could be further extended in some instances and teachers should ensure that there is an appropriate balance between teacher directed instruction and student inputs. In a small number of lessons, students were both very motivated and engaged and some excellent work was produced both orally and in copybooks. In these cases, teachers had appropriately high expectations for the students and there was good affirmation for student effort. In a small number of instances, the effective lay-out of the classroom contributed to the good working environment and a re-structuring of the traditional classroom set-up might be usefully considered for other groups. 6

7 There was good use of ICT in some lessons and this contributed significantly to the learning experience of the students and to their general engagement with the lesson content. In other lessons, the effective use of ICT would have enhanced teaching and learning significantly. Enniscorthy Vocational College has considerable ICT resources and it is recommended that teachers review their lesson planning with this in mind as these resources should be used for the maximum benefit of staff and students. There was appropriate emphasis on subject specific terminology in lessons and this is good practice. In some cases, key terminology could have been usefully noted on the whiteboard, to underpin and support students knowledge of these terms. The use of the target language by teachers in language lessons ranged from very good to excellent. Only in a very small number of lessons was that standard not maintained. Students should be encouraged to use the target language to the best of their ability using a range of strategies to support the learning of key phrases for use in class. In some instances, students pronunciation was corrected and the use of repetition helped to support students ability and confidence to say words and phrases correctly. This practice should be extended to all language classes. In one lesson observed, students were given excellent notes to support their learning and to help them prepare for examinations. In many classrooms, there were posters and other displays relating to the development of literacy and numeracy. Keywords were noted during many lessons and students were encouraged to write clearly and to pay attention to basic punctuation which is good practice. A focus on literacy development should be incorporated into all lesson planning. There was some attention to numeracy in classes but this could be extended. The plan to implement a numeracy and literacy strategy in the school should help to inform teachers about classroom strategies in relation to numeracy and literacy development across the curriculum. Questioning was used to good effect in most lessons. Teachers used a range of global and individual questioning strategies to test student knowledge and to promote inquiry and investigation. However, teachers should incorporate more higher-order questioning in order to motivate and challenge students appropriately. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PREVIOUS EVALUATIONS 4.1 Management Previous subject inspections included History, Guidance, Science and Biology, Metalwork and Engineering and English. Evaluations in LCVP and DEIS were also carried out. The majority of the recommendations made in previous evaluations have been implemented or are being actively pursued. For example, junior cycle Science and Technology now have an allocation of four class periods per week. There has been an increase in subject department planning meetings with some progress made in subject planning. The uptake of higher-level Science is being addressed and a risk assessment for Metalwork and Engineering has been developed. Storage issues for Science and Metalwork and Engineering have been satisfactorily resolved. 4.2 Learning and Teaching Assessment for Learning (AfL) practices have been implemented to varying degrees across the curriculum. The library is being extensively used for many subject areas with a range of literacy programmes available. Collaborative schemes of work as part of subject planning have been progressed in some subject areas. However, there is scope for development in subject plans which should encourage further collaborative practices throughout the school. 7

8 THE SCHOOL S SELF-EVALUATION PROCESS AND CAPACITY FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 5.1 Enniscorthy Vocational College has embraced significant change and development in recent years. School management has engaged in an open and positive manner with recommendations from a previous DEIS evaluation which identified key areas for development. The school has demonstrated a capacity for review and improvement. The completion of a new school campus is a very significant achievement for the school community. School enrolment is increasing from year to year and the facilities have the capacity to absorb this increase. School management will need to plan for and manage the change in student population in the coming years. To ensure the success of the development priorities, the school community should work together to implement the shared strategic vision identified for the school into the future. Published December

9 Appendix School response to the report Submitted by the Board of Management Area 1: Observations on the content of the inspection report The BOM wishes to commend all staff involved with the inspection and congratulates them on the positive report received. The BOM would also like to acknowledge the professional and courteous manner in which the inspection was carried out. Area 2: Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection The BOM wish to state that the majority of recommendations have already been implemented and will endeavour to implement outstanding recommendations as soon as possible. To date: A decision has been taken that all 1 st Year classes will be formed by mixed ability combined with banding. Both staff and parent representatives will provide relevant groups with a summary of main points from each BOM meeting. Analysis of student performance and attainment has been carried out by senior management and will be reviewed annually and incorporated into our School Improvement Plan as part of SSE. In line with Time in School M29/95, all Leaving Certificate Applied classes receive the recommended 28 hours class contact time. The Transition Year Programme has been reinstated. A DEIS Committee has been formed. A full review of the JCSP class formation will be under taken before the end of this academic year. Further developmental planning, subject planning including further collaborative practices will form the basis of a whole school community approach to our involvement in the School Self Evaluation process. 9