A total of 64 school inspection reports were published today on the Department of Education and Skills' website.
New inspection reports on the web today comprise:
23 whole-school evaluations (WSEs) of primary schools
8 WSEs of post-primary schools
32 stand-alone subject inspections in post-primary schools
1 stand-alone programme evaluation in a post-primary school.
Since 6th February 2006, inspection reports on schools and centres for education are published on the Department of Education and Skills' website at regular intervals throughout the school year.
There are now 5,259 inspection reports on the website, representative of 2,096 schools and centres for education.
WSEs are conducted in primary and post-primary schools.
WSE reports comment on the quality of the school's management and planning, teaching and learning, arrangements for student assessment, supports for students, provision for minority groups and home-school links.
Depending on the size of the school, an inspector or a team of inspectors visits the school for a period of time to conduct the evaluation.
Following this evaluation phase, inspectors discuss the findings and recommendations with school management and members of the teaching staff.
The draft WSE report undergoes a process of factual verification. The school is then given 20 school days in which to respond to the final WSE report.
The last step is the publication of the WSE report with the school's response (if the school has made a response) on the Department's website.
Today, the 32 subject-inspection reports published cover Art, Business Subjects, CSPE, English, French, Geography, History, Home Economics, Irish, Mathematics, Science & Biology and SPHE.
All inspection reports, including those published today (15 December, 2011) are accessible via the link below.
http://www.education.ie/insreports/des_school_inspection_reports_december_2011.htm