Phase 2: In-School Evaluation
Typically, the in-school evaluation stage of the
WSE does not exceed five school days. The reporting inspector prepares
an overall schedule for the evaluation. Members of the evaluation team
visit the school on the days notified to the staff during the
pre-evaluation meeting. Any changes due to unforeseen circumstances
will be discussed with the school principal and the relevant staff
members in advance, where possible.
During a whole-school evaluation the work of the teaching staff is
evaluated. Staff members involved in programmes for the support of
pupils, for example disadvantaged pupils, are also involved in the
evaluation.
The Evaluation Framework
The WSE team evaluates and reports on the operation of the school under the following headings:
- the quality of the school management
- the quality of school planning
- the quality of learning and teaching
- the quality of support for pupils.
Evaluation Activities
WSE involves a wide range of evaluation activities including:
A review of school documents
This may include including school planning documents, curriculum
plans, and documents associated with particular curricular programmes.
Samples of documents used to communicate with parents, pupils and the
school community may also be reviewed.
Meetings and interviews
During the in-school evaluation phase, meetings may be held with
the in-school management team the support teachers for pupils with
additional learning needs.
Observation of teaching and learning
Teaching and learning in a range of curriculum areas and subjects
are observed throughout the school. This includes the work of temporary
staff and visiting teachers who may be based in other schools. It may
also include the work of external personnel who are employed by the
board of management to provide additional tuition to pupils during
school time. Methodology, classroom management, classroom atmosphere,
and learning are observed.
Evidence of planning for teaching and learning
Inspectors may examine teachers' long term and short term preparation (Rule 126).
Interaction with pupils
The inspectors interact with pupils in all classrooms and learning
areas. This interaction involves engagement with the class as a whole,
with groups or individuals and may involve targeted or open
questioning, the provision of appropriate tasks, or the evaluation of
skills.
Reviewing pupils' work
The inspectors may review samples of pupils' school work or
homework in notebooks, copybooks, folders, workbooks, portfolios, and
displays of project work.
Feedback is provided to individual teachers and to the principal during the evaluation.
The Organisation of WSE
The reporting inspector decides on the evaluation approach to be
adopted in the school. The following are examples of arrangements which
may be adopted:
Example 1: Individual inspectors may evaluate provision in the
junior section of the school while others evaluate the senior section.
They evaluate teaching and learning in a range of curriculum areas and
subjects. A further inspector may evaluate the role of the support
staff.
Example 2: The inspectors may each take a number of junior and
senior classes in addition to the evaluation of some support teaching
provision. They look at areas of teaching and learning in each
classroom.
Example 3: The inspectors evaluate teaching and learning in
specific curriculum areas and subjects. For example, one inspector may
evaluate the quality of provision for arts education, languages and
physical education while another inspector may evaluate the quality of
provision for mathematics, social, environmental and scientific
education (SESE), and social, personal and health education (SPHE). In
this model, two inspectors visit each classroom at various times during
the period of the whole-school evaluation.