Policy Definition in the Department and the Role of the Inspectorate
Gearóid Ó Conluain, Deputy Chief Inspector
Emer Egan, Assistant Chief Inspector
INSPECTORATE DIVISION
Presentation to SDPI Summer School
22 June 2006
Key drivers of the Policy formation
process
Modernisation programme for the Irish Civil Service (Strategic Management Initiative [SMI]) launched in 1994
Delivering Better Government 1996 Report by the Implementation Group of Secretaries
General– Greater openness and accountability– Efficient and fair operation of simplified regulation– Clarity on business objectives of Departments
Key drivers of the process
Public Service Management Act 1997– Enhance management, efficiency and transparency of
Departments– Mechanisms for increased accountability of civil servants– Obligations on Departments to produce Strategy Statement
setting out key objectives, outputs and how these are to be achieved
Social Partnership Agreements– National wage agreements, but more than that– Sustaining Progress 2003-6 provides for the continuation of the
modernisation programme across the Civil Service – targets for modernisation
– Specific references in SP to School Development Planning – teacher unions made commitments that SDP would continue to be implemented and embedded in the school system
Strategy statement
Strategy statement– Must be prepared by each department every three years or
within six months of appointment of Minister– Led by Change Management Unit in DES– Outlines key objectives, strategies and outputs/impacts– Sets out the medium to long-term goals and the best approach
to their development– Formal responsibility for SS lies with the Secretary General
Annual progress report on implementation in the Annual Report of the Department
In addition, a six-monthly progress report as part of Sustaining Progress– Much more focussed report on achievement of targets
Drivers of content
Programme for Government– Policy commitments given by government on taking up office
Sustaining Progress– Specific section on better government and public services– Themes such as stable industrial relations, flexibility and
change, performance and accountability, recruitment– Issues included: customer service, better regulation, e-
government, performance verification
Legislation– e.g. legal duties of the Department or Inspectorate
Drivers of content
Efficient use of resources Accountability Freedom of Information climate
– Open to greater critical scrutiny Reform of the Department of Education and
Science– Heavily centralised system– Independently managed schools– Over concern with provision of resources and
services – too little time for strategic planning
Process
Secretary General & MAC– DES priorities and high level goals– Series of objectives identified for each High Level Goal
Unit Heads/principal officers– Strategies/programmes/actions and outputs identified– Business Plans for Section/Unit
Line managers– Business plans for individuals– Performance management system
Staff members
For staff
Relate the individual business plan to the Performance management and Development System (PMDS)– PMDS bi-annual review and planning process– December/January – planning and review– July – mid-term review– Covers work plan/training needs/skills development
Weekly/monthly return of work – tracking of evaluation plans and reports
In 2007, PMDS will be linked to promotions, increments etc
Benefits
Effective business planning is at the heart of delivering strategic objectives of the DES
Clarity on what needs to be done, by whom, when and how this is to be resourced
Provides benchmarks to measure progress Communicates priorities and progress internally
Critical elements
Focus on key objectives, outcomes and customer service
Staff have clear understanding of their role and role of the division/unit
Monitoring and tracking– Self-monitoring– Monitoring by managers
Aligning targets to specific dates Communication within organisation – shared
commitment/new staff/decentralisation Responding to emerging issues Co-ordination and alignment between business
plans
The Irish education system
Education budget €7.2 billion
Schools state aided not state run
Local Boards of Management
Centralised administration
Varied demographics: concentrated urban / rural
System change and development
Social partnership model for social and economic development Education legislation
o Education Act 1998
o Education Welfare Act (2000)
o Teaching Council Act (2001)
o Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004) Clarification of functions and responsibilities of stakeholders Establishment of agencies for effective delivery of services Public Sector Management Reforms – Strategic Management Initiative (SMI)
System improvement initiatives
Quality of External
Evaluation
Monitoring and
Reporting on Outcomes
Quality of Services to
Pupils
Professional Bases for Teaching
Leadership Development
in Schools
Curriculum Development and Review
Continuum of Teacher
Education
School and System
improvement
Questions & Discussion
???
A centralised Inspectorate: primary and second level
A division of the Department of Education and Science
Statutory remit under the Education Act 1998
o Programme of inspection in schools
o Promoting compliance with regulation and legislation
o Advisory role for schools and for the Department
o Contribution to policy development
The Inspectorate
Emphasis on compliance or building commitment
A policing model of external inspection
o Locates control and development outside the school
o Requires significant personnel resources
o Dealing with unsatisfactory teaching seen as an external QA function
Promoting internal control and development
o Recognises that change must be fostered within organisations
o Based on a vision of school as a professional organisation
o Sees inspectors and school personnel as co-professionals
or
Our dominant philosophy is formative
Purposes of Inspection
o Assure quality in education system
o Provide an external perspective on the work of the school
o Affirm good practice
o Constructively Identify areas for improvement
o Facilitate school self-evaluation
o Recommendations provide a platform for development
Transparent processes
Publishing of criteria and explaining procedures
o Consultation with partners
o Publication of Looking at Our School evaluation criteria
o Evaluation procedures fully explained in Guidelines for Subject Inspection and Whole-School Evaluation
o Code of Practice
o Appeal Procedure
In summary, the Minister decided that…
Wider availability of Inspectorate reports will benefit the system
Reports should be available in an easily accessible format
Reports should be published in their entirety
Inspectorate consulted with the education partners
Inspectorate to publish school evaluation reports
Publication of reports: Minister’s decision
Evaluation findings: a wider audience for reports
Supporting schools and the system to respond
where areas for development are identified
Findings have implications for schools
… and for services and agencies supporting schools
Reports for schools following WSE, Subject Inspection, Thematic and Programme Evaluations
National trends from major Thematic Evaluation Reports
Composite reports of Subject Inspections and WSE
Policy Support Subdivision
Five policy support business units supporting policy… Evaluation Support & Research Unit (BU6) Teacher Education (BU7) Qualifications, Curriculum & Assessment (BU8) Special Education/Travellers/International students (BU9) Corporate Services / International linkages (BU10) An Ghaeilge (undertaken by BU4)
Responsible for …– contributing to the development of Departmental policy
across a range of areas– for supporting inspection/evaluative activity generally– for operational services for the Inspectorate
Objective 4(a)Teacher Education
Contribute to policy development & implementation Advise TES on teacher education….
– Initial teacher education– National Pilot Project on Teacher Induction– Continuing professional development
Teaching Council– Qualifications/registration– Sections 24, 28 and 29– Under-performing teachers– Induction and probation: looking to the future
Objective 4(b) Policy Support for QCA
Advise sections in DES – Ongoing advice– When needs arise
NCCA – approx 44 committees PISA – national committee and point of contact for
ERC Equivalences of international school leaving
qualifications Languages – initiatives at primary and post-primary
levels
Objective 4(b)Guidance
Advise sections in the DES Liaise with outside bodies e.g. NCGE, IGC Composite report on inspections of guidance Guidance Forum Guidance in Youthreach and for adults
Objective 4(c)Special Ed, Travellers & International students
SPECIAL EDUCATION Inspections Publications CPD for teachers
– TES, SESS, Colleges, Inspectors Policy support
– Special Education & other sections NCCA Committee work Legal cases North-South & international work Liaison with NCSE and NEPS
Objective 4(c)Special Ed, Travellers & International students
TRAVELLER EDUCATION Advise on policy Assist Administration with Implementation Plan for
Traveller Education Strategy
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (“non-nationals”) Process applications for teachers Revision of guidelines
Objective 4(e)An Ghaeilge
Official Languages Act 2003 Exemptions from Irish Irish in Primary Schools: National Trends in
Achievement 1985-2002 (Harris) The SCG (Qualifying Examination in Irish) Ardteastas i dTeagasc na Gaeilge Inspection of Irish Colleges Provision of resource materials
Objective 5North/South & International
European Schools– Inspections– Administration– Curriculum and In-service provision– Extension of European Schooling– Centre for European Schooling at Dunshaughlin
European and international bodies– Supporting International Section…. examples include….– OECD at CERI and other networks– EU Future objectives e.g. peer learning on teacher education– EU Network of Policy Makers – EFLUSL & CSEP Projects– Inspectorate co-operation: N. Ireland, Scotland, SICI
Questions & Discussion
???
Teacher professional development
Teacher Education Section Established May 2003 Function
To provide a range of Teacher Education and Development Programmes spanning the continuum from initial teacher education to induction to continuing professional development - covers curricular change and specific areas relating to teaching and learning at primary and post-primary levels.
Links with Inspectorate which has a remit to provide policy advice
Scope of activities
Initial Teacher Education – Colleges of Education [funding]– Education Departments in Universities
Induction– National Pilot Project on Teacher Induction [2002]
In-career development programmes [move towards CPD]– Linkage with system priorities and initiatives– Management of Education Centre network
Teaching Council
Current system: some strengths
Incremental growth in models of provision; a range of models
Direct involvement of teachers in design, delivery & management of most activities
Considerable professional development opportunities for teachers involved
High level of support from participants for support service activities
Cadre of high quality trainers with generic skills in the system
Active partnership between stakeholders Significant voluntary effort at Education Centre level Infrastructure of Education Centres Growth in TNPs and clustering arrangements Inspectorate evaluation of impact at school level
Current system: some challenges
Timing of in-career development activities: disruption caused by teacher absence (mainly second level)
Teacher replacement: experienced teachers joining SSs Time for collaborative school planning and team
development System essentially centrally driven Turnover of teachers in subjects such as CSPE/SPHE Accreditation of courses Access
Current system: some challenges
Fragmentation: independently functioning support services
Meeting system needs while also meeting the professional development needs of schools and teachers
CPD – a right and a personal responsibility? The development of practice to cover the three Is Capacity of system to embrace a new model: colleges,
schools, Education Centres Use of e-learning models/ICTs Challenge associated with development of Teaching
Council
Questions & Discussion
???
Special Education: Recent History
Establishment of special schools/classes SERC report 1993 Salamanca statement and framework for Action on
Special Needs 1994 Circulars 07/02 and 8/02 and allocation of resources EPSEN ACT 2004 Establishment of NCSE 2005 NCSE guidelines on IEPs All roads leading to greater integration of students
Special Education: Issues and Challenges
Special Education Services
Visiting teacher services
Grant-aid for assistive technology
Special transport
Reasonable accommodation in state examinations
Exemption from the study of Irish
Legislation Governing Special Education
Education Act 1998 Equal status Act 2000 Education Welfare Act 2000 Education for persons with SEN Act 2004
Features of the EPSEN Act
Duties of BOM Enrolment of SEN children Content of educational plans Implementation of education plans Role of principal in relation to Educational
Plans/assessment Parental rights
SEN Post-primary Guidelines
Will deal with: Whole school planning and organisation re
inclusion SEN teamwork in the school Whole-school approaches to assessment,
selection and planning SEN teaching strategies Guidelines on IEPs
Questions & Discussion
???