CBS Thurles is committed to School Self Evaluation (SSE) . School self-evaluation is a collaborative, inclusive, and reflective process of internal school review. An evidence-based approach, it involves gathering information from a range of sources, and then making judgements. All of this is done with a view to bring about improvements in students’ learning. Below is the Six-Step Process for School Self-Evaluation.
As part of this process, we completed a few stages in the cycle by gathering evidence during surveys of students, parents and teachers. The school analysed all of the surveys and identified differentiation and active learning methodologies as key areas of focus to bring about school improvement. The school improvement plan is published each year. As part of the 2016 – 2022 SSE process Literacy, Numeracy and Teaching and Learning were specific areas of focus. Click on the links below to view our evaluation reports for 2019 and 2021.
Since September 2022 the Assessment & Reporting Committee (ARC) has focused on the pros and cons of introducing one hour classes from September 2023. The interim SSE report outlining the process can be access below. We are also commencing a new SSE journey which is looking at the area of Wellbeing with a focus on student voice and the influence of social media.
Literacy
Our school promotes literacy throughout the entire school year across all subjects. It is not specific to English alone as new language skills are needed in every subject taken. All teachers encourage students to expand their subject specific vocabulary by reinforcing key words students will come across.
The literacy programme in the school includes the Book Club and several initiatives are run throughout the year including a Book Fair, Book Swap, 6 word stories, and many more. Students are encouraged to take part in poster competitions promoting literacy throughout the school. Reading classes are regularly held in Junior Cycle all year long in conjunction with independent reading projects.
Library and author visits and theatre trips are organised at different stages of the year and all years are included in a variety of these.
Numeracy
Numeracy encompasses the ability to use mathematical understanding and skills to solve problems and meet the demands of day-to-day living in complex social settings. Students are constantly enhancing their numeracy skills in all classes. Several activities take place throughout the year which encourages students to use their numerical ability. Numeracy week takes place each year in the school. During last year’s numeracy week students and staff took part in a range of activities including:
- 1st year quiz
- Scavenger hunt
- Puzzle competition
- Junior cycle poster competition
- Maths Olympiad 1st round
In addition to Numeracy week, we promote numeracy in all subjects by asking students to calculate their percentage in class assessments.
Students are also encouraged to enter a range of Mathematics competitions such as:
- IMTA Maths competitions
- IRMO Maths Olympiad, and
- Applied Mathematics Competitions.
SSE in CBS Thurles
The current areas for improvement are outlined in the table below. We are now in our fourth year of a four-year cycle of school self-evaluation. The focus of this year is on embedding agreed actions in day to day lessons which bring about improvements in students learning. Our overall aim is to increase student ownership and responsibility for their learning as well as increase student engagement and participation. This whole school focus is being realised through a number of agreed targets and actions as outlined below.
What evidence do we gather?
Evidence is gathered annually from a number of sources which allows us to make judgements on where we are at, identify the impact, if any, of our actions in the classroom and informs the next steps in the process.
Data is gathered from all first, second and third year students via a questionnaire. In recent years a focus group has been conducted with a group of first and second year students and valuable qualitative data gathered. This data is collated and presented for discussion at whole staff session. Immediate oral and written feedback is obtained from staff on reflection on student data. Teacher data is also gathered via questionnaire.
A comprehensive evaluation will take place in May 2020 as we come to the end of this four-year SSE cycle.
SSE & Junior Cycle
From September 2019, all teachers in all subject areas work from the new Junior Cycle specifications. All teachers within all departments will design or review units of work for delivery to students. SSE is the tool that will assist us in designing units of work that contain all the elements of ‘good’ teaching. These elements will facilitate students to have ownership and responsibility of their learning as well as developing a range of key skills as outlined in the framework.
Student wellbeing is also greatly enhanced when students are engaged and participating in their learning, when they feel they are making progress as learning, have ownership and responsibility for their learning and are listened to and have a voice in the classroom.
Effective Collaborative Planning
All strands for improvement can be embedded in our classes through a deliberate and effective planning process. Effective collaborative planning at departmental level includes the following key elements.
Review and Reflection
Subject link teachers are the link between subject departments and the SSE core team. Link teachers will meet once per term and feedback to the core SSE team. Whole staff sessions and further support will be designed and made available based on needs identified by link teachers. The curriculum leaders’ team will continue to work on developing resources to assist in aspects of the planning process.
TL21
TL21 – Teaching and Learning in the Twenty First century is a research programme led by Maynooth University. Our school, via the Kilkenny Education Centre has been taking part in TL21 for the last number of years. As part of the programme, every school chooses a specific area for research and development. The focus for this school was the use of Learning Intentions in class. Learning Intentions should be shared with the class so the students are made aware of what is expected of them going into the class and what they need to know by the time they leave.
The first step of the research was to survey all staff and students about the use of sharing learning intentions with the class and the result was that they were not being shared. Starting with a pilot group of staff and their classes, the learning intentions were shared with the class and the progress was monitored for several weeks. These classes were surveyed at a later point and they found that it helped them greatly with their comprehension in class. The pilot group stage ended and the programme was opened to all staff and students in school. At the end of the two years another survey was carried out of staff and students as part of the Whole School Evaluation process. The results from this survey indicate that there was a lot of progress made but there was still room for improvement.
While the current research phase of TL21 has ended, the school is committed to continuing with sharing learning intentions in all classes and recapping these at the end, thus confirming if they were achieved or not. This helps to shape the lesson in a clear manner and allows students to clearly measure their progress.
In addition to this initiative the school has a Teaching and Learning committee (TLC) and a Assessment and Reporting Committee (ARC) which actively looks at improving teaching and learning methodologies which can be used for all subject areas.
School Improvement Plan 2021 – 2022
Assessment and Reporting Policy