CAD IS FÉINMHEASTÓIREACHT SCOILE ANN?
Is é is féinmheastóireacht scoile (FMS) ann ná próiseas comhoibríoch, athmhachnamhach agus cuimsitheach den athbhreithniú inmheánach scoile. Le linn FMS, beidh an príomhoide, an príomhoide tánaisteach agus na múinteoirí, faoi stiúir an bhoird bhainistíochta agus an phátrúin, agus i gcomhairle leis na tuismitheoirí agus leis na daltaí, páirteach i bhfiosrú athmhachnamhach ar obair na scoile. Baineann féinmheastóireacht scoile go príomha le feabhsúchán agus le forbairt scoile.
Cuidíonn féinmheastóireacht scoile le scoileanna:
- Céim chun tosaigh a ghlacadh le feabhas a chur ar cháilíocht an oideachais a chuireann siad ar fáil dá ndaltaí.
- A bhfuil ag obair go maith a dhearbhú, agus tógáil air.
- Réimsí ina bhfuil gá le forbairt a aithint agus cinneadh ar na gníomhartha atá le déanamh chun feabhsúcháin a chur i bhfeidhm sna réimsí sin.
- Tuairisciú do phobal na scoile faoi na láidreachtaí in obair na scoile agus na tosaíochtaí d’fheabhsúchán agus d’fhorbairt.
CÉN FÁTH GO BHFUIL AN FHÉINMHEASTÓIREACHT SCOILE TÁBHACHTACH?
Déanann múinteoirí athmhachnamh go minic ar a gcuid oibre agus ar an bhfoghlaim a bhaineann a scoláirí amach. Le blianta fada anuas, d’úsáid múinteoirí agus boird bhainistíochta scoile an próiseas um phleanáil forbartha scoile chun a aithint cad atá ag obair go maith ina scoileanna agus cad a d’fhéadfaí a fheabhsú.
Bealach is ea an fhéinmheastóireacht scoile inar féidir an próiseas athmhachnaimh, feabhsúcháin agus forbartha seo a bheith ann i gcaoi níos córasaí. Tá sé léirithe ag múinteoirí in Éirinn agus i neart tíortha eile gur féidir leo, trí athmhachnamh a dhéanamh ar a gcleachtas go rialta, feabhas a chur ar an bhfoghlaim a dhéanann a ndaltaí. Tarlaíonn sé seo nuair a dhíríonn an fhéinmheastóireacht scoile ar a bhfuil ag tarlúint sna seomraí ranga.
Tá ar na scoileanna uile gabháil don fhéinmheastóireacht scoile chórasach ón scoilbhliain 2012/13 ar aghaidh. Comhlánaíonn tabhairt isteach na féinmheastóireachta scoile córasaí cur i bhfeidhm na Straitéise Náisiúnta Litearthachta agus Uimhearthachta.
PRÓISEAS NA FÉINMHEASTÓIREACHTA SCOILE
Próiseas comhoibríoch, athmhachnamhach d’athbhreithniú inmheánach scoile is ea féinmheastóireacht scoile (FMS) ina ngabhann an príomhoide, an príomhoide tánaisteach agus na múinteoirí, faoi stiúr an bhoird bhainistíochta agus an phátrúin, agus i gcomhairle le tuismitheoirí agus le daltaí, d’fhiosrú athmhachnamhach ar obair na scoile. Éilíonn an próiseas ar scoileanna fianaise a bhailiú faoi chleachtais teagaisc agus foghlama, anailís a dhéanamh ar an bhfianaise agus athmhachnamh a dhéanamh ar na torthaí chun teacht ar chinntí agus chun breithiúnais a dhéanamh faoina mbuanna agus a laigí. Ní mór próiseas na féinmheastóireachta scoile agus an plean feabhsúcháin scoile a bheith á dtreorú ag eolas measúnaithe, lena n-áirítear eolas faoin litearthacht agus faoin uimhearthacht, agus foirmeacha eile fianaise, ar nós tuairimí na ndaltaí agus a rannpháirtíocht san fhoghlaim agus i saol na scoile. Déanfaidh an scoil taifeadadh ar a breithiúnas féin maidir lena cuid feidhmíochta agus maidir le cáilíocht a cuid oibre i bhfoirm tuairisce féinmheastóireachta scoile atá beacht. Ba chóir go gcuirfí achoimre ar an tuairisc seo ar fáil don phobal scoile uile. Mar thoradh ar phróiseas na féinmheastóireachta scoile ba chóir do gach scoil plean feabhsúcháin scoile gairid a chruthú. Ba chóir go gcuirfeadh an plean san áireamh spriocanna sainiúla intomhaiste chun torthaí a fheabhsú d’fhoghlaimeoirí. Ba chóir go mbeadh an plean seo mar threoir d’fheabhsú ar ghníomhaíochtaí teagaisc agus foghlama sa scoil. Ba chóir go gcuirfeadh scoileanna achoimre ar an bplean feabhsúcháin scoile ar fáil don phobal scoile uile.
CUSPÓIR NA FÉINMHEASTÓIREACHTA SCOILE
Láraidhm na féinmheastóireachta scoile is ea cáilíocht fhoriomlán an oideachais sa scoil a fheabhsú agus, ach go háirithe, torthaí foghlama a fheabhsú do dhaltaí. D’fhonn é seo a bhaint amach, ba chóir go mbeadh an fhéinmheastóireacht scoile mar chuid dhílis den chleachtas scoile uile agus sa seomra ranga agus go ndíreodh sí ar theagasc agus ar fhoghlaim. Cuideoidh féinmheastóireacht scoile le múinteoirí feabhas a chur ar cháilíocht an teagaisc agus na foghlama i ngnéithe uile an churaclaim. Iarrtar ar scoileanna díriú ar cháilíocht an teagaisc agus na foghlama sa litearthacht agus san uimhearthacht agus, de réir a chéile, i réimsí curaclaim eile. Nuair atá buanna agus réimsí ina bhfuil laigí aitheanta, ba chóir spriocanna a leagan síos chun torthaí do dhaltaí a fheabhsú. Cuideoidh sé seo le scoileanna plean feabhsúcháín scoile trí bliana a chumadh. Tabharfaidh an plean cuidiú agus treoir do mhúinteoirí, agus feabhsúcháin á gcur i bhfeidhm acu i ngach réimse curaclaim.
FÉINMHEASTÓIREACHT SCOILE: AN CHÉAD TIMTHRIALL, 2012-2016
Ó 2012/13, éilítear ar scoileanna gabháil d’fhéinmheastóireacht láidir scoile. Ba chóir cur chuige scoile uile a ghlacadh i leith na féinmheastóireachta ar theagasc agus ar fhoghlaim, an litearthacht agus an uimhearthacht san áireamh. I gcoitinne ba chóir do scoileanna gabháil don fhéinmheastóireacht scoile ar theagasc agus ar fhoghlaim i réimse curaclaim amháin gach bliain. Mar sin féin, aithnítear go bhféadfadh an próiseas níos mó ama a ghlacadh sna céimeanna tosaigh.
Thar tréimhse ceithre bliana ó 2012 ba chóir do na bunscoileanna uile gabháil d’fhéinmheastóireacht scoile agus pleananna feabhsúcháin trí bliana a chruthú don uimhearthacht (Matamaitic) & don litearthacht (Gaeilge & Béarla) agus ábhar amháin eile.
Ba chóir do scoileanna a fheidhmíonn trí mheán na Gaeilge gabháil don bhféinmheastóireacht ar an litearthacht sa Ghaeilge, ar an litearthacht sa Bhéarla agus ar an uimhearthacht sa chéad tréimhse ceithre bliana.
Gach bliain, ní mór don fhoireann teagaisc:
- féinmheastóireacht ar theagasc, ar fhoghlaim agus ar ghnóthachtáil sa réimse a roghnaíodh (litearthacht, uimhearthacht, réimse curaclaim eile)
- tuairisc fhéinmheastóireachta a chur i gcrích a ainmníonn buanna agus réimsí forbartha sa réimse a roghnaíodh
- plean feabhsúcháin scoile trí bliana a cheapadh don réimse a roghnaíodh, a chuirtear san áireamh mar chuid den phlean scoile foriomlán
- tús a chur leis na straitéisí a luaitear sa phlean feabhsúcháin scoile a chur i bhfeidhm
- monatóireacht ar fheidhmiú an phlean feabhsúcháin scoile a cuireadh i gcrích sa scoilbhliain roimhe sin.
FÉINMHEASTÓIREACHT SCOILE : GAELSCOIL THAOBH NA COILLE
Sa scoilbhliain 2012/13, chuireamar tús le próiseas na féinmheastóireachta scoile. Roghnaíomar an litearthacht (Gaeilge) réimse fócais d’fhéinmheastóireacht scoile i nGaelscoil Thaobh na Coille.
Cuireadh an Tuairisc Fhéinmheastóireachta Scoile don Ghaeilge i gcrích i Meitheamh 2014 agus cuireadh an Plean Feabhsúcháin Scoile don Ghaeilge i gcrích i Meán Fómhair 2014.
Tá an plean feabhsúcháin don Ghaeilge á chur i bhfeidhm sa scoil faoi láthair (scoilbhliain 2014/2015)
Sa scoibhliain seo 2014/2015 beimíd ag tabhairt faoi fhéinmheastóireacht a dhéanamh ar an uimhearthacht.
Iniata gheobhaidh tú cóip de na nithe seo a leanas:
Tuairisc Fhéinmheastóireachta Scoile don Ghaeilge – Meitheamh 2014
FMS Tuairisc Fhéinmheastóireachta Achomair
Plean Feabhsúcháin Scoile don Ghaeilge – achomair Meán Fómhair 2014
FMS Plean Feabhsúcháin don Ghaeilge – Achomair
WHAT IS SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION?
SSE is a collaborative, reflective, inclusive process of internal school review. During SSE, the principal, deputy principal and teachers, under the direction of the board of management and the patron, and in consultation with the parents and pupils, engage in reflective enquiry on the work of the school. School self-evaluation is primarily about school improvement and development.
School self-evaluation enables schools:
- To take the initiative in improving the quality of education that they provide for their pupils.
- To affirm and build on what is working well.
- To identify areas in need of development and to decide on actions that should be taken to bring about improvements in those areas.
- To report to the school community about the strengths in the work of the school and its priorities for improvement and development.
WHY IS SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION IMPORTANT?
Teachers frequently reflect on their work and the learning that their students achieve. For many years, teachers and school boards of management have used the school development planning process to identify what is working well in their schools and what might be improved.
School self-evaluation is a way in which this process of reflection, improvement and development can take place in a more systematic way. Teachers in Ireland and in many other countries have shown that by reflecting on their practice regularly, they can improve the learning achieved by their pupils. This happens when the main focus of school self-evaluation is on what happens in classrooms.
All schools are required to engage in systematic school self-evaluation from the 2012/13 school year onwards. The introduction of systematic school self-evaluation complements the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
THE SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION PROCESS
School self-evaluation (SSE) is a collaborative, reflective process of internal school review. During school self-evaluation the principal, deputy principal and teachers, under the direction of the board of management and the patron, and in consultation with parents and pupils, engage in reflective enquiry on the work of the school. The process requires schools to gather evidence about teaching and learning practices, to analyse the evidence and to reflect on the findings in order to reach conclusions and to make judgements about their strengths and weaknesses.
The school self-evaluation process and the school improvement plan must be informed by assessment information, including information about literacy and numeracy, and other forms of evidence, such as the views of pupils and their engagement in learning and in school life. The school will record its own judgement about its performance and the quality of its work, in the form of a concise school self-evaluation report. A summary of this report should be made available to the whole-school community.
As a result of the school self-evaluation process each school should produce a short school improvement plan. The plan shall contain specific and measurable targets to improve outcomes for learners. It should act as a guide for improving teaching and learning activities in the school. Schools shall make a summary of the school improvement plan available to the whole-school community.
PURPOSE OF SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION
The central purpose of school self-evaluation is to improve the overall quality of education in the school and in particular to improve learning outcomes for pupils. In order to achieve this, school self-evaluation should become an integral part of whole-school and classroom practice and should focus on teaching and learning.
School self-evaluation will help to support teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning in all aspects of the curriculum. Schools are asked to focus on the quality of teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy and, over time, in other curriculum areas. When strengths and areas for development have been identified, targets to improve outcomes for pupils should be set. This will assist schools in devising a three-year school improvement plan. The plan will support and guide teachers as they implement improvements in each curriculum area.
SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION: THE FIRST CYCLE, 2012-2016
From 2012/13, schools are required to engage in school self-evaluation. A whole-school approach to the self-evaluation of teaching and learning, including literacy and numeracy, should be adopted.
Generally schools should engage in school self-evaluation of teaching and learning in one curriculum area each year. However, it is acknowledged that the process may take more time in the early stages.
Over a four-year period from 2012 all primary schools should engage in school self-evaluation and produce three-year improvement plans for numeracy (mathematics), literacy (Gaeilge/English) and one curriculum area.
Irish medium schools should engage in self-evaluation of literacy in Irish, literacy in English and numeracy over the first four-year period.
In the school year 2012/13, schools should start the process of self-evaluation. They should select either literacy or numeracy as the area of focus for school self-evaluation.
The school should adopt a whole-school approach to improving the area selected for self-evaluation.
Each year, the teaching staff:
- Engages in self-evaluation of teaching, learning and attainment in the selected area (literacy, numeracy, other curriculum area)
- Completes a self-evaluation report that identifies strengths and areas for development in the area selected
- Devises a three-year school improvement plan for the selected area, which becomes part of the overall school plan
- Begins to implement the strategies outlined in the school improvement plan
- Monitors the implementation of the school improvement plan completed in the previous school year.
SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION : GAELSCOIL THAOBH NA COILLE
In the 2012/13 school year , we started on the school self-evaluation process. We choose to focus on Literacy in Irish in Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille for our school self-evaluation.
We completed a self-evaluation report on literacy in Irish in June 2014 and devised a school improvement plan that was completed in September 2014.
We are presently implementing the school improvement plan for literacy in Irish (school year 2014/2015).
This year 2014/2015 we will focus on Numeracy as the second area of focus for school self-evaluation.
Attached are the following:
School Self Evaluation Report for literacy in Irish – June 2014
FMS Tuairisc Fhéinmheastóireachta – Achomair
School Improvement Plan for literacy in Irish – September 2014