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

Continuum of Teacher Education Quality of External Evaluation Monitoring and Reporting on Outcomes School and System improvement Quality of Services to Pupils Curriculum Development and Review Professional Bases for Teaching Leadership Development in Schools

Questions & Discussion

The Inspectorate

   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

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

or



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

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

Publication of reports:

Minister’s decision

    In summary, the Minister decided that…  Wider availability of Inspectorate reports will

system benefit the

Reports should be available in an Reports should be Inspectorate

published in their entirety consulted Inspectorate to publish easily accessible

with the education partners school evaluation reports format

Evaluation findings:

a wider audience for reports

  

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

Findings have implications for schools … and for services and agencies supporting schools

Supporting schools and the system to respond where areas for development are identified

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 5 North/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

towards CPD] [move – 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