Scoil Mhuire agus Ide programme passes muster
NEWCASTLE West's Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, SMI secondary school, has achieved considerable praise for both its learning and teaching in social, personal and health education (SPHE), which includes relationships and sexuality education.
The Department of Education inspection took place obver a two day period last December and the favourable report has now been published.
The report found that there is a very good whole-school support and resource provision for SPHE, resulting in a very supportive school environment for the delivery of the subject, and found that an enthusiastic and committed co-ordinator of SPHE is well established and always teaches SPHE. Management too is committed to supporting the continued training and up-skilling of teachers as appropriate.
"Management and teachers support cross-curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular activities well and this facilitates the SPHE classes particularly well," the report finds. "The SPHE programme makes a significant contribution to the pastoral care provision at the school."
Subject department planning for SPHE was found to be well advanced and there is a high level of commitment to the planning and teaching of SPHE.
"The school has shown great care and attention in planning and implementing its SPHE programme, and in monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness. Teaching and learning were of a high quality in all the SPHE lessons observed and in some cases very good examples of the use of experiential learning were evident," whote the inspector.
"A very good blend of experience and expertise is evident in the team of SPHE teachers and they are to be commended for their informal sharing of resources and activities. Students were well managed, guided and directed in all learning activities and their work was monitored carefully by teachers in a supportive, encouraging and caring manner."
There was evidence that students were able to communicate their ideas and knowledge effectively appropriate to their class group and level, according to the inspector.
"Assessment of students' learning is undertaken through a range of assessment modes that aim to determine students' progress and competence."
The inspector made some suggestions for further developments in the subject.
Post-evaluation meetings were held with the principal and with the teachers of SPHE at the conclusion of the evaluation at which the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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