MountSion CBS

Barrack Street

Waterford

64930I

School Self Evaluation Report

Evaluation Period:September 2012 to June 2013

Report issue date:August 2013

1.Introduction

1.1 The focus of the evaluation was the teaching and learning strategies provided in the school to improve literacy levels of our pupils. Surveys were conducted with all 1st, 2nd,and 3rd year classes. The evaluation involved the following:

  • Analysis of reading levels and assessment day results
  • Analysis of Sten scores in English for 1st year pupils 2012
  • Analysis of 2011 and 2012 Junior Cert English results and comparison with national norms
  • Student questionnaire on attitudes to literacy
  • Questionnaire on teaching practice
  • Teacher questionnaire on homework
  • Parent questionnaire on homework

1.2Mount Sion CBS is a boys’ only voluntary secondary school. The school is a DEIS school and offers JCSP, LCVP and LC. The school has School Completion Programme and NBSS support.

2.1Reading Levels

Strengths

  • Library leagues and learning support classes improving standards in 1st and 2nd years
  • Paired reading programme for primary and post primary students very successful
  • Keywords being taught in all subjects
  • Literacy mornings with the school volunteer team
  • English classes in monastery for international students

Areasforimprovement

  • More books required for library
  • Greater use of library for all classes
  • More teachers to encourage the four literacy skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking

2.21st Year Sten scores

  • 60% of students in the average range of 4 – 6
  • Double the national numbers in lower Sten 1 – 3
  • Very few 10% in upper Sten range 7 – 10 which is well below national average

2.3Analysis of English Junior Cert Results

Strengths

  • Students taking Ordinary level performing well in comparison to national norms
  • Failure rates very low

Areasforimprovement

  • Encourage more students to take Higher Level
  • Improve grades of those students who take Higher Level

2.4Student attitudes to literacy

Strengths

  • 62% of students in Junior Cert spend more than one hour per week reading
  • Digital media is preferred choice of reading, writing and learning
  • Students prefer to work in pairs or small groups

Areasforimprovement

  • Greater use of ICT within class
  • More group work and peer learning

2.5Teaching practice

Strengths

  • Strong focus on teaching of literacy
  • Students given opportunities to work in pairs
  • Good use of comprehension strategies and varied reading materials
  • Questions equitably distributed among students

Areasforimprovement

  • Develop cross curricular links and ICT
  • Encourage more group work and
  • Encourage students to make their own notes
  • Peer teaching and problem solving
  • Develop student oral language

2.6Teacher questionnaire on homework

  • Need for homework policy identified
  • Use of school journal to be encouraged

2.7Parent questionnaire on homework

  • 73% of parents considered level of homework given was adequate
  • 24% of parents considered level of homework given was too little

Improvement Targets

  • Implement our motto: “We are a reading school”
  • Aim for all pupils to have functional reading levels by the end of their 2nd year
  • Improve word reading levels by 5% by May 2014 for 1st and 2nd years
  • Improve spelling ability levels by 5% by May 2014 for 1st and 2nd years
  • Ensure students read and critique at least 10 library books each school year
  • Increase the number of students taking Higher Level English in Junior Cert exams from 19% to 24%
  • Ensure all teachers use a variety keyword strategies
  • All subject plans to include literacy section by May 2014
  • Literacy comment to be included in school reports from summer 2013
  • Develop homework policy by May 2013

Results to date for 2011/2012

  • 57% of pupils reached DEIS reading target
  • 53% of pupils reached DEIS spelling target
  • 88% of pupils reached DEIS library target
  • 1styears: 14 month average increase in reading age
  • 2ndyears: 13month increase
  • Greatest increase: 3.5 years
  • 3 pupils became functional readers

Agreed Procedures

  • Use of standardised tests at entry
  • Standardised tests to be repeated annually for 1st and 2nd years
  • Learning support teacher works with pupils below 20 percentile and those students with psychological assessment reports
  • To establish literacy development as a whole school approach
  • Development of a working library
  • All classes to have library time
  • Substitution classes to be used for reading time
  • Development of team teaching
  • All subject teachers to support elements outlined in literacy strategies
  • Regular written homework

Encouragement Measures

  • HSCL encourages parents to foster reading in the home
  • HSCL enlists parental help for paired reading
  • Encourage parents to buy Kindles as presents for their sons
  • Award and reward measures
  • Importance of reading to be emphasised at all assemblies
  • Additional one to one supports provided by SCP
  • Library league results announced on intercom by a student each week
  • Literacy notice board used as communication with teachers and pupils
  • Literacy team of pupils have responsibility to update notice board

Monitoring Procedures

  • Continued analysis of standard tests
  • Monitoring of inhouse exam results of targeted pupils
  • Yearly analysis of English results in Junior and Leaving Cert
  • Ongoing monitoring of library league results

Summary of Literacy Plan
Struggling Readers
(9.06 years and below / Catch up in literacy
SNIP word recognition
Toe by Toe programme
Keywords
Slightly below average/average readers / Library league
Issues in English 2 software
Paired Reading with Primary school pupils
Dictionary/Thesaurus skills
Rotating Book Club between schools
Keywords
Gifted readers / Kindle Club
Rotating Book Club between schools

Literacy Improvement Strategies

  • Library leagues
  • Target number of books to be read
  • Paired Reading
  • SRA reading programme
  • Make a Book
  • Word Millionaire
  • Art Competition
  • Story Writing Competition
  • Poetry Writing Competition
  • Spelling tests in all subjects
  • Individual education plans
  • Team teaching
  • Additional English language classes for international students
  • JCSP initiatives and strategies
  • Letter writing initiative
  • Show me sheets
  • One book one Waterford
  • One poet one Waterford
  • ICT use e.g. Word Shark, Issues in English, Mavis Beacon
  • Library Board Games
  • Comic Art and Story telling
  • Drop Everything and Read
  • Kindle Club
  • Literacy volunteer team – pupils, parents and SNAs
  • Tarsie stile trays