Praise from department for science development at ETNS
Mullingar Educate Together National School (ETNS) has received a positive report from the Department of Education on the quality of learning outcomes, teaching, and its whole-school planning in the subject of science.
(ETNS), which participates in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme, an action plan of the Department of Education for educational inclusion, has 401 enrolled pupils from junior infants to sixth class and has five classes for pupils with autism. The report stated that the school’s administrative principal, deputy principal, 25 mainstream teachers, and 15 special education teachers provide quality education.
The inspection found that the quality of pupils’ learning outcomes in science was good. Pupils demonstrated good knowledge of the curriculum and had a positive attitude towards learning in the subject. The report stated that the teachers provided pupils with good quality learning experiences that encouraged them to work as scientists; the quality of teaching was commendable, and teachers placed good emphasis on the provision of enquiry-led learning during the delivery of their lessons. Assessment practices in the school were deemed satisfactory.
The report found that the quality of pupils’ learning was good and they had a positive attitude towards their learning in science and their cooperative learning skills were “very well developed”.
The inspector noted that the children used relevant scientific language and worked together to make predictions, solve problems, justify their thinking and explain their findings, but felt there was a need to further develop pupils’ understanding and skills in the areas of magnetism and electricity.
The inspector also noted that pupils participated in a broad range of activities including planting trees, bird-feeding, water and energy conservation and caring for the school garden. They were encouraged to make connections between their learning in science and other subject areas, such as mathematics, geography, and art. Teachers provided pupils with learning activities that encouraged them to work scientifically and collaboratively.
“The majority of pupils stated that they enjoyed using digital technologies to research topics and complete projects in Science. It is recommended that all pupils use digital technologies consistently to ensure they become confident and competent digital learners,” the report stated.
The report also found that the quality of teachers’ practice was good. Teachers demonstrated effective classroom management skills and made effective use of higher-order and open-ended questioning to stimulate pupils’ thinking. They placed good emphasis on the provision of enquiry-led learning during the delivery of their lessons.
Teachers provided pupils with lessons that were appropriately structured and paced. They displayed high levels of preparation, and lessons included the use of stimulating scientific resources to promote pupil engagement.
In conclusion, the report found that the school’s overall quality of assessment was satisfactory, and the quality of whole-school planning for Science was good.
The report recommended that teachers use agreed assessment practices to gather and record information about what pupils are learning, and the whole-school plan should be developed to guide delivery of the full curriculum.