Kilkenny Church of Ireland National School

The Model School

Castlecomer Road, Kilkenny.

E-mail address: Tel: 056-7722082

Web address: Fax: 056-7722020

“Ar Scáth a chéile a mhairimid”.

  1. School Self Evaluation Report~ Numeracy ~June 2014
  2. Focus of the Evaluation

A school self-evaluation of teaching and learning in The Model School was undertaken during the period September 2013 to May 2014. During the evaluation, teaching and learning in numeracy were evaluated.

This is a report on the findings.

1.2 School Context

Kilkenny Mixed National School is an eight teacher school under Church of Ireland management. There are six mainstream teachers, a learning support teacher and a resource teacher. Part time resource and learning support is also provided by additional teachers. There are 168 pupils in the school,86 boys and 82 girls.

Class allocationis as follows (2013/2014):

Room 1 Ms Jackson Junior and Senior Infants

Room 2 Mr Kearns Senior Infants and First Class

Room 3 Ms Mackey Second and Third Class

Room 4 Mrs Patterson Third and Fourth Class

Room 5 Mrs Tulloch Fourth and Fifth Class

Room 6 Ms Wilson Sixth Class

Mr HustonLearning Support Teacher

Ms DavisonResource Teacher

Ms O’Sullivan Shared Learning Support Teacher

Mrs MartinShared Resource Teacher

Support in numeracy is provided by the resource and learning support teachers at individual and group level. Support teachers are also involved in team teaching and in-class support. The level and nature of support provided is decided in collaboration with class teachers.

  1. The Findings

We focussed on the teaching of numeracy in our school. We evaluated our practice using the following methods: review of Sigma T results, parent survey, pupil survey, teacher focus group reflection sessions, topic based discussion and the completion of a legislative and regulatory checklist.

  1. Summary of School self-evaluation findings

3.1 Our school has strengths in the following areas

Sigma T Results (Please see Appendix 1 for details)

  • All children who completed the Sigma T at their class level scored a STen of 3 or above.
  • 31% of our pupils scored a STen of 8 – 10 (Well Above Average). Statistically, one would expect 17% of our pupils to achieve scores in this range.
  • 7% of our pupils scored a STen of 1-3 (Well Below Average). Statistically, one would expect 17% of our pupils to achieve scores in this range.

Parent Survey(Please see Appendix 2 for results in full)

  • 91% of children have a positive attitude towards maths.
  • The majority of children, 63%, seldom have a problem with maths homework.
  • Only 15% of children need regular help with homework.
  • The majority of parents often play maths games with their children (67%).

PupilSurvey(Please see Appendix 3 for results in full)

  • The majority of children (79.45%) like maths.
  • 76% of children think they are good at maths.
  • Children rated the following areas as the areas of maths they like the best – money, number and tables.
  • 91% of children feel that maths will be useful for them in the future.
  • 79% of children feel that they usually do well at maths.
  • 73% of children reported that maths is usually interesting.

Teacher Focus Group Reflection

  • Successful in cultivating a positive attitude towards maths.
  • Team teaching has been found to be very effective. High level of collaboration between teachers (resource, learning support teachers and class teachers).
  • Teachers engage in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the area of Maths and share new ideas gained.
  • Central store of concrete materials works very well.
  • Positive teacher attitudes towards maths.

3.2The following areas are prioritised for improvement:

Sigma T Results

  • The percentage of children achieving a STen of 5-6 is in line with expected figures, whereas all other areas exceed national statistical norms.

Parent Survey

  • The areas which cause the most difficulty for homework are fractions, decimals, measure, time and word problems.
  • 31% of parents seldom or never play maths games at home.
  • 60% of parents seldom or never use concrete materials when helping their children with maths homework.

Pupil Survey

  • Word problems, measure, decimals, time and fractions were the five areas children find most difficult in maths.
  • 33% of children believed that they only use maths in school or for homework.

Teacher Focus Group Reflection

  • Agreement on the vocabulary of maths and methodology used throughout the school.
  • Need for the link between maths in the classroom and in the children’s daily lives to be made clearer.
  • Tables – recurring problem for some children, consistent strategy for the learning of tables throughout the school.
  • Too much time spent on teaching operations at the expense of problem solving. Children focus on the operation required in a particular problem rather than on the technique of problem solving.
  • Problem solving needs to begin in the Junior Classes and focus on problems of relevance to the children, at their level.
  • Need to foster a positive attitude towards problem solving.
  • Lack of resources to support the teaching of problem solving.

3.3 The following legislative and regulatory requirements need to be addressed (See Appendix 4 for completed checklist):

  • Health and safety statement needs review
  • Special education needs policy is under development.
  • RSE policy needs review
  • Parents as partners policy is under development.
  • Public service agreement (SNAs) policy to be formulated

Patron: Bishop Michael Burrows Principal:Ms. Olwen Mackey

Board of Management:Trevor Darlington (Chair); Dean Katharine Poulton; Olwen Mackey (Secretary); Nicola Connery & Richard Hogg (Parent’s Rep); Emmet Huston(Teacher’s Rep); Ian Coombes & Ian McCullagh (Community Reps)