Meeting between representatives of the Association of Secondary Teachers’ of Ireland (ASTI) and members of the Inspectorate

Thursday 07 January 2016

09.30- 11.00

Purpose of meeting: To provide representatives of the ASTI with an opportunity to meet with members of the Inspectorate to discuss concerns and provide feedback on:

  • proposed revisions to seven existing evaluation guides and to three new draft evaluation guides
  • current school self-evaluation practice, the next phase of SSE, and the draft revised domains and standards for leadership and management.

In attendance:

  • Kieran Christie, General Secretary ASTI
  • Máire G. Ní Chiarba, President ASTI
  • Moira Leydon, Assistant General Secretary ASTI
  • Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector
  • Emer Egan, Deputy Chief Inspector
  • Deirdre Mathews, Assistant Chief Inspector
  • Kate O Carroll, Senior Inspector
  • Mary Culhane, District Inspector

Participants were welcomed and invitedto comment on the draft documents.

ASTI representatives:

  • Outlined concerns about inspection overload and a suspicion among members that their professional competency was being evaluated in the course of inspections. A more collaborative approach to inspections, which would not have its primary focus on classroom practice,was called for.
  • Stated that the school improvement purpose of inspection should be made explicit and affirmation and support should be the primary focus of inspections. Reference was made to lack of capacity in schools due to erosion of middle-management positions.
  • Stated that relationship between teachers and inspectors should be that of a critical friend and that data gleaned from teacher questionnaires may not always reflect reality.

Summary of main points raised regardingSSE

  • A written submission on the domains and standards for leadership and management, and on proposals for SSE would be forthcoming by Monday 18 January

Summary of main points made by ASTIregarding the draft guides to inspection

  • The 5-day notice period was deemed to be too short.
  • Incidental Inspections:

ASTI requested that the Inspectorate:

  • retain the language of original guides regarding planning and timing of evaluation
  • consider rephrasing “the unannounced nature…” on page 3
  • ensure that short-term/casual teachers should not be subject to inspection. The Inspectorate pointed out that the current practice of all teachers being subject to inspection will not change
  • make clear that lesson plans are not sought
  • WSE-MLL:

ASTI indicated that:

  • Phone contact on notification of all evaluations would be welcome
  • Oral feedback should be given during school time
  • Further clarification regarding what documents might be sought would be useful
  • Timing of evaluation poses difficulties where schools have already arranged events/activities in advance of notification of evaluation
  • Programme Evaluations:

ASTI sought:

  • Clarification about key staff who were required to attend meetings
  • DEIS:

ASTI indicated that:

  • DEIS evaluations need to reflect recent publications regarding DEIS

Representatives undertook to submit further observations in advance of 18 January 2016

The Chief Inspector thanked the representatives of the ASTI for taking the time to provide feedback on the documents and for the suggestions made. Their observations, along with the observations of other education partners would be carefully considered in any revisions made.