Portmarnock Community School
Portmarnock 
County Dublin
Roll Number : 91324p

SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION REPORT

Evaluation period : September 2018 to May 2019

SCHOOL SELF-EVAUATION REPORT
1 introduction:
1.1	The focus of our evaluation:
A school Self-Evaluation Report was undertaken in Portmarnock Community School during the period from September 2018 to May 2019. The focus of this year’s evaluation was to continue the evaluation process from 2018, on Assessment for Learning - AFL. This year each Department selected an aspect, from their report last year, where they felt they had not succeeded in attaining the learning outcome that they had planned for. Each Department related this chosen focus to one Domain in the “Looking at our Schools” framework document. Within that Domain the Departments selected a Standard to work within. Selecting this Standard provided the Teachers with a definitive focal point to advance the student’s progress in their learning.
1.2	Rationale
During the first Staff Meeting in September the Senior Management Team presented a recap of the findings of last year evaluation process. This provided each Department with a concise reminder of favourable outcomes that were attained. In addition, it gave the teachers time to analyse the new focus for 2018/2019, on finding teaching methodologies to move their practice forward from “effective” to “highly effective” practice. SSE provided opportunities for teachers to collaboratively solve problems, share information and learn together and plan for improving student achievement.
Identifying teachers as on-going professional, collaborative and reflective learners ensures that as a teaching community we are constantly striving to promote learning in our students.
“Learning applies, not only to students in our schools, but also to teachers and, in particular to school leaders”, Professor John MacBeath, (2016).
A more focused list of strategies was employed this year by the teachers.
•	Peer Assessment
•	Comparative Assessment
•	Student Reflection
•	Digital Iniatives – Google Classroom, Chrome Books, Menti, Kahoot
•	CBA’s- written reflections,
•	Formative Assessment
•	Exit Slips
•	Show Me Boards
•	Cross Curricular Work

2	Findings:
2.1	During Department meetings, work being completed within the classroom, on the chosen focus, was evaluated and assessed in terms of the learning being achieved by students. 
Each Department presented their findings on what went well. A more extensive success list came back in feedback from the Departmental Reports. Teachers acknowledged having a follow-on year, to maintain and progress their work from last year, facilitated a concrete progression in terms of teaching and learning.
•	Pupils more comfortable with Peer Assessment and Team Work
•	Pupils assessing each other
•	Pupils engaging in personal goal setting
•	Students receiving and being open to feedback
•	Corrections being less critical
•	Learning to collaborate- collaborative peer learning
•	Presenting to peers
•	Students more motivated
•	Positive
•	Time saving
•	Digital technology to extend teaching and learning
•	Critical thinking
•	Self-correcting
•	Working independently – moving away from only taking teachers advice
•	Comparison of work based on success criteria
•	Students more interested, motivated and engaged
•	New learning experiences
•	On task
•	Weaker students engaged in a more meaningful way

2.2	teachers acknowledge that an evaluation period is a process and some difficulties were identified.
•	Teachers had not planned for high levels of participation
•	Lack of continuity from one week to the other
•	Working directly from the internet
•	Avoiding presentation
•	Stressed by presentations
•	No clear marking rubrics, from Dept of Ed, to work from
•	Poor time management from students
•	Students working outside the schools technical suite
•	Student dependence on translating sites
•	Age appropriate formats of feedback 
•	Not sufficient class periods to complete the course and work on peer assessment
•	Students putting down something just for the sake of it
•	Split classes causing constraints

2.3 Teachers outlined the areas for improvement for the upcoming academic year
•	Rewards for students with higher levels of participation
•	Work on high quality outputs rather than high quantity
•	More collaboration under the umbrella of well-being
•	Students plan success criteria for themselves
•	Rigid timeframe for work to be completed in
•	Set realistic standards
•	Make sure the strategy remains a positive experience- no added stress
•	Use chrome books more
•	Less often to maintain success
•	Evaluate evidence not essays and accounts
•	Think before doing
•	Teaching learning outcomes in a more consistent manner
•	Use students, who know how to use Google Slides, to give demonstrations
•	Use checklists
•	Improve level of learning rather than focus on grades
•	Improve on self-reflection

3	Summary of the School Self-Evaluation findings:
It is clear form the findings that Teachers have become more concise in their expectations and the work that they need to focus on for upcoming academic year. 

Appendix to School Self-evaluation Report: Legislative and regulatory checklist			
Issue 	Relevant legislation, rule or circular 	Is the school fully meeting the requirements of the relevant legislation, rule or circular? 	If no, indicate to be developed	
Valid enrolment of students 	M51/93 	X Yes  No		
Time in school 
- Length of school year (minimum of 167 days for all year groups) 
- Length of school week (minimum of 28 hours for all year groups)	Circular M29/95 	
X Yes  No

X Yes  No		
Standardisation of school year 	Circular 034/2011 	X Yes  No		
Arrangements for parent/teacher and staff meetings 	Circular M58/04 	X Yes  No		
Implementation of national literacy strategy 	Circular 25/12 	X Yes  No		
Implementation of Croke Park agreement regarding additional time requirement 	Circular 025/2011 	X Yes  No		
Development of school plan 	Section 21 Education Act 1998 	X Yes  No		
Guidance provision in secondary schools 	Circular PPT12/05, Education Act 1998 (section 9(c))	X Yes  No		
Whole-school guidance plan 	Section 21 Education Act 1998 	X Yes  No		
Delivery of CSPE to all junior cycle classes 	Circular M12/01 Circular M13/05 	X Yes  No		
Exemption from the study of Irish 	Circular M1 0/94 	X Yes  No		
Implementation of revised in-school management structures 	Circular M29/02, Circular 21/98, Circular 30/97, Circular 29/97 	X Yes  No		
Limited alleviation on filling posts of responsibility for school year 2011/12 	Circular 53/11 	X Yes  No		
Public service (Croke Park) agreement - special needs assistants 	Circular 71/11 	X Yes  No		
Parents as partners in education 	Circular M27/91 	X Yes  No		

Issue 	Relevant legislation, rule or circular 	Is the school fully meeting the requirements of the relevant legislation, rule or circular?	If no, indicate aspects to be developed
	
Implementation of child protection procedures  	Circular 65/11 			
	Please provide the following information in relation to child protection 	 Yes  No		
	• Number of cases where a report involving a child in the school was submitted by the DLP to the HSE			
	• Number of cases where a report involving a child in the school was submitted by the DLP to the HSE and the school board of management informed 			
	• Number of cases where the DLP sought advice from the HSE and as a result of this advice, no report was made 			
	• Number of cases where the DLP sought advice from the HSE and as a result of this advice, no report was made and the school board of management informed 			
Implementation of complaints procedure as appropriate 	Section 28 Education Act 1998 	 Yes  No		
	Please provide the following information in relation to complaints made by parents during this school year 			
	• Number of formal parental complaints received 			
	• Number of formal complaints processed 			
	• Number of formal complaints not fully processed by the end of this school year 			
Refusal to enrol	Section 29 Education Act 1998 			
	Please provide the following information in relation to appeals taken in accordance with Section 29 against the school during this school year
 			
	• Number of section 29 cases taken  against the school 			
	• Number of cases processed at informal  stage 			
	• Number of cases heard 			
	• Number of appeals upheld			
	• Number of appeals dismissed