St. Columba’s Comprehensive School

Our Self-Evaluation Report and Improvement Plan

1. Introduction

This document records the outcomes of our last improvement plan, the findings of this self-evaluation, and our current improvement plan, including targets and the actions we will implement to meet the targets.

1. Outcomes of our last improvement plan from October 2019 to September 2020 (and extended until September 2021 due to Covid)
2. Very significant progress was made in digital teaching, learning and assessment. The two periods of lockdown due to Covid gave a turbo boost to skills development for both students and staff. There was significant collaboration between colleagues in sharing skills and assisting one another and the students in the online schooling. Student and parent/guardians feedback in lockdown two, January – March 2021 – noted the significant improvement from the first lockdown in March – May 2020.
3. School personnel availed of a wide range of online CPD opportunities related to digital learning.
4. The skills of reflection are being built into all subject areas. Many surveys were carried out over the two year period.
5. Little progress was made with those students who struggle with self-belief and self-efficacy in learning. This problem was exacerbated by the Covid lockdowns. It proved very challenging to keep students who have a negative disposition towards school, teaching and learning engaged in school work during the lockdowns. This has unfortunately resulted in some early school leavers.

1.2      The focus of this evaluation

We undertook self-evaluation of teaching and learning during the period October 2019 to September 2021. We evaluated the following aspect(s) of teaching and learning:

• Increased use of digital teaching and learning
• Developing the skills of reflection across all subjects
• Using the results of the tracking process to target the minority of students who have problems with self-belief, self-efficacy in learning and a negative towards school, teaching and learning.

2. Findings

2.1 This is effective / very effective practice in our school

List the main strengths of the school in teaching and learning.

• Adapting to change.
• Adapting to the changes necessary for digital teaching, learning and assessment. In year 2, teachers moved towards a more standardised whole-school approach to the use of Office 365 tools.
• Adapting to the demands of school based assessment for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate in 2020 and 2021.

• Making progress in skills development and teacher collaboration. The teaching staff have fully embraced the opportunities for professional collaboration – within subject areas; cross-curricularly and with teachers in other schools.
• Responding to student and parent surveys.

2.2. This is how we know

List the evidence sources. Refer to pupils’ dispositions, attainment, knowledge and skills.

• Evidence from the whole-school CPD day for Junior Cycle on the 15^th December 2020 indicates that the school is at an advanced stage for professional collaboration in sharing digital practices.
• Results from the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate in 2020 and 2021 were very well received by students and parents/guardians. Oral feedback from the school community was very positive and complimentary after the results.
• Tracking of all students from entry to Leaving Certificate for 2020 and 20121 showed that students were well catered for in accordance with their ability. The students with the highest scores on entry had continued success through Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate. SEN students generally went on to achieve better than expected results in Leaving Certificate. This indicates very effective use of SEN resources.
• There is increased engagement with surveys from the school and more open feedback.

2.3 This is what we are going to focus on to improve our practice further

Specify the aspects of teaching and learning the school has identified and prioritised for further improvement.

The school is going to focus on the theme of inclusion for 2021/22 and 2022/23. This will involve:

• Looking at SEN and the subject classroom teacher in a more focused way
• Creating a wellbeing programme that includes everyone
• Continuing the work with those students who have a negative attitude to school, teaching and learning.

3. Our improvement plan

On the next page we have recorded:

• The targets for improvement we have set
• The actions we will implement to achieve these
• Who is responsible for implementing, monitoring and reviewing our improvement plan
• How we will measure progress and check outcomes (criteria for success)

As we implement our improvement plan we will record:

• The progress made, and adjustments made, and when
• Achievement of targets (original and modified), and when

Our Improvement Plan

Timeframe of this improvement plan is from September 2021 to September 2022

Targets	Actions	Persons / groups responsible	Criteria for success	Progress and adjustments	Targets achieved
(1) Creating the structures to effectively include the subject classroom teacher in the Student Support Files (SSF) for AEN students.                                       (2) Creating a wellbeing programme that includes everyone.                                                             (3) Using the results of the tracking process to target the minority of students who have problems with self-belief and self-efficacy in learning and those who have a negative disposition towards school, teaching and learning.	The school has been accepted into the Forbairt programme for 2021/22 and will use this opportunity to create the structure.                                       In year 1 the school will complete the audit as outlined in the Wellbeing Framework and Wellbeing Guidelines documents.                                   In year 2 a draft Wellbeing Plan will be presented to the school community.             Informed by these meetings appropriate interventions will be selected and undertaken.   Parents/guardians will be invited to assist in, or further inform, the process.	Led by the Forbairt Team –  Senior Management Team and the Guidance department.       NCSE Advisor.     All teaching staff.                             Junior Cycle Co-ordinator Wellbeing committee Guidance Team                                         All members of the school community.                 Student Support Team   External bodies may also be consulted e.g. NEPS; Attendance Officer	An online tool will be available to all teachers to contribute to the SSFs.         Teachers of all subjects will be trained to contribute and respond to the specific targets set for AEN students; and also to evaluate the targets following a period of intervention. A formal structure using a shared online space will be  created to allow teachers to share best practice in working with specific AEN students.         Surveys will be created for students, teachers and parents/guardians. Results will be shared with the school community.   Focus groups will analyse the results and build the suggestions into the Wellbeing plan.   SPHE, CSPE, Computers and Guidance will look for overlap in their programmes and prepare a draft scheme of work for each year in Junior Cycle removing those overlaps.     A draft plan will be available for sharing and discussion.               In further testing, following on from appropriate interventions, students will report as being happier in school and more confident as learners.   PASS testing will be used as part of this process.