Irish-medium Schools

Education – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:45 pm on 1 June 2010.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Billy Leonard Billy Leonard Sinn Féin 3:45, 1 June 2010

6. asked the Minister of Education for an update on the inspection reports on Irish-medium schools. (AQO 1347/10)

Photo of Caitriona Ruane Caitriona Ruane Sinn Féin

Is earnáil bheoga óg í earnáil na Gaelscolaíochta: is í an earnáil is gaiste fás í i dtuaisceart na hÉireann.

The Irish-medium sector is young and vibrant, and is the fastest growing schools sector in the North of Ireland. However, the needs of that sector were neglected by previous Administrations. Newly established Irish-medium schools face particular challenges. The sector had difficulties in accessing curricular and other resources, and there has been historical underinvestment in capital projects, which has resulted in many schools having poor accommodation. There are also many transport issues.

Inspection is a key part of the work the Department does to support schools and raise standards, and that applies across all sectors. Once a school is inspected, a report is published and, if any areas for improvement are identified, the school is required to address them with appropriate support when necessary. When inspectors find that a school is offering less than satisfactory provision for its pupils, my school improvement policy ensures that that school receives focused support through the formal intervention process. The schools that receive support through that process — in the controlled, maintained, integrated, Irish-medium and grammar sectors — are committed to improvement and are receiving the tailored support that they need from education and library boards. I welcome the response of those schools in rising to meet the challenges that they face.

Every school that goes through that process will receive follow-up inspections, after which the situation will be reviewed. One Irish-medium school has just been re-inspected. It was found to have improved and the provision is now satisfactory. Therefore, I expect that the first school to exit the formal intervention process will be an Irish-medium school, and I look forward to all the other schools following suit.

I am committed to tackling underachievement wherever it exists and in every sector. The focus throughout that process is on ensuring that pupils receive the highest possible quality of teaching and learning so that they can achieve their full potential. The schools, parents, pupils and staff now need our encouragement as they set about the job of improvement.

Photo of Billy Leonard Billy Leonard Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for outlining the actions that the Department currently takes. Will the Department give continued commitment to the school improvement programme in all sectors?

Photo of Caitriona Ruane Caitriona Ruane Sinn Féin

Absolutely. Any school that is identified by the inspector receives tailored support from the relevant education and library board and is supported, when appropriate, by the relevant sectoral body.

The school also commits to working to deliver an agreed action plan, which is quality assured by the Education and Training Inspectorate and is designed to address the areas for improvement that have been identified through inspection.