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PUPILS IN IRISH primary schools are getting better at English reading and maths.
Not only that, but they’ve shown the first significant improvement in decades.
That’s according to national assessments of primary schools, which show that there have been the first significant improvements in reading and maths in over 30 years.
The performance report on the 2014 National Assessments of English reading and Mathematics were welcomed by Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, today.
The assessments were prepared by the independent Educational Research centre and saw over 8,000 pupils in 150 primary schools tested.
The Minster said she was pleased to see the results, but did caution against complacency.
Results
The assessments found that overall performance in reading and maths in second and sixth classes was significantly higher in these assessments than in the ones done in 2009.
This makes them the first significant improvements recorded by the national assessments in over three decades. Improvements were last noted back in 1980, compared to the 1972 results
The assessments found that in 2014, there was a reduction in the proportion of lower-achieving pupils. There was also an increase in the proportion of higher achievement pupils in both English reading and mathematics compared to 2009.
Also last year, there were “significant but small” gender differences observed in second class, favouring girls on English reading and boys on mathematics.
But the report said that “gender differences at sixth class were not statistically significant”.
In addition, they found that pupils in DEIS schools also performed at higher average levels in 2014 compared with their counterparts in 2009. But it said that there are still gaps in performance between pupils in DEIS and non-DEIS schools
In addition, targets for literacy and numeracy set out in a national strategy have already been achieved.
News welcomed
Sheila Nunan, general secretary of the INTO, said the improvements were “probably the result of several different factors including supports for disadvantaged schools, changes to teacher education, improvements in learning support allocations to schools and an increased focus on literacy and numeracy”.
However, she said that today, almost all children in primary schools are taught all the time by a fully qualified teacher.
Nunan brought this up as she said that for most of the last three for decades and up to recently this had not been the case.
But the union said it was “too early to draw definite conclusions for the improvement”.
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My daughter attends a Deis school and the standard of teaching is generally excellent. But like most things to do with kids, it all comes to the value parents place on education and manners etc. teachers aren’t a substitute for home.
My Son is in Gael Scoil and had hit very high scores in all his sten tests … The Irish language is the way to go
Totally disagree ! Your son is obviously naturally academic ! A good proportion of gaelscoil children leave school with a very low knowledge of English grammar . Also you must be fluent in Irish to teach in a gaelscoil something that is in the minority which means gaelscoils often sacrifice good teachers for fluent gaelgoirs!
I bet ya they did not survey any of the Educate Together schools…there a complete waste of time anyway those schools
True! An inspector I know visited one of those schools and found they were not following the curriculum and had way too much discretionary time. They seemed like a good idea at the time but have turned into an absolute nightmare. I feel for the parents that sent their kids to those schools.
i heard the Teachers or (Educators) as they like to be known in those schools bring their own views on society as well into the class room …reciepe for disaster
Where did you go to school Finda? Your spelling and grammar leave a lot to be desired. You come across as distinctly poorly educated.
Im not teaching in an Educate Together school but I fail to see the problem with teachers expressing opinion on societal issues in the classroom. It’s important for children to develop the he ability to make informed decisions and form opinions through research and listening to the opinion of others, including other pupils and teachers. As long as children are encouraged to make up their own mind about things I don’t see where the issue is.
My daughter is in senior infants in an educate together school. Her reading is magnificent (she read all the little miss books we got her for Christmas in one day – there are 37 and we hoped we might get the Christmas holidays out of them!) and her maths is above the norm (she see patterns in everyday things like food in the supermarket, look mammy 3 sixes, there’s 18 apples)Her teacher has noticed these abilities and has given her extra work to keep her from getting bored in class. She loves school and as parents we are able to be involved in her education. Also, second class won’t be spent on making her communion.
@Finbarr – I bet the kids in the Educate Together schools would know how to use “there” – place, “their” – ownership and “they’re” – they are , appropriately. =p
The grammar police are out !
As indeed are the illiterate.
and ‘dare’ – defy or challenge (someone) to do something
;)
Given the quality of grammar that is usually evident in the Journal’s comments section, I hope this trend continues.
Primary school maths curriculum in particular is much too basic. Multiplication not started until 3rd class for example. This is way behind many other countries. Far too much reliance on colouring in during the first 3/4 years.
Have you much experience in delivering the primary maths curriculum Ann Marie, or spent much time observing current practice and delivery of the curriculum in the Junior section of primary schools. Many of my colleagues in teaching would agree that like other subjects it is overloaded in content and many of the concepts are quite difficult to understand. The whole language of maths proves difficult for some to understand.
Well said Orla
Anne Marie , the reason for all the drawings and the colouring is for their fine motors which is very important too
Is maths a language? So that’s where I’ve been going wrong.
100% agree. The maths has been dumbed down. My daughter was doing in 3rd class what I would have been doing in senior infants or 1st class
Said 103% of taechers
Better to be wise than otherwise!!
They will know where to emigrate to,and how much it will cost.
I’m not stupid, I just don’t know a lot.
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