Published in: Irish Journal of Education
Abstract:
The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy Among Children and Young People 2011-2020 (hereinafter referred to as the 2011 Strategy) was one of the flagship policy initiatives of the Department of Education and Youth for much of the last 15 years. Amongst other aspects, it set out significant goals relating to initial teacher education, instructional time, parental involvement, assessment practices and use of standardised tests, use of large-scale assessment data for system-level monitoring, and major curriculum reform. The publication of a successor Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy in 2024 – covering the next decade up to 2033 – creates a follow on from the 2011 Strategy. It therefore seems timely now to look back over the 2011-2023 period to examine the extent to which progress towards a set of aims specified in the 2011 Strategy had been accomplished by its endpoint.
For this analysis, we draw on data from multiple cycles of two large-scale assessments: PIRLS 2011, TIMSS 2011, PIRLS 2021, and TIMSS 2023. These studies, which are conducted at Fourth Class in primary school, fulfil three key criteria for the current purpose: (i) they provide population-level data that allow generalisations to be made to the relevant population of pupils across the country as a whole, rather than just a sample; (ii) they provide comparable datapoints on key topics at either side of the lifetime of the 2011 Strategy; and (iii) they provide data relevant to the teaching and learning of both literacy and numeracy. Findings are presented under the six “pillars” alluded to in the 2011 Strategy and a subsequent 2017 Interim Review. Next, the findings are contextualised from an international perspective, highlighting common drivers for policy creation, approaches used when policymaking, and challenges that arise when trying to evaluate the effectiveness of policy. The findings and contextualisation inform a discussion on the changes and progress in the lifetime of the 2011 Strategy while considering the updated goals and objectives set out in the current Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033.
McHugh, G., Clerkin, A., & Hastedt, D. (2026). Reflections on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011-2020: Evidence from TIMSS and PIRLS (2011-2023). Irish Journal of Education, 50(4), 1-49. https://doi.org/10.70092/IJE.50.04
The 2021 National Assessments of English Reading and Mathematics (NAMER) Context Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing achievement in Second class English reading and Sixth class maths in Ireland. Due to pandemic-related disruptions, NAMER 2021 was postponed from 2020 and adapted to reduce the testing burden. Pupils had experienced approximately two months of remote teaching prior to returning to face-to-face instruction in March 2021.
Drawing on data from questionnaires administered to pupils, teachers, and school principals, this report situates performance outcomes within broader educational and socio-economic settings. Key variables examined include, pupil background, language, instructional time and homework, teacher professional development, digital practices in school and home, and school factors such as school gender, planning and COVID-19 impact.
Recommendations stress the need to build on existing good practice in schools as well as the strengthening initiatives to improve liking and confidence in reading and mathematics.
Published in: IEA Compass: Briefs in Education
Abstract:
In recent decades, large-scale assessments in Ireland have revealed consistent trends, phases of change, and some surprises. This Compass Brief explores how data from large-scale assessments informed Ireland’s National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011–2020, particularly regarding priorities, target-setting, and monitoring. It also examines how related initiatives including curriculum redevelopment and standardized testing reform have reflected large-scale assessment findings. Looking ahead, we outline how large-scale assessments can inform Ireland’s next National Strategy to 2033, which encompasses digital literacy along with literacy and numeracy. More broadly, using Ireland as an example, we identify important issues for policymakers in other countries to consider when using ILSA (international large-scale assessment) data within their own national contexts.
Clerkin, A., & Delaney, E. (2025). How Large-scale Assessments Have Informed Education Policy in Ireland. IEA Compass: Briefs in Education #26. IEA. https://www.iea.nl/sites/default/files/2025-01/CB26-LSA-Data-Informing-Policy-Ireland.pdf
This report follows on from Ireland’s National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading 2021: A focus on urban DEIS schools (Nelis & Gilleece, 2023). It is also designed to be read
in conjunction with the National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading 2021: Performance Report (Kiniry et al., 2023) which provides more detail on the administration of
NAMER ’21 and overall findings for achievement. Further findings from NAMER ’21 including findings related to teaching and assessment practices, pupil characteristics and school factors, will be described in a forthcoming report (Kiniry et al., Report in preparation).
A key purpose of this report is to look at pupil characteristics and school and classroom factors that may be associated with achievement of pupils in Urban DEIS schools. More broadly, analyses
in this report are intended to support policymakers and school communities striving to improve equity in education. NAMER ’21 was administered in Spring 2021. Since then, there have been developments in policy, practice and supports. This report was completed in late 2023 and focuses primarily on findings from NAMER ’21 rather than how findings may link to developments that occurred following the study.
This report provides in-depth information on the achievement of primary pupils in DEIS Urban Band 1 and Urban Band 2 schools in the National Assessments of Mathematics and English
Reading 2021 (NAMER ’21). The current report is one of two initial reports from NAMER ’21. It is intended to be read in conjunction with Kiniry et al. (2023) who provide more detail on the purpose of the national assessments, the administration of NAMER ’21, and overall achievement in reading and mathematics.
A key purpose of the current report is to compare the average achievement of primary pupils in Urban Band 1 and Urban Band 2 schools with that of primary pupils in Urban Non-DEIS schools.
In this way, findings contribute to monitoring progress towards targets under the DEIS Plan 2017 (Department of Education and Skills, 2017a) which refer to reducing the percentages of lower achievers in DEIS schools and increasing the percentages of high achievers, in reading and mathematics.
Primary pupils in Ireland also participated in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) in 2021. Findings from PIRLS are published alongside those of NAMER; see Delaney et al. (2023) for Irish results. NAMER and PIRLS provide important insights about primary pupils’ achievement and experiences following the disruption to education systems caused by COVID-19.
The National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading (NAMER) aims to provide a snapshot of the mathematical and reading skills of Second and Sixth class pupils in Ireland, to identify areas of strength and weakness, and to inform educational policy and practice. Originally planned for administration in Spring 2020, NAMER was overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdowns necessitated by the pandemic led to extended school closures and the postponement of the National Assessments by a year. By the time NAMER was administered in May 2021, schools had been shut for a total of 96 days in the preceding two school years.
The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, originally published in 2011, set out performance targets for 2020 which were surpassed in the 2014 National Assessment. New performance targets in literacy and numeracy were set for 2020 in 2017. Although NAMER 2021 took place during a period of considerable upheaval in schools and society as a whole, the study provides an opportunity to monitor performance with reference to these targets.
