Author: Lorraine Gilleece
P-TECH IRELAND STUDENT SURVEY 2024
This report provides a snapshot of the student experience of the first P-TECH student cohort in Ireland as they finish post-primary school. It looks at their views on school, their experiences in P-TECH and their plans for the future. A total of 49 students responded to the online survey, representing a response rate of nearly 64% of eligible students. Students’ views on school were somewhat divided with about one-third of students disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that they looked forward to school. Students’ reflections on their learning within P-TECH were largely positive. The majority of students (>80%) reported that P-TECH supported their development in various skill areas or abilities either to a small or large extent. One-third of students were happy with the availability of the P-TECH mentor for guidance and support when needed (33% satisfied/very satisfied). There was high uptake of the work experience placements in Transition Year. About two-thirds of students rated their interest, enjoyment or overall work placement experience as good. The majority of students intended to continue in formal education after school, intending to pursue either higher (59%) or further education (29%) courses. Over half of students (57%) reported that P-TECH was preparing them to some extent for their future career or further education . About half of students were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience of the programme. Students’ suggestions for improvement to the P-TECH programme included: clearer information on the programme’s content and goals; more information for students on P-TECH in general; clearer instructions for projects/tasks during work experience placements; and allowing students to provide ongoing feedback throughout the programme.
P-TECH IRELAND STUDENT SURVEY 2024
This report provides a snapshot of the student experience of the first P-TECH student cohort in Ireland as they finish post-primary school. It looks at their views on school, their experiences in P-TECH and their plans for the future. A total of 49 students responded to the online survey, representing a response rate of nearly 64% of eligible students. Students’ views on school were somewhat divided with about one-third of students disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that they looked forward to school. Students’ reflections on their learning within P-TECH were largely positive. The majority of students (>80%) reported that P-TECH supported their development in various skill areas or abilities either to a small or large extent. One-third of students were happy with the availability of the P-TECH mentor for guidance and support when needed (33% satisfied/very satisfied). There was high uptake of the work experience placements in Transition Year. About two-thirds of students rated their interest, enjoyment or overall work placement experience as good. The majority of students intended to continue in formal education after school, intending to pursue either higher (59%) or further education (29%) courses. Over half of students (57%) reported that P-TECH was preparing them to some extent for their future career or further education . About half of students were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience of the programme. Students’ suggestions for improvement to the P-TECH programme included: clearer information on the programme’s content and goals; more information for students on P-TECH in general; clearer instructions for projects/tasks during work experience placements; and allowing students to provide ongoing feedback throughout the programme.
Ireland’s 2021 National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading: Exploring the home backgrounds, classrooms and schools of pupils in Urban DEIS schools
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.
Ireland’s National Assessments of Mathematics and English Reading 2021: A focus on achievement in urban DEIS schools
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.
An evaluation framework for teachers’ professional learning in Ireland
Developing an evaluation framework for teachers’ professional learning in Ireland: Phase 3a Consultation with TPL providers.
Developing an evaluation framework for teachers’ professional learning in Ireland: Phase 3b Small-scale consultation with children and young people
This report represents one of two outputs from the third strand of this project which has the overall aim of developing a framework for the evaluation of Teachers’ Professional Learning (TPL). The project consists of detailed desk-based research, including a literature review (Rawdon, Sampson, Gilleece, & Cosgrove, 2020); a survey of teachers and principals in primary, post-primary, and special schools (Rawdon, Gilleece, Denner, Sampson, & Cosgrove, 2021); consultation with TPL providers (Rawdon & Gilleece, 2022); consultation with children and young people; and a case-study focusing on an evaluation of a specific TPL opportunity (in the area of student wellbeing). The various strands of the research project will ultimately lead to the publication of a research-based framework for the evaluation of TPL. The term TPL was selected for use in the current project in order to acknowledge the full range of learning activities undertaken by teachers
Developing an evaluation framework for teachers’ professional learning in Ireland: Phase 2 Survey of teachers and principals
Beyond achievement: home, school and wellbeing findings from PISA 2018 for students in DEIS and non-DEIS schools
This report is a follow-up to the ERC’s 2020 report Reading, Mathematics and Science Achievement in DEIS schools: Evidence from PISA 2018 (Gilleece, Nelis, Fitzgerald, & Cosgrove, 2020) which detailed the reading, mathematics and science achievement of students in DEIS and non-DEIS schools. Achievement levels of students in DEIS schools were examined with reference to the targets set out in the national strategy to improve literacy and numeracy (DES, 2011). Findings show that in PISA 2018, the average reading score in DEIS schools was at the level of the OECD average. Although average reading achievement was lower in DEIS than in non-DEIS schools, the difference between the two was smaller in 2018 than in 2009. In PISA 2018 mathematics and science, students in DEIS schools scored below the OECD average. Average mathematics and science scores of students in DEIS schools were also significantly below those of students in non-DEIS schools. This report builds on the earlier work by providing a detailed examination of differences in the home backgrounds of students in DEIS and non-DEIS schools. Also, we give consideration to some school contextual factors and examine broader student outcomes and dispositions, such as wellbeing, the value that students place on education, their motivation, and aspirations for future learning and employment. In focusing on the wider picture, we recognise that while achievement in reading, mathematics and science represent important outcomes of schooling, they offer a partial view of the purposes and outcomes of education.
