Scoil An Chro R Naofa osa

Huntstown
Mulhuddart
Dublin 15
Roll No. 19755L

School Improvement Plan Summary for School Community

English Literacy

Evaluation Period: September 2013 to June 2014

Plan Issue Date: 20th June 2014

1. Introduction
A school self-evaluation of literacy and numeracy teaching and learning in Scoil An Chro R
Naofa osa was undertaken during the period September to December 2011 in preparation for the
implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in January 2012. During this
evaluation it became clear that the teaching and learning of English literacy within the school
required further self-evaluation and investigation. The outcome of the evaluation process was the
formulation of an English School Improvement Plan, which is summarised below. This plan sets
out the actions that our school will undertake over the next three years to improve teaching and
learning of English literacy in our school.
2. Summary of school self-evaluation findings
2.1Our school has strengths in the following areas:
overall positive disposition at home and at school to teaching and learning of English
literacy;
test results in keeping with or above national norms;
willing and able staff interested in effecting improvement;
availability and use of concrete materials and digital media within the school to
support teaching and learning of English literacy;
and ongoing implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy since
January 2012 beginning to show improvement in comprehension skills.
We know that these are our strengths from consulting with pupils, parents and teachers and
examining the pupils work and tests results.
2.2 Our school has decided to prioritise the following areas for development and improvement:
pupils end-of-year English test scores;

EAL (English as an Additional Language) pupils test scores;

and pupils handwriting and presentation of written work..

We have decided to prioritise these areas based on discussion and feedback from pupils, parents
and teachers, EAL pupils test results, as well analysis of end-of-year standardised English test
results for First to Sixth class and a comparison of these results with national norms and standards.
3. Our school has set the following targets for improvement which are related to pupils
achievement and has identified the following actions will help in achieving these targets over the
next three years.
3.1 Targets for improvement
1. Increase the number of pupils from 12.5% to 16% (in First to Sixth Class) scoring at
or above the 85th percentile on end-of-year standardised tests.
2. Increase the number of EAL pupils achieving B1 proficiency in English on the
Primary School Assessment Kit by 10%.

3. Ensure that all children (unless they have particular difficulty with fine motor skills or
other mitigating circumstances) write and present their written work carefully and
neatly according to the schools Handwriting and Presentation of Work policies.
3.2 Actions
1. Compare end of year Micra T scores with national norms for pupils in First to Sixth class
and analyse test booklets to determine childrens strengths and needs.
2. Examine EAL pupils test results on the Primary Assessment Kit with a view to assessing
their performance/strengths/needs and determining teaching/learning targets.
3. Implement Literacy Strategy to improve comprehension skills.
4.

Implement Sales Literacy Programme to improve childrens English literacy skills

action will operate at Junior and Senior Infant level up until the end of June 2015 and at
Senior Infant level up until the end of June 2016. Implement a play based curriculum for
Junior Infants from September 2015.

5. Review and revise our whole school policy in relation to exceptionally able learners with
a view to providing appropriate teaching and learning opportunities for these pupils in the
area of English Literacy.
6. Devise a list list of themes and specific vocabulary for Junior Infants to Sixth class
using a spiral teaching approach. Explicit teaching (approximately 30 minutes per week)
of a core vocabulary list for each class level based on Twenty Steps Towards Language
Development (Drumcondra Teachers' Centre).
7. Review and revise Handwriting Policy in September 2014. Devise Handwriting
Checklist. Devise and implement Presentation Skills. Allocate specific time each week to
handwriting and presentation skills.
As a parent you can help us by:

encouraging your child to work to his/her ability at home and at school;

reading to your child and getting your child to read for you;

encouraging your child to take care with their writing and present their work neatly and
carefully;

encouraging your child to learn his/her spellings to the best of their ability;

and letting the class teacher know if your child has a difficulty with or does not understand a
particular mathematical concept.

3.3 We know we will have achieved our targets when positive feedback from pupils, teachers
and parents is corroborated by documentary evidence based on pupils test results, their
proficiency in literacy skills and their written work at home and at school.