Improving Schools in Northern Ireland

Author(s): Tony Gallagher, Ian Shuttleworth and Colette Gray
Commissioned by: Northern Ireland Economic Council
Document Type: Research Monograph (Northern Ireland Economic Council) No 7
Year: 1998
Publisher: Northern Ireland Economic Development Office
Place of Publication: Belfast
ISBN: 1 897614 48 9
Subject Area(s): Education
Client Group(s) : Children, Students


Background to the Research

  • This research monograph was the second in a series of three prepared for the Northern Ireland Economic Council on educational achievement in Northern Ireland. It reviews theory and practice in improving school performance, before turning attention to the views of those directly charged with the delivery of the output of the educational system. The purpose of the exercise was to see what lessons could be learnt that could be used or disseminated to raise standards in schools in Northern Ireland.

Research Approach

  • Twenty-six individual schools were selected to participate in a qualitative case study comprising of: four nursery and eight primary schools in disadvantaged areas of Belfast and fourteen post-primary schools (two grammar and twelve secondary) located throughout the region most of which appeared to be successfully tackling the problem of underachievement. A minority of sample schools were selected as comparators.
  • In the case of nursery/primary schools the views of principals were sought, while for post-primary schools, teachers and pupils were also included.

Main Findings

  • Schools located in socially disadvantaged areas face multiple problems. In particular, many of the schools are obliged to try to deal with a wide range of non-school problems related to the welfare needs of pupils and their families. This evidence suggests that consideration should be given to better targeting of the social disadvantage component of formula funding for schools.
  • The three main themes to emerge from the principals' interviews were the value of internal monitoring and information, the importance attached to staff development, and the role played by some factors external to schools as a constraint on school improvement.
  • In relation to external constraints, many of the principals in secondary schools felt that the selective system gave an unfair advantage to grammar schools and that this was reinforced by open enrollment. They felt that these constraints made it harder for their schools to improve.
  • Among the teachers interviewed for the study a clear emergent theme was in the importance of collegiality in certain an environment conducive to improving teaching and learning.
  • Principals made it clear that they felt that their greatest asset towards school improvement was in the quality of their teaching staff. Nevertheless, there was general agreement that a small number of ineffective teachers did exist, that they could have a deleterious impact on pupils' learning and that procedures for dealing with this problem could be simplified.
  • The monograph concludes that more should be done to spread information on innovation and best practice towards school improvement across schools in Northern Ireland. Further, attention should be given to mitigating some of the more negative aspects of the education market. The system of grammar and secondary schools does not provide for balanced competition between schools and may impose necessary constraints on the ability of secondary schools to work towards school improvement.
 

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