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Irish secondary school pupils told to learn coursework rules
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/03/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
Pupils at secondary schools in Ireland should make sure they are familiar with the rules surrounding leaving certificate coursework.
This is the suggestion of the State Examinations Commission, which revealed that last year 22 construction students lost marks as a result of their coursework being found to not be entirely their own handiwork, the Irish Independent reports.
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Online learning 'helps Irish primary school teacher'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/03/2010.Tags: Teachers News
A man training to be a primary school teacher in Ireland through online learning has spoken positively of the experience to the Irish Times.
Paudie O'Neill, 30, embarked on an 18-month course with Hibernia College, fitting 25 hours worth of studying a week around his full-time job in construction.
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Irish schools 'face closure' through union action
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Schools in Ireland may be forced to close their doors in the coming weeks as a result of industrial action by public service unions.
The Irish Times suggested that day-long or half-day-long shutdowns could be a possibility following the announcement by the chairman of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions that further measures are to be taken that will involve the withdrawal of labour.
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Irish primary schools 'should look at non-teaching principals'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The issue of a large number of small primary schools in Ireland having principals who also perform the role of classroom teacher is one that needs to be addressed, according to the Department of Education and Science.
Minister Batt O'Keeffe suggested in a speech to the annual general meeting of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) last week that this is an important matter and one that the government will be focusing on as it looks to help those in charge of running schools.
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Demand for third-level places 'to cost taxpayer €1bn'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Demand for third-level education places is set to cost the government around €1 billion, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, the number of people attending college or university is expected to rise from 155,100 at present to 215,900 over the next decade.
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Educate Together 'to launch campaign for post-primary schools'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Educate Together is set to launch a campaign urging the government to allow the establishment of multi-denominational secondary schools in Ireland, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, the organisation currently provides facilities for primary pupils and is keen to increase provision.
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Fluent Irish speakers 'disadvantaged by medical entry exam'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The undergraduate admissions assessment for medicine in Ireland has come under fire for being "English-only".
Sean O Cuirreain, Irish language commissioner, was quoted by the Irish Times as saying Irish speakers were "put at a disadvantage" by the Health Professions Admission Test and called it "unwelcome" in today's society.
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Excluding problem children from school 'is not effective'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Expelling or suspending schoolchildren for misbehaving does not help them or their parents, it has been suggested.
Sue Fieldman, regional editor of the Good Schools Guide, said youngsters who are excluded from the classroom are usually "delighted" about it.
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Cutting language assistants 'will hinder integration'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/03/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Around a quarter of the language teachers tasked with assisting non-Irish pupils have either lost or left their positions over the last year, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, there are concerns that the cuts could make if difficult for minority youngsters to integrate properly.
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Majority of parents 'think school teachers do well'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/02/2010.Tags: Teachers News
The majority of parents think Irish school kids are in good hands, according to research.
A survey by IReach Market Research surveyed 1,000 adults about their attitudes to 12 different professions, reports the Irish Telegraph.
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Schools 'call for lift on middle-management hiring ban'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Schools are calling for a lift on a middle-management hiring ban, reports RTE.
Managers and principles of second level schools believe that the ban is seeing Irish school kids suffer.
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TUI urges government to form 'Department of Education and Training'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has called on the country's government to promote the link between education and training by creating a new department.
The organisation believes that there is an artificial divide separating the two similar institutions and wants the government to form a Department of Education and Training to reflect the connection.
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Sex education 'vital to reducing one-parent family numbers'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Sex education for Irish school kids is vital in reducing the number of one-parent families, according to a government minister.
At the beginning of the week, social and family affairs minister Mary Hanafin, highlighted the importance of a relationship and sexuality programme in Irish schools.
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Thousands of Leaving Cert students 'to be denied college places'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
Thousands of Irish school kids are being denied access to Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) places, reports the Irish Independent.
The number of available PLC places is currently capped at 31,688 by a sanction from the department of education and science.
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Schools 'dropping physics and chemistry'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 25/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Schools are being forced to drop costly subjects as a result of government spending cuts, it has been revealed.
One in five principals are either planning to or have already dropped physics lessons, the Irish Independent reports.
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Run up to exams 'is stressful for teenagers'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 25/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News Parenting Kids
The run up to the Leaving and Junior Cert exams is an extremely stressful period for teenagers, it has been stated.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, consultant psychiatrist Pat Devitt said youngsters can literally find themselves paralysed by anxiety, "like a rabbit caught in the headlights".
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Leaving Cert advice: cramming Irish is impossible
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 25/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
Leaving Cert Irish is not a subject that can be crammed at the last minute, it has been claimed.
Amy Kelly, who achieved an A1 grade in the exam and is not studying to be a primary school teacher, said it is a language that needs to be mastered gradually.
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Schools 'facing closure over union action'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 24/02/2010.Tags: Teachers News Education And Politics
Thousands of Irish secondary schools could be forced to close as a result of a union block on teachers taking on extra duties, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, unions have directed members not to undertake any work that was previously done by retired staff who have not been replaced.
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Guidelines 'needed to prevent inappropriate clothing for kids'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 24/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Retailers should be provided with guidelines on what type of clothing is suitable for different age groups, it has been suggested.
Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of Netmums, said many parents are concerned that children are becoming too sexualised in our society.
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Music 'is beneficial for dyslexic children'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 23/02/2010.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
Listening to music on a regular basis can be highly beneficial for children with dyslexia, it has been claimed.
Sheila Oglethorpe, spokesperson for the British Dyslexia Association, said there is plenty of research to suggest that this is the case.
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Small schools 'could be merged to save money'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 22/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Education minister Batt O'Keeffe is set to assess whether some of the country's smallest schools can be merged, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, almost half of primary schools have less than 100 pupils.
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It is 'never too early to look for college accommodation'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 19/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
It is never too soon for parents and students to start thinking about college living arrangements, it has been claimed.
According to the Irish Independent, there are two good options for first year pupils - digs and on-campus rooms.
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Boys and girls 'learn differently'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 19/02/2010.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
Boys and girls differ considerably when it comes to learning in the classroom, it has been suggested.
Alison Terry, a consultant at charity pfeg, said female students learn much more collaboratively and take more naturally to group work.
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Greater understanding of maths 'is needed'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
With around 95.8 per cent of Leaving Cert students studying maths, Ireland should be one of the most mathematically proficient countries in the world. However, it still lags behind some of its European counterparts, it has been claimed.
Writing for the Irish Independent, John Walshe noted that Ireland was ranked 16th out of 30 OECD countries in terms of performance in 2006.
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Parents 'losing expulsion appeals'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 18/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
The majority of parents that appeal against their child's expulsion from school fail to get the decision reversed, it has been revealed.
According to the Irish Independent, 75 per cent of appeals are rejected.
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School building programme 'does not go far enough'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 17/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The government's school building programme does not go far enough, according to the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO).
It was announced earlier this week that 52 construction projects will go ahead as part of the state's €579 initiative.
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Almost half of maths teachers 'not qualified'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 17/02/2010.Tags: Teachers News
Almost half of second-level maths teachers are not qualified in the subject, it has been revealed.
A report published by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning at the University of Limerick found that 48 per cent of those teaching the subject do not have a proper qualification.
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Government announces new school building projects
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 16/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The government has announced details of 52 new school building projects as part of its €579 million construction plan.
Minister for education and science Batt O'Keeffe said that so far 25 of the projects have secured planning permission.
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Majority of adults 'in support of free third-level education'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 15/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The majority of Irish adults are in favour of the government providing free third-level education, new research has revealed.
A study commissioned by UCD Students' Union found that 77 per cent of people do not want to see tuition fees introduced, the Irish Independent reports.
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English teaching for minority students 'not adequate'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 15/02/2010.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News Teachers News
Youngsters from ethnic minorities are not being taught enough English to understand other subjects, it has been suggested.
The failure to provide adequate resources for those from non-Irish backgrounds is preventing integration, the Irish Independent reports.
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Parents 'must be aware of what their children eat'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Kids Health
It is vital that parents are aware of how much food their children should be consuming.
This is according to Rich Leigh, founder of Fat Free Fitness, said it is also important that they know what type of produce is good for their sons and daughters.
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Top tips to keen kids safe online
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
There are a number of steps that parents can take to ensure their children stay safe when using the internet, it has been claimed.
Louise Robinson, an expert from MyDaughter.co.uk, suggested that it is not possible to shield youngsters completely, as sharing information online is the latest method of communicating for kids.
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Students offered geography mock exam tips
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
Junior Cert and Leaving Cert students have been offered some advice on how to prepare for their mock geography exams.
Writing for the Irish Times, Brian Mooney said pupils should ensure they learn a number of national and international case studies for the core questions on the paper.
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Increasing number of students 'applying to UK colleges'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
An increasing number of Irish students are applying to study at UK colleges, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, 7,000 individuals have submitted applications so far this year, compared to 4,600 in 2009.
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Fee-paying schools 'top league table'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
The majority of Ireland's best schools are fee-paying establishments, it has been revealed.
According to the Sunday Times Parent Power League, 80 per cent of the top ten schools in the country charge parents to send their children there, with annual fees ranging from €3,400 and €14,500.
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Play 'is vital for child development'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
Parents should ensure that their children have adequate time to play and socialise, it has been suggested.
Doreen Jones, senior parent support co-ordinator at the charity Parentline Plus, said play can help youngsters to develop "emotional literacy" and to manage their emotions when they get frustrated.
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Decision to ban after-school parent meetings 'is a bad idea'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/02/2010.Tags: Teachers News
The parents of Irish school kids should be able to continue holding meetings with teachers out of education hours in order to be more involved in their children's learning, it has been claimed.
According to Jim Moore, writing for the Irish Times, many parents cannot make meetings in school hours because they clash with the working day and banning after-hours discussions only serves to make parents less informed.
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Children 'concerned over online strangers'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Parenting Kids
The majority of children worry about being targeted by strangers over the internet, it has been revealed.
A study published by the National Centre for Technology in Education found that 76 per cent of youngsters would not like to be contacted online by a person they do not know.
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Disabled students 'must be treated better'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/02/2010.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News Education And Politics
Many educational professionals still have a negative attitude towards disabled students, it has been suggested.
Writing for the Irish Times, Ann Heelan, executive director of Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, claimed that some teaching staff and parents view children with disabilities as a "problem".
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Thousands of student grants 'still to be processed'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/02/2010.Tags: Education And Politics
Thousands of students are still waiting for their college grants to be processed, it has been reported.
According to Fine Gael, 8,000 applications for finance have yet to be approved or declined by some local authorities.
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English mock exam advice issued
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
Junior and Leaving Cert pupils have been offered some tips on how to prepare for their mock English exams.
According to the Irish Times, students should practice writing answers on a number of possible themes and try to hone their technique.
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Lone-parents 'may lose benefits when children reach 13'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/02/2010.Tags: Parenting Kids Education And Politics
Single mothers and fathers stand to lose their lone-parent benefit once their child reaches the age of 13, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, there are currently 189,240 one-parent families in Ireland, with almost 90,000 receiving this allowance.
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Top tips for handling mocks
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News Parenting Kids
Junior and Leaving Cert students have been offered some advice on how to prepare for their forthcoming mock exams.
Writing for the Irish Times, Brian Mooney said pupils can benefit from looking over past papers and preparing a range of answers for questions that are likely to come up.
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Leaving Cert pupils 'choosing soft subjects for points'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/02/2010.Tags: Secondary School News
An increasing number of Leaving Cert students are choosing "soft" subjects in favour of higher level maths, it has been reported.
According to the Irish Independent, students are dropping the advanced numeracy topic because they feel they will get more points by focusing on alternatives such as home economics and business studies.
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